What Information Is Needed To File Bankruptcy
If you are considering filing for bankruptcy, you may feel overwhelmed at the entire legal process, and wonder what documents you will need to file for bankruptcy. Bankruptcy is handled through a federal court of law, not a state court, and federal law requires that a person filing bankruptcy must disclose all of their assets, income, and debts fully and completely. Several bankruptcy forms are required by the court as well. Learn more about what documents and information will be required by the court as you file for bankruptcy in Florida.
Questionnaire
In many cases, if you are working with a bankruptcy attorney, they will provide you with a questionnaire that will specifically request that the debtor fully document all of their debts, assets, and income for the last two to five years. If you make the decision to not work with an attorney, you may have to compile all of this documentation yourself through memory. An experienced bankruptcy attorney will be able to guide you and help you specifically determine the documents you need to provide to the court to ensure your legal rights are protected. You may need to show debts you owe such as a mortgage, car payment or other loans or debts. You will also need to show any assets you currently own such as property or investments. You should attempt to fully disclose all of your finances to the court to ensure your bankruptcy is not dismissed.
Credit Report
In most cases, you will need to have a copy of your current credit report. This credit report typically will list all of your current debts. Collecting your credit reports from all three credit bureaus will ensure that you do not forget any debts owed.
Income
You will need to provide proof of income. For a Chapter 7 bankruptcy filing, you will need to provide the last six months of your income. This documentation will be used to see if you pass a means test, which shows the court that you do not have enough disposable income left at the end of the month to pay your debts. For a Chapter 13 bankruptcy, you will not need to pass a means test, however, you will need proof of the last six months of your income. In the case that you are an entrepreneur or own your own business, you will need to provide the court with a profit and loss statement for the last six months.
Other Documents
Oftentimes, you will also need to provide recent tax returns, bank statements, titles to any property, your mortgage statements and other significant documents. Make sure that you disclose absolutely everything related to your finances to the court. Failure to do so could have your bankruptcy case thrown out.
Contact an Experienced Bankruptcy Attorney Today
If you are considering filing for bankruptcy, our legal team can help ensure that you provide all the correct and necessary documents and information to the court. Contact the West Palm Beach bankruptcy attorneys at Kelley Kaplan & Eller today at 561-264-6850 for a consultation.
Resource:
uscourts.gov/forms/bankruptcy-forms
https://www.kelleylawoffice.com/state-of-florida-disaster-loan-for-small-businesses/
