In Oregon, the Judge’s Order approving your Chapter 13 plan states that you must submit signed and dated copies of both your federal and state tax returns  to the Trustee every year during your plan whether you get a refund or not.

Send your tax returns and any other documents other than your plan payments to: Brian Lynch, Trustee 1300 SW Fifth, Suite 1700 Portland, Oregon 97201 Note: Do Not Send Originals. Please send these copies to the Trustee immediately after you file the returns. The Trustee will check the returns to see if your gross income has increased and/or if you are entitled to receive a tax refund.

You will not successfully finish your plan unless you complete this requirement. Your Chapter 13 plan requires that you pay your net tax refunds each year to the Trustee. If you have a tax refund, the entire refund must be delivered to the Trustee unless, in that same year, you also owe taxes to a different income taxing authority.

For example, if you receive a $500 Federal tax refund and that same year you owe the State $300, you would only need to send the Trustee the net of $200. You would just endorse the checks over to Brian Lynch or send a money order or cashier’s check for the net amount and a note showing the math and send it to the Trustee’s bank just like you would send a plan payment.