What You Need to Do Before Filing for Bankruptcy
In preparing for bankruptcy, you will need to:
- Gather financial paperwork and run the means test calculator to determine your bankruptcy options.
- Determine how much of your property is exempt.
- Complete mandatory pre-filing credit counseling.
- Prepare and assemble your bankruptcy papers. There are 50+ pages of forms detailing current debts, assets, income, and expenses, and your intentions regarding loans secured by collateral.
- Make copies of forms and assemble them according to local court rules.
- File forms with the court.
- Pay the required filing fee.
- Meet with the bankruptcy court trustee and Creditors (341 Meeting). At this meeting, the trustee can ask you questions about the information on your forms. Creditors can ask questions and object to or challenge exemptions you are claiming.
- File motions to eliminate liens and respond to objections from creditors.
- Complete mandatory pre-discharge Financial Management course. (Credit counselors are approved by the U.S. Trustee’s Office for use in the Ohio Southern District Bankruptcy Court.)
Low-Cost Bankruptcy Filing
It only makes sense that anyone who needs to file for bankruptcy would want to keep their costs as low as possible. Hiring an affordable bankruptcy lawyer in Columbus, Ohio, can be a wise investment and even wind up saving you money, as well as removing stress and aggravation and uncertainty about doing something wrong or missing deadlines. Making mistakes and filing for bankruptcy improperly can result in costly delays and the need for additional paperwork and documentation, having your case dismissed without having your debts eliminated, or even being accused of fraud.
Your attorney fees will depend on your individual situation and the simplicity or complexity of your case. If you are filing for Chapter 7 and you can protect your assets using the allowed Ohio exemptions in a no-asset case, your fees will be lower than for Chapter 13 and for cases with more assets and complications.
The affordable bankruptcy lawyers at Fesenmyer Cousino Weinzimmer strive not only to keep our fees low, but, if necessary, to work with you to arrange affordable plans for payment prior to filing. And we make sure everything is done correctly so that there will be no delays in getting you the debt relief you need.
If you want to get in touch with an affordable bankruptcy attorney but worry about how you’ll afford it, we understand. We’ll take care to make sure your payments are affordable. That’s one of the important topics we’ll go over when you get in touch and set up your free initial consultation.