If you're in Chapter 13 but your 2nd home is excluded can you refinance it without alerting Bankruptcy Court?

Answer 1

No, the second home is is not excluded. Everything you own is part of your bankruptcy estate and is the property of the bankruptcy trustee, including the second home. You would need court permission to refinance either of your properties. To do so you have to bring a motion requesting said permission and showing how the refiance would benefit your creditors over the plan you already proposed. As part of the motion you would have to propose an amended plan that includes the refinance. Since the property is not, due to the bankruptcy, owned by you, you shouldn't be able to refinance it. The tirle company should pick up on the bankruptcy and not allow the refiance. An alternative to getting court permission is to simply dismiss the chapter 13 case and do whatever you want. You have a right to have the case dismissed. You just need to submit the request to the court and wait for the judge to sign off on the dismissal order. I get the impression that you didn't list your second home in the bankruptcy (is that what you mean by "excluded?"). If so, you committed bankruptcy fraud and your bankruptcy case could be dismissed and charges can be filed by the US Trustee, part of the Justice Department. At best the trustee would want you to add the additional property to your papers. Adding the additional property would change your bankruptcy case (assets) and the plan you filed with the court that was determined by your assets and debts.