To make your bankruptcy case
go as smoothly as possible, please bring as much of the
following information as you can to your first
appointment. You will need to provide us with all of
this information before we can file your bankruptcy
case. (If you are facing immediate foreclosure,
we may be able to file an emergency, "last
minute" bankruptcy for you but this may involve
additional fees.)
1.
A sheet listing your monthly
expenses. You can use our online
form to fill this out.
2.
Documentation of all your
debts, including mortgage and car loan
statements, credit card statements, personal
loan statements, furniture loans, student loans,
tax bills, medical and dental bills, collection
letters, for the last 3 months.
3.
Monthly banking statements
for all checking, savings, credit union, mutual
fund, stock or other similar accounts for the
last 6 months.
4.
Utility bills (electric,
gas, telephone, cable tv, cell phone, internet,
water) for the last 3 months.
5.
Federal and state incometax returns
for the last 4 years, including W-2's and
1099's.
6.
Paycheck stubs for the last 6 months.
If unavailable, a printout from your employer's
payroll department. If married,
information for both husband and wife is
necessary even if only one of you will be filing
bankruptcy.
7.
Documentation of any other income
received during the last 6 months,
including Social Security Disability or SSI,
unemployment or workers compensation, pension
payments, rent from tenants, life insurance or
inheritance proceeds, and lawsuit proceeds.
8.
Any contributions made during the last 3
years to pension, 401(k), SEP, IRA's or
other similar retirement accounts.
9.
Copies of any lawsuits, judgments and
court orders entered against you, including
divorce, alimony and child support orders.
10.
Documentation of any prior bankruptcy filings,
including discharge or dismissal notices, for
the last 8 years..
11.
A list of all addresses for the last 3
years.
12.
Real estate closing papers for any home
or other property you presently own.
13.
Purchase or sale closing papers for any
property purchased or sold during the last 5
years.
14.
Any family court orders for child
support, alimony, property division or debt
payment that you are paying or receiving.
15.
Statements for any individual education
retirement accounts for the last 3 years.
The following timetables explain what needs to be done to
successfully complete your bankruptcy case. For more
information, see the pages about Chapter 7
Bankruptcy and Chapter 13 Bankruptcy.
Make sure you are caught up on
your post bankruptcy mortgage payments, your Plan Payments, and any priority debts (such as
alimony, child support and taxes).
