How To Start Your Bankruptcy
Thank you for hiring Sacramento Law Group. We look forward to representing you in bankruptcy, but before we can file your case we need your credit counseling certificate, documents and completed questionnaire. To get started on these items please follow these instructions.
1) Credit Counseling
Before you can file bankruptcy you must complete credit counseling from an approved credit counseling agency. To complete credit counseling for only $10 visit debtoredu.com and click on “First Course” in the green box. If you are the only person filing you will select “individual.” If you are filing with your spouse you will select “joint.”
2) Documents
Before we can file your case we need electronic or physical copies of the following documents:
- Tax Returnsfor the past 2 years.
- Pay stubsfor the past 6 months, a profit-and-loss statement for the past 6 months if you are self-employed, and evidence of any other income received in the past 6 months.
- Bank statementsfor the past 6 months.
- Mortgage statement, if you own a home.
- Car statement, if you have a financed car.
The 6 month period ends on the last day of the calendar month preceding the date you file bankruptcy. For instance, if you are filing bankruptcy in July we need pay stubs and bank statements for the 6 month period of January 1st to last day in June.
Please submit these documents by:
- Email to [email protected]
- Mail to Sacramento Law Group, 3230 Arena Blvd #245-267, Sacramento CA 95834
- Fax to (916) 596-1032, or
- Personal delivery in the Citrus Heights office by appointment
Please turn in all documents by the 10th of the same month you want to file bankruptcy. For instance, if you want to file bankruptcy in June please turn in all documents by June 10th.
3) Questionnaire
Filing bankruptcy is not as simple as checking a box. We will be filing 30 to 40 pages of information signed by you under penalty of perjury. Accordingly, we need to ask you a lot of questions. We have found that the fastest and easiest way to ask these questions is through an online questionnaire.
Congratulations! Now we can prepare your bankruptcy petition. Later we will call you to schedule a signing appointment. During this appointment you will review your bankruptcy petition with your attorney and sign the petition if everything contained in the documents is accurate.
After Your Case Is Filed
More Documents
The Bankruptcy Code requires that we give the Trustee certain documents that are only available after your case is filed. Therefore, please send us the following documents as soon as they become available:
- Bank Statement for the month in which your case was filed. For example, if you filed bankruptcy in June please send us your June bank statement. The statement needs to show your bank account balance on the day your case was filed.
- Pay stubs for the month in which your case was filed. For instance, if you filed in June we need all pay-stubs from June 1st to the day your case was filed.
Second Course
Before your debts can be eliminated you need to complete a second course. To complete the second course for only $10 visit debtoredu.com and click on “Second Course” in the red box.
The Meeting of Creditors
You need to bring 2 documents with you to the meeting of creditors. For many clients this will be a valid driver’s license and original social security card.
A list of alternative documents to prove your identity or social security number can be viewed by clicking here (scroll down to page 2 of the PDF). Please call the bankruptcy attorney if you plan to use a document other than your driver’s license and original social security card.