Credit Counseling and Financial Education Requirements for Bankruptcy Filers Are Waived Temporarily in the District for the Northern Mariana Islands

November 14, 2018

The United States Trustee Program has issued a temporary waiver of the federal statutory requirements for credit counseling and personal financial management education for consumer bankruptcy filers in the District for the Northern Mariana Islands, due to the effects of Super Typhoon Yutu.

Under the Bankruptcy Code, individual bankruptcy filers are required to receive credit counseling from an approved agency within 180 days before they file bankruptcy. In addition, in order to receive a bankruptcy discharge, individual bankruptcy filers must complete a course in personal financial management offered by an approved provider.

The Bankruptcy Code permits United States Trustees to waive the credit counseling and financial education requirements within a judicial district where approved agencies and providers are not reasonably able to provide adequate services. Tiffany Carroll, Acting United States Trustee in Region 15, made this determination with respect to the District for the Northern Mariana Islands. The waiver of the credit counseling requirement applies to individuals whose bankruptcy cases are filed on or after November 14, 2018. The waiver of the personal financial management course requirement applies to individual debtors who are otherwise eligible for a discharge on or after November 14, 2018.

The United States Trustee will review this determination within the next year.