What are the steps to file a bankruptcy?

• Set up a free consultation and evaluation of your financial circumstance with an attorney at Robinson & Rylander, P.C., and develop initial strategy to resolve debt and discuss attorney’s fees and court costs.
  
  
• Decide to retain Robinson & Rylander to proceed with preparing a Chapter 7 or Chapter 13 Bankruptcy and set up appointment with attorney to receive a customized financial/bankruptcy information questionnaire to be filled out by you. You pay some or all of your fees at that time.
  
  
• Return the questionnaire to the office and meet with your paralegal to review your questionnaire, discuss any omissions that need to be addressed, and answer any questions.
  
  
• Continue to pay on your attorneys fees and costs.
  
  
• Your paralegal inputs your questionnaire and information from your file into the bankruptcy program and prints out a rough draft to be reviewed by your attorney, usually after all or most of your fees have been paid.
  
  
• Your paralegal sends you a status letter requesting any missing information and/or explanation of any items that need to be addressed. We do this to make certain you are in compliance with the law.
  
  
• Your petition is finalized and the paralegal sends you the information and your credit report for you to take the "credit counseling course."
  
  
• When all of your fees are paid and your petition is signed, your petition is filed with the United States Bankruptcy Court. The paralegal will need up to date pay stubs at that time. It is the filing of your petition that puts you into safe territory.
  
  
• Your First Meeting of Creditors will be about six weeks later. If you have been honest in your answers in your bankruptcy petition this should be routine.
  
  
• If your case is a Chapter 7, in about four to six months you will receive an Order signed by the Bankruptcy Judge discharging your debts.
  
  
• If your case is a Chapter 13, you will have filed a Chapter 13 Plan prepared by your attorney and reviewed by you. You will be making monthly payments to the Chapter 13 Trustee.
  
  
• In about six months your Chapter 13 Plan will be confirmed. When you have completed all of your payments to the Chapter 13 Trustee, you will receive an Order signed by the Bankruptcy Judge discharging your debts.
  
  
• Before you receive either a Chapter 7 or Chapter 13 Bankruptcy discharge, you must take a second credit counseling course and furnish our office with a copy of the certificate so our office can file it with the Bankruptcy Court. This is a must or you will not get your discharge.
  
  
• All during this process you should keep our office informed of any changes of address, telephone numbers and employment.
  
  
• Keep your Bankruptcy Petition and all of the paperwork that our office has given you for at least ten years.
  
  
• Always promptly comply with any requests from the Bankruptcy Trustee.
  
  
• If questions arise after your discharge, the staff of Robinson & Rylander will assist you.

Robinson & Rylander, P.C., is a Congressionally designated debt relief agency and provides legal assistance to consumers and small businesses seeking relief under the United States Bankruptcy Code.