Documents Needed 

When you file bankruptcy, there will be a trustee appointed to oversee your case.  The trustee will be charged with a fiduciary duty to perform a “due diligence” investigation and verify your assets, debts, income and expenses as well as your financial affairs.  In order to allow the Trustee to fulfill his or her duties, we must provide the trustee with certain requisite due diligence documents.

What Documents Are Needed Need to File Bankruptcy?

Clients of our law firm never have to ask the question, "what is needed to file bankruptcy, or what documents are needed to file bankruptcy?"  When you come to our firm for your office consultation, your lawyer will sit down with you and prepare a tailored list of documents specifically applicable to your unique situation.  Follow the tailored list.  It is specially prepared by your lawyer for you.

Follow Your Tailored List

The reason that we provide you with a tailored list of documents needed to file bankruptcy is that each person's situation is unique.  We anticipate what "due diligence" documents the trustee might want in your case and provide the documents to ensure a smooth filing.  Strictly follow your tailored list. 

Documents Typically Required

If you are not yet a client of Bankruptcy Legal Center and are wondering, generally, what documents are needed by bankruptcy lawyers in order to prepare your bankruptcy case, here is a general list of documents needed in a typical Chapter 7 or Chapter 13 case:

  • Income tax returns
  • Pay stubs (for employed persons)
  • Profit & loss statement (for self-employed persons)
  • Bank account statements and other account statements
  • Home loan billing statement, evidencing home loan debt
  • Car registration
  • Any car loan billing statement, evidencing car loan debt
  • Any car lease statement, evidencing car lease
  • Proof of insurance
  • Divorce judgment or settlement agreement
  • Child support or spousal support order
  • Trust instruments

Keep Your Originals

We strongly recommends that you keep the originals of all of your documents.  Keep your originals in your possession (you may need them for taxes or other reasons) and provide your attorney with copies.