Before we meet, please fill out our Bankruptcy Questionaire Form as completely as possible.
items to bring to the first meeting
- DRIVER’S LICENSE
- SOCIAL SECURITY CARD
- COPY OF BILLS (actual statements for all creditors, including mortgage statements and car loans.)
- TAX RETURNS (2 years for individuals and 5 years for businesses)
- 60 DAYS OF PAYSTUBS FOR WAGE EARNERS
- INCOME & EXPENSE REPORT, if applicable
- COMPLETED BANKRUPTCY QUESTIONNAIRE
If you don’t understand a question, please ask for assistance. We ask that you make a list of each and every financial obligation and asset you have. Bring photos of your personal items if you wish for us to understand their value.
Please also remember to list every creditor to whom you are obligated. This means, for example, that if you have co-signed for a car loan, that car lien-holder is your creditor. Similarly, you should list debts even if you think the creditor has written off the loan or if you think that someone else may pay the bill in the future (i.e. a medical bill that may be covered by insurance).
If you have copies of your bills, please bring them with you to our office. Please provide us with the actual billing statements showing the correspondence address for each creditor (not just the payment address), the account number and balance owed. If necessary, we can assist you in requesting a credit bureau report. We also ask that you bring your tax returns (2 yrs for individuals and 5 yrs for businesses), 60 days of paycheck stubs or provide payroll information for both you and your spouse. Self-employed persons can fill out the income and expense statement in the bankruptcy questionnaire. Even if your spouse does not want to participate, we still need to know about his/her household expenses and income.
One of the most important items of information that you can provide relates to whether a debt is “secured” or “unsecured.” A “secured” debt is a debt that is backed by collateral, such as a house, car or even household items. By contrast, an “unsecured” debt is backed only by your signature. Examples of unsecured debts are credit card bills and medical bills. Please note that many finance companies ask you to list household goods at the time you obtain your loan. This usually means that you may have given the finance company a security interest in your property.
When we meet, we will take a photo-copy of your driver’s license and social security card. All debtors must show proof of identity at the meeting of creditors and provide the trustee with a copy of their social security card. Finally, if you have a house or car, you will need a copy of the insurance declarations page ? not just the insurance card. Again, thank you for choosing THE LAW OFFICE OF GLENN WARD CALSADA. We will make every effort to see to it that your experience as our client is a pleasant one. Also, please review the Bankruptcy Process web-page on this site for answers to common questions or concerns. We thank you for allowing us to serve you.