Preparing To File

When preparing to file bankruptcy, there are some simple steps you can take to achieve the best possible results, as well as legal requirements, such as completing a Credit Counseling course.  The main steps and requirements are detailed below.  Always keep in mind that no set of steps, or anything you read, can substitute for obtaining legal advice from a bankruptcy attorney.

How to Prepare For Bankruptcy San Diego

When preparing to file bankruptcy, the first thing you should do is schedule a consultation with an attorney. Also, there are certain legal requirements such as completing Credit Counseling, which you must do before filing bankruptcy. You will need to provide your attorney with certain documents so that your bankruptcy attorney can properly prepare your case. If you need assistance with paying for the cost of bankruptcy, your attorney can set you up on a payment plan

Schedule a Consultation

To prepare for bankruptcy San Diego, the first step you should take is to schedule a consultation with an experienced San Diego bankruptcy lawyer to discuss your options. It is important that you meet with an attorney as early as possible in order to have sufficient time to address any needed bankruptcy planning,  so that you obtain the best possible results once your case is filed with the court.

Credit Counseling

The next step in preparing to file bankruptcy in San Diego, is to complete a Credit Counseling course for the Southern District of California, which covers San Diego, California.  Before you can file bankruptcy, you must complete a one hour Credit Counseling course that can be completed on the Internet.

Documents Needed

After your office consultation at Bankruptcy Legal Center your bankruptcy lawyer will give you a tailored list of documents needed to file bankruptcy so that we can prepare and file your bankruptcy in San Diego, and to ensure that once we file your bankruptcy, everything goes smoothly. 

Please refer to the tailored list provided to you by your bankruptcy lawyer.  In preparing for bankruptcy, we exercise painstaking detail in providing the San Diego bankruptcy trustees with all documents that the trustee could ask for so that your bankruptcy filing proceeds as smoothly as possible.

Planning

Preparing for bankruptcy sometimes requires advance planning for bankruptcy.  If you file bankruptcy and have too many assets that are not exempt (protected) under your applicable bankruptcy exemptions, the bankruptcy trustee could force you to turn your property over to the Bankruptcy Court to be liquidated and sold to satisfy your debts.  If your situation requires bankruptcy planning, your bankruptcy lawyer will discuss this with you during your attorney consultation.

Petition & Schedules

Using the documents and information gathered after your consultation, your attorney will prepare your bankruptcy petition and schedules, which are the official forms required for your bankruptcy filing.

Cost

The final step and consideration in preparing for bankruptcy is the cost to file bankruptcy, including an attorney fee and a Court filing fee.  Court filing fees for the bankruptcy court in San Diego are either $299 for Chapter 7 cases or $274 for Chapter 13 cases.  The attorney's fee can be accurately assessed after discussing your situation in detail with your attorney during your consultation.

Payment Plans

You are filing bankruptcy.  We understand that money is tight. Otherwise, you wouldn't be filing bankruptcy.  We want to help you.  So we have different payment plans available to you, to help you pay for the cost of bankruptcy San Diego.

Emergency

If you need to file an emergency bankruptcy, for example, to stop foreclosure or to stop a wage garnishment, carefully review Bankruptcy Legal Center's requirements for emergency filings and call us as soon as possible and talk to a lawyer.  The sooner you talk to a lawyer, the better we can help you prepare for bankruptcy San Diego and the better your chances of a successful case filing.