Kathleen Laughlin, Attorney at Law, is and has been the Standing Chapter 13 Bankruptcy Trustee for the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Federal District of Nebraska since October 1, 1986. She administers all Chapter 13 bankruptcies filed in the federal district of Nebraska.

Basically, the Chapter 13 Trustee is a fiduciary who receives payments from Chapter 13 debtors and disburses those payments to the debtors’ creditors pursuant to the debtors’ plans and the claims process. Unlike a Chapter 7 trustee, a Chapter 13 Trustee does not take into her possession or control property of the estate nor does she operate the debtors’ businesses. In short, the Chapter 13 Trustee’s job is an amalgam of the functions of an attorney, a social worker, an accountant, a disbursing agent, and an information systems person.

The mission of the Chapter 13 Trustee Office is…

1. to implement the Congressional mandate of alternative rehabilitative relief for consumer debtors who wish to repay their creditors from their periodic disposable income rather than from a liquidation of their non-exempt assets;
2. to monitor the conduct of parties in interests; and
3. to take action to ensure their compliance with applicable bankruptcy statutes, caselaw, rules, and procedures.

The Chapter 13 Trustee Office work hours are 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, except for approved federal holidays. The Chapter 13 Trustee is an equal opportunity employer whose offices are located in West Omaha in an attractive, professional, and friendly non-smoking facility. Dress is usually business casual. Wages and salaries are competitive with organizations of comparable size in the Omaha standard metropolitan area. The employer offers excellent benefits for full time employees:

• Medical insurance
• Dental insurance
• 401K Plan and Retirement Plan
• Personal Leave
• Vacation Leave
• Bereavement Leave
• Funeral Leave
• Holiday Pay