What documents and information are required before filing Chapter 7?

Getting together all documents chapter 7 filing makes entering information into the petition that much quicker. Some information will be required by the trustee after filing but before the 341 meeting with the rest being put together beforehand. There's not much apart from the petition that will go into the initial entry, but it is vital to have them.

What's Required before Filing Chapter 7

The one document that the court looks for the petitioner to supply is their pre-bankruptcy counseling certificate. Counseling must be completed within 180 days before filing. An affidavit in the petition will be filled out to verify that the certificate is in the paperwork.

Necessary information to have at hand is every bill that can be found. If money is put out to service a debt, have that paperwork ready. Also have pay stubs for the previous six months, at a minimum, ready. Find every last piece of paper that has something to do with a household's finances, no matter how irrelevant it may seem. All of it comes into play when filling out the petition.

Make sure to keep the pay stubs out and have the last two years of tax returns ready. These will not be submitted at the time of filing but will need to be sent to the trustee before the 341 meeting. Requirements vary from district to district of how many months of pay stubs and tax returns are needed.

Legal Help

It's best to talk with a lawyer before starting a bankruptcy. It is not a simple process and is best accomplished with an attorney at your side.