Credit Counseling
What To Bring
Questions You Will Be Asked

Credit Counseling

The current bankruptcy law, which became effective October 2005, requires a pre-petition credit counseling class and certificate given by a Court approved non-profit credit counseling agency.  This course must be taken no earlier than 180 days before the bankruptcy petition is filed and the certificate must be filed with the court 24 hours before the petition. For the convenience of our clients, our office offers access to a credit counseling class in house. If you choose to take this class in our office, the cost the credit counseling agency charges is $35. If you wish to take the class on your own, you may access a list of the Court approved non-profit credit counseling agencies for the district you live in at the Bankruptcy Court website here. 

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What to bring in when you come

1. Proof of your total household income for the past six months.

2. If you are required to pay taxes, copies of tax returns for the years of 2005, 2006, 2007 and 2008. 

3. If you own or are buying any property, a property tax appraisal of that property showing what it is worth. A copy of your tax appraisal can be found at your county courthouse.  You also might be able to find an appraisal online here.

4. Picture ID and Social Security card.

5. At least one written correspondence from each creditor that you owe and for each debt that you owe, dated within the ninety days preceding the date of your appointment.

6. A complete list of EACH and EVERY creditor that you owe with the following information. You can exclude no one or any bill.

     a. Creditor's correct names
     b. Creditor's correct addresses
     c. Amount of each debt
     d. Date the debt was incurred
     e. Account numbers
     f. For all credit cards, the date the credit card became effective and the date it was last used.

7. If you take the pre-petition credit counseling course at our office, it will take approximately 30 minutes to do so and you will need to bring the $35.00 fee that the credit counseling agency charges to take this course.

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Questions you will be asked

Do you have any prior Bankruptcy filings?
     If yes, what were the Type, Case number, year & result?

Legal Matters/Lawsuits

     a) Are you presently Involved in any lawsuits or have you been involved in any lawsuits within the past year?
     b) Does any one have any reason to sue you?
     c) Do you have any reason to sue anyone?
     d) Do you presently have any garnishments against you, or have you had any within the past year?
     e) Have you filed tax returns the last 4 years? Do you owe any taxes? Federal? State?

Have you used any credit cards or made any other debts within the past 90 days?

Are any of your debts cosigned?

Do you rent-to-own any property?

Have you had any property seized within the past year?

Have you given away, signed over, or transferred any property within the last 2 years?

Do you have a checking or savings account, CD, etc?

Do you pay/owe any child support?

Do you have any student loans?

Do you own any property?

Employer information from the past two years along with job description & length of employment.
Is you pay schedule weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly?
What is your monthly income after taxes?
We will need the same information for your spouse's employment.

What and how much are your monthly expenses and bills, such as:
     Mortgage or rent
     Lot fee
     Car note/lease
     Electric
     Water
     Phone
     Cable/Satellite
     Transportation
     Groceries
     Car insurance
     Home insurance
    Other

A complete list of ALL your Creditors including:
     Name
     Last 4 digits of acct
     Balance owed
     Delinquent/Current

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