Filing for bankruptcy demands organization. You will want to have papers put in proper places. You will need to have important information indexed on your computer. You will need to gather recent bank statements and pay stubs. There is a lot of "collecting" that goes on in bankruptcy. This is why it is best to go through bankruptcy with a lawyer to help. Without a lawyer, you may become confused or may fail to obtain important information. If you don't have all the papers necessary when you head to court, your bankruptcy could be delayed or even stopped.
When you start your bankruptcy process, provide your lawyer with your most recent bank statements. Also give him the most recent bills from every creditor. These will help an attorney to calculate exactly how much money you owe. You will also want to bring your attorney your most recent payment coupons for any vehicles that you own. This includes all payments on leases that you have. Also, if you are making payments on a purchased vehicle, bring these coupons to your attorney. Provide your lawyer with coupons regarding real estate.
Also provide him with an outstanding balance and history of payments on student loans. Student loans cannot be discharged in bankruptcy, but you may be able to put together a payment plan. This plan may make it more affordable for you to pay off the costs affiliated with your loan. If you have made any big purchases in the last year and have bills or invoices, make sure to bring these to your attorney. Also, bring any receipts for big purchases or even for surmounting purchases that have piled on to cause debt.
After collecting all of your financial records, you will need to move on to legal records. You should gather any files from previous litigation. If you have had judgments entered against you, such as lawsuits, you will want to bring these to your lawyer. If you have had previous bankruptcy attorneys, or other attorneys for various legal dealings, your bankruptcy attorney will want to peruse these files. Also, if you are currently paying child support, alimony, or spousal maintenance, then you will need to bring of this to your spouse.
You may want to obtain a copy of the divorce agreement. If you don't have one at home, contact the court where your divorce was finalized and request a copy of the divorce decree which you can present to your divorce attorney. He may be able to reduce your spousal support payments or spousal maintenance payments, even though these cannot be discharged under any circumstances.
As well, you will want to give your lawyer canceled checks for expenses that you can't document. It is important for you to keep records with or regarding creditors. If you received threat letters from creditors, give these to your lawyer. Write down interactions on the phone with creditors, or document any times that the creditor visited you at your home. Give your attorney all insurance policies. Also, show him or her all vehicle titles, and the lease or mortgage for your home.
You may also want to bring any promissory notes that you have signed regarding an amount of money, and documents relating to debts that you owe other people, even personal ones. For example, if Max owes his mother, Erin, $4,000 that needs to be documented in his bankruptcy filing. Even if this did not go through the court initially and the loan was "under the table", it still needs to be considered. If people owe you money, bring all documents proving this point to your attorneys, so that he or she can go about ensuring you are given the money you deserve. This can also help as you fill out your bankruptcy schedules. Hire a local bankruptcy attorney to help you with your case today!