Bankruptcy estate
The bankruptcy estate comprises the debtor’s attachable assets that are collected and administered for the collective satisfaction of creditors.
In Swiss bankruptcy, the estate is formed when bankruptcy is opened and includes attachable assets belonging to the debtor, subject to exemptions and third-party rights. The bankruptcy office inventories, secures and administers these assets for the benefit of all participating creditors. Claims against the estate, secured rights and ownership assertions must be clarified before realization and distribution. The concept differs from individual debt enforcement because creditors are satisfied collectively according to statutory priorities.