I'm Expecting an Inheritance. Should I Still File for Bankruptcy?
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If you want to keep the inheritance in full it’s important to wait for at least 180 days before filing your bankruptcy.
Written by Attorney Eva Bacevice.
Updated January 25, 2022
If you think you'll become eligible to receive an inheritance soon, it may be better to wait to file your bankruptcy case unless the available wildcard exemption is enough to protect the full amount you're expecting.
If you've already filed and you become eligible to receive an inheritance within 180 days of filing your case, that money becomes part of the bankruptcy estate. Since it's part of your estate, the trustee can use it to pay your creditors. The clock starts as soon as you are entitled to receive the inheritance, usually when the benefactor passes away.
Check out the article titled How Can a Trustee Find Out About an Inheritance? for more on this topic.
