Are you trying to prepare for a consultation with your bankruptcy lawyer? You should assemble all the important documentation, as well as have a couple of questions for your lawyer ready. In fact, you might want to make a list of questions so as not to forget what you should ask your bankruptcy attorney.
In order to understand how a bankruptcy lawyer can help you, you have to be prepared too. It might look difficult, but it really isn’t. Visiting a bankruptcy attorney in San Diego is nothing to fear. After all, their job is to help you out.
Now, let’s see how you can prepare for the initial bankruptcy consultation.
What do I need to bring to a bankruptcy consultation?
Preparing for a bankruptcy consultation, no matter if you’re within the Southern District of California Department of Justice, or within another place of jurisdiction, mostly boils down to preparing the same important documentation to bring to your initial consultation:
- Proof of income – It’s very important to submit a proof of income for your bankruptcy lawyer to take a closer look. This can include self-employment earning, paystubs you received at your job, child support, retirement funds, social security, or any other types of income you may have. Plus, it would be best if you could provide proof of income for the last six months.
- Tax returns – If you’re planning to file for bankruptcy, you should definitely make sure that all your taxes are current, and that you’ve filed all of them. Additionally, you should do your best to provide all the documentation related to your income taxes for the prior two years.
- List of debts – Chances are, if you’re filing for bankruptcy, you’ve got several debts. What you definitely have to do prior to a bankruptcy consultation is prepare a list of all your debts, which may include medical bills, vehicle loans, credit cards, personal loans, mortgages, as well as any other outstanding loans you may owe. If you’ve been sued, or you’ve received a summons, you should bring that too.
- Household expenses – Finally, try to put together all of the expenses necessary for you to secure a normal living, such as expenses for utilities, clothes, food, rent, etc. This should include all the payments and expenses you make every month. Include insurance premiums, charitable donations, and debt payments if you have any.
What else can I do to prepare for a bankruptcy consultation?
Now, besides preparing all of the documentation that is extremely important for your case and which allows your bankruptcy attorney to have the perfect insight into your financial troubles, there are two other things you can do in order to prepare for a consultation with your bankruptcy attorney:
1.Prepare for the questions – When planning to go to a bankruptcy consultation, you should definitely prepare for some questions that your bankruptcy lawyer might ask you. Here are the most common ones:
- Has anyone served you a lawsuit?
- Is your home in foreclosure?
- Is it possible you’re facing eviction?
- Has a creditor taken money out of your bank account?
- Are you potentially late on any payments?
- Are you married?
- Have you got any kids?
- How much money do you make?
- What are your outstanding debts?
- Do you possess any assets?
- What is the worth of all your assets?
- Have you recently purchased or transferred any property?
- What are you hoping to gain from filing for bankruptcy?
2. Prepare the questions – Now, it’s time to think about the questions you’d like to ask your bankruptcy attorney:
- Which bankruptcy should I file for?
- Will all my debt disappear if I decide to file for bankruptcy?
- Do I stand to lose any property or money in the process?
- Will there be a monthly payment plan?
- Are you going to accompany me to the 341 meeting of creditors?
- What are your fees?
- What do these fees include?
- Do you offer any payment plans?
You should be pretty much set for a consultation with your attorney now.
“Who’s the most renowned bankruptcy attorney in San Diego?”
There are many bankruptcy attorneys in San Diego, but only one team of superstar bankruptcy lawyers capable of making your bankruptcy case fly by as quickly as a visit to the Keys Creek Lavender Farm. Chang & Diamond are the most experienced and dedicated bankruptcy attorneys in San Diego, and all you need to do is contact us and see about a consultation.