A bankruptcy trustee is a person or entity who is independent of the bankruptcy court and is appointed to oversee your bankruptcy case. A bankruptcy trustee is appointed in most every case—except in Chapter 11 reorganizations and Chapter 9 municipality cases. The bankruptcy trustee is responsible for reviewing your bankruptcy forms, investigating and verifying your financial information, and making sure your bankruptcy filing is not fraudulent.

In Massachusetts, as in other states, a bankruptcy trustee is an independent party appointed to manage the bankruptcy process for individuals or businesses. The trustee's role includes reviewing the debtor's bankruptcy forms, investigating the financial information provided, and ensuring that the bankruptcy filing is legitimate and free of fraud. Trustees are involved in Chapter 7 liquidations and Chapter 13 reorganizations for individuals, but typically not in Chapter 11 reorganizations (which are for businesses and some high-debt individuals) or Chapter 9 municipality cases. The trustee also has the authority to sell non-exempt property to pay creditors in a Chapter 7 case and to oversee the debtor's repayment plan in a Chapter 13 case. The appointment of a trustee and their duties are governed by federal bankruptcy law, as the bankruptcy process is under federal jurisdiction, but the trustee must also operate within the framework of Massachusetts state laws that define property exemptions and other relevant legal considerations.