Director Cliff White addressed the 49^th Annual Seminar of the National Association of Chapter 13 Trustees in Chicago, Illinois. His remarks focused on the Program's consumer protection efforts with respect to mortgage servicing and claims by unsecured creditors, efforts to combat debtor abuse, and support for a uniform chapter 13 repayment plan. He also announced updated chapter 13 trustee compensation effective October 1, 2014.

The USTP is pleased to announce that Patrick S. Layng and Samuel K. Crocker will serve as U.S. Trustees for Region 19 and Region 20, respectively, for interim periods. Mr. Layng is the U.S. Trustee for Region 11 (Northern Illinois and Wisconsin), and now will concurrently serve as U.S. Trustee for Region 19 (Colorado, Utah and Wyoming). Mr. Crocker is the U.S. Trustee for Region 8 (Kentucky and Tennessee), and now will concurrently serve as U.S. Trustee for Region 20 (Kansas, Oklahoma and New Mexico).

As required by section 1175 of Public Law 109-162, the U.S. Trustee Program has issued its annual Report to Congress on criminal referrals for Fiscal Year 2013. Among other things, the report details the number and types of criminal referrals made by the Program and the efforts taken by the Program to prevent bankruptcy fraud and abuse. To review the report, click here.

As required by section 603(a)(2)(D) of the Bankruptcy Abuse Prevention and Consumer Protection Act of 2005, Public Law 109-8, the U.S. Trustee Program has issued its annual public report on debtor audits. The report provides the aggregate results of audits of individual chapter 7 and chapter 13 cases for Fiscal Year 2013. To review the report, click here.

The Census Bureau’s Median Family Income Data accessible through the “Means Testing Information” page has been updated. The U.S. Trustee Program will apply the updated data to all cases filed on or after November 1, 2014.

The Administrative Expense Multipliers and IRS’s National Standards for Allowable Living Expenses and Local Standards for Transportation and Housing and Utilities Expenses accessible through the “Means Testing Information” page have been updated. The revised multipliers and standards will apply to cases filed on or after May 1, 2014.

The United States Trustee Program (USTP) has established procedures for independent audit firms to audit petitions, schedules, and other information in consumer bankruptcy cases, as authorized by the Bankruptcy Abuse Prevention and Consumer Protection Act of 2005 (BAPCPA). Pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 586(f), the USTP contracts with independent accounting firms to perform audits in designated cases.

Due to budgetary constraints, in March, 2013 the USTP suspended its designation of cases subject to audit. Effective March 10, 2014, the USTP will resume the designation of cases for audit.