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What You Need to File Your Chapter 7

Feb. 12, 2021

List of What You Need to Get Your Chapter 7 Case Filed

Chapter 7 Legal Fees and Court Fees

  • Chapter 7 – (non-business) $1465 legal fees + $335 court filing fees = $1800.

  • A business case is more expensive. Fees normally start at $2750 plus court costs.

Tax Returns

2018, 2019, and 2020 tax returns are required (unless you did not make enough money to file, or there is another legal reason that you were not required to file tax returns).

Bank Statements

Copies of your bank statements for the last 3 months, for all bank accounts that have your name on them. This includes joint accounts with your spouse, child, or anyone else. It also includes any account where you have someone else's money being held in an account with your name on it. You need 6 months of bank statements if you have a business.

If you haven't had a bank account for the last 3 months, we just indicate that you don't have a bank account, and usually nothing further is required, but you may be asked how you pay bills, and why you haven't had a bank account.

Proof of Income

  1. All your pay stubs or other proof of income for the last 6 months.

  2. All pay stubs or other proof of income for your spouse or the person you live with for the last 6 months.

  3. Proof of unemployment, welfare, child support, social security, worker's compensation, pension, disability, alimony, food stamps (all that apply).

  4. If other people help you now with your income or expenses, we will need a letter from them verifying how much they contribute to you, and proof of their ability to do so.

  5. If someone is going to help you in the future with your income or expenses, we need a letter from them verifying how much they will be contributing to you, and proof of their ability to do so.

  6. If you are an owner of a business or get 1099 income, we will probably need a PROFIT AND LOSS STATEMENT verifying your income over the last 6 months.

Real Estate Information

  1. We need a copy of the DEED for all the properties that you have an ownership interest in, whether you own it by yourself or together with others.

  2. This includes the house you live in, any investment properties you own, any business properties you own, and any condominiums.

  3. This also includes any timeshares you own or have an interest in.

  4. This also includes any vacant land that you own or have an interest in.

  5. This also includes any homes, properties, land, time shares, condominiums or other property you own in OTHER STATES, and OUTSIDE OF THE U.S

  6. We need a copy of the MORTGAGE PAYOFF for every mortgage you have on each property that you own as set forth in number 1 to 5.

  7. We need a COMPARATIVE MARKET ANAYLSIS showing the value for every piece of real estate you own as set forth in numbers 1 to 5 above. Some options for obtaining the Comparative Market Analysis are (fees are approximate):

Vehicle Information

If you are making payments on a vehicle, we need:

  1. Proof of vehicle payoff on each vehicle that is financed

  2. Proof of FULL COVERAGE CAR INSURANCE. Usually the DECLARATION PAGE on your insurance policy provides that information.

We also need you to list every vehicle you have any ownership interest in.

Additional Information We Will Need:

  1. Copies of all of your bills

  2. Your credit report – To get it for free – go to www.annualcreditreport.com

  3. Social security card – You also must bring this to your trustee meeting.

  4. Driver's license with photo ID – Bring this to your trustee meeting.

  5. Court Orders on Child Support

  6. Credit Counseling Certificate – This is required by law in order to file your case. We suggest you do the least expensive credit counseling course online. When you answer the questions, you can estimate your expenses and bills. You do not need to be exact. Don't worry about this part. Just complete the information as best you can. Just about everybody gets the certificate with no problems at all. For example, you can go to: CC Advising https://ccadvising.com/or call (989)402-5161 - $9.76 (per person). It takes about 30 minutes. Available in English and Spanish in written and audio formats. You/your attorney can get your certificate immediately online.

  7. DISCLAIMER: We set forth herein results that many people can obtain through a successful bankruptcy. This does not mean, however, that every client can obtain all of the results listed. Every client's case is individually analyzed on its own merits, and if you retain our office to represent you, we will advise you what results we believe we can achieve for you.