Chapter 13

Through this method, a Payment Order, signed by the Bankruptcy Judge, will be issued to your employer. They will then make your plan payments for you by deducting the total monthly payment from your pay and sending the money to the Trustee’s lockbox. This money will be deducted in equal installments determined by the frequency of your pay. Both you and your employer should understand that this order IS NOT an attachment or garnishment.

**It is essential for YOU to make direct payments to the Trustee’s lockbox until you actually see the plan payments being deducted from your pay check.

Through this method, the Trustee’s Office receives an order from the Bankruptcy Court to be able to withdraw your specific plan payment directly from your checking or savings account. This can occur once or twice a month, depending on how you would like it to be set up. The dates that are currently being used for deductions are the 5th and the 22nd.

Step 1: You will need to fill out our office ACH Form and provide us with a voided check, which will give all the necessary information regarding the bank account to be deducted from.

Step 2: Your attorney will need to file a pay order for electronic bank transfer with the bankruptcy court.

** It is essential for YOU to make direct payments to the Trustee’s lockbox until the ACH becomes effective.

How will I know the exact start date of my ACH deduction?

You will receive a letter in the mail stating that we have all the required documents and information. It will detail the exact start date of your ACH.

Can I change the bank account that my payment comes out of?

Yes, a new ACH Form will need to be filled out and sent to our office in Flint with the updated information.

Can I change the withdrawal date?

The only dates that can be used for ACH withdrawals are the 5th and the 22nd. However, if your payment is scheduled to come out on the 5th and you would LIKE it to come out on the 22nd (or vice versa) or if you would like to change to semi-monthly withdrawals (which will be pulled on the 5th AND the 22nd), you may fill out a new ACH Form and send it to our office in Flint with the updated information.

What happens if I do not have the full plan payment amount in my bank account on the date it is to be withdrawn?

If the full amount of the payment is not available, we will receive a Non-Sufficient Funds (NSF) notice. You will need to mail your payment directly to : Chapter 13 Trustee – Flint P.O. Box 2175 Memphis, TN 38101-2175. Our office will NOT attempt more than once to take the payment. If you receive multiple NSF’s you will be removed from the ACH program and the trustee’s office may serve a Third Party Payment Order requiring your employer to deduct your plan payment from your wages.

What if I encounter a hardship situation?

Contact our office. If your account is in good standing, you may be eligible to have your ACH suspended during the month of hardship. However, that does NOT excuse the payment. You would still need to mail a payment before the end of the month by money order or cashier’s check to the Chapter 13 Trustee – Flint, P.O. Box 2175, Memphis, TN 38101-2175.

TFS is an approved alternative payment method to make your first payment prior to the payment order taking effect, to submit bonus payments, tax refunds or to submit plan payments in the event you are off work for an extended period of time.  TFS allows you to use multiple payment options to make a direct payment to the Trustee. 

Click the link for TFS payment information

Click the link for TFS Posting Schedule

Please note that the URL has been updated for the EPay system.  What does this mean?  If you have bookmarked this page, you will want to update your bookmark to save the new URL.

ePay is an approved alternative payment method to make your first payment prior to the payment order taking effect, to submit bonus payments, tax refunds or to submit plan payments in the event you are laid off of work.  ePay allows you to use your checking or savings account to make a direct payment to the Trustee.  This is an instant payment system, in conjunction with our bank, to provide a verifiable, trustworthy and more convenient payment option.

You are still required (within 14 days of filing a chapter 13 Petition or converting a case to chapter 13) to submit for entry one or more proposed initial payment orders, as necessary to make plan payments using the following forms available on the court’s website:

1. Third Party Payment Order
2. Electronic Transfer of Funds Payment Order (but only if a Third Party Payment Order cannot be effectuated)

In order to use ePay, you must have an internet connection, a Checking or Savings Account, a valid & current e-mail address and know your Case Number and last four digits of your Social Security number.

Registration:

Click HERE to Register. This will direct you to the ePay Online Payment Center so you may begin the registration process.

Please fill out the registration page and click Next when done. The next page will ask you for your Online Payment ID. This ID number consists of your case number (without dashes) and the last four digits of your Social Security number.

Example: If your case number and social security number are 11-77777 and  XXX-XX-1234

Then the Online Payment ID would be: 11777771234

After inputting your Online Payment ID twice, click Next. The next page will provide you one last opportunity to verify your information before submitting. Click Submit Registration if your information is correct.

Making a Payment:

Login HERE Begin by choosing the amount to pay. You will have the choice of making your Current Monthly Payment or an Other amount. Next, key in your Checking or Savings Account information and select what type of account it is. If you are unsure of your Checking or Savings Routing and Account numbers, please click on the image button to the right of the Routing number field to see an example. Routing numbers are always 9 digits long and to the left of your account number (Note: DO NOT use a Deposit slip to obtain your Routing number. The deposit slip Routing number is typically different from the Routing number associated with the Checking account). Click Submit Payment once your payment information has been input.

For questions or help, please e-mail us at [email protected],  or call our office at 810.238.4675 [x227] to reach Dawn, or visit ePay Frequently Asked Questions for further help.

TERMS AND CONDTIONS

In rare circumstances, debtors are allowed to make direct plan payments throughout their plan. Whether making short-term or long-term direct payments the following procedures are required:
– Payments must be in the form of a Cashier’s Check or Money Order.

– Personal Checks are strongly discouraged as there will be a one-disbursement cycle hold placed on these funds.

– DO NOT SEND CASH.

– Payments must clearly show your name and case number.

– Please refrain from putting additional language such as “Final Payment” or “Payoff” or anything other than your case number and your case name as the bank will reject payments made with restrictive language.

– Payments cannot be accepted at the Trustee’s Office.

– Mail all payments to the Trustee’s bank lockbox.

– Payments must be made out to: Chapter 13 Trustee- Flint

– Payments must be mailed to: PO Box 2175 Memphis, TN 38101-2175

** This is a special lockbox address for payments only.