Free Bankruptcy - WessBkBlog

Re-printed With Permission Original Article Written By: Julie Porter

I filed bankruptcy with the help of USA Bankruptcy Associates and here is what I learned about using them.

Before I filed I spent a few weeks undecided about who to use. I wanted to use a local lawyer here in Sacramento but she wanted too much so I decided that I would try it myself. I got the forms from the bankruptcy court for the eastern district but after about two weeks I just wasn't getting any where.

There was lots of confusing information coming my way on every thing. Some people said one thing about the car exemptions and others said the opposite. There was also all the calculations for the means test and trying to make sense of it. I helped a friend file many years ago before the new law and it was easy but now it is all messed up.

I tried to get help from the court. I went to the court house to ask some questions and the person at the window I assumed was the court clerk said that she was not allowed to advise me and then gave me the card for a lawyer. Luckly for me there was a man there to file his papers and he heard me talking to the clerk and he came over and said he used USA. I waited for him to file and then he let me look at his papers. The papers looked really good and he filed with out problems so that did it for me. 

When I got back, I asked usa Bankruptcy associates my question and they answered them and so I decided to use them. The other lawyer I talked to wouldn't answer any questions the moment I told her I was trying to do it my self unless I first paid. 

Sorry I am ramblin on so I will cut it short. I used them to file and everything worked out well. There was always some one to answer my questions at any time of day and I liked that. When I filed, I saw the same lady clerk at the court. She complimented me on the papers and asked me for the web site so she could pass it on.

Here is my advice to those filing. Off the bat, the first thing you have to keep in mind with USA bankruptcy associates is that even though they are a full service, they are not looking at your bills and collection letters like you yourself are. They have to go on you taking your information from the bills and collection letters and entering them in their web site.

This means that you need to check the information you give them. If you are careless with the information you enter, you will get back errors in the finished forms, so look it over before submitting. Okay so here are the steps.

Step 1 - Gather your bills and collection letters. The only thing you need from them are the creditor name and address. It does not matter how much you owe. You can just enter any amount since everything will get discharged, no matter what you enter. I had this same problem not sure which amount to enter until I asked USA Bankruptcy Associates. I say this because some people beat themselves up looking for the last bill or pull their credit for the last balance. You can even include a creditor who wants to sue you and you do not know how much you will owe. USA Bankruptcy Associates said to just enter any amount if you do not know how much or even enter unknown. When it gets discharged, it all comes off, no matter what amount you listed. I had this doctor bill that went to collection 8 years ago and then they stopped sending me letters so I had no idea what the amount was. I just entered one dollar as the amount and it got discharged.

Step 2 - Register with USA Bankruptcy Associates and enter your information. Their questionnaire is real easy to enter info. It is into 5 sections. The first part asks about your name and address and previous address and previous name. The second part asks about your income and expenses. You can get your income and deductions from your pay check stub. As for the expenses, I found that it helps to estimate it on the higher side. I just felt better when my total expenses was more than my income. I don't think it mattered but I felt better doing it that way.

At first I was worrying about the addresses of some very old bills that stopped sending me letters and then when I asked, USA Bankruptcy Associates customers service explained that any address for the creditor was good enough, so I googled the creditors and got all the addresses.

The other sections were the creditor part, the assets part and that includes your cars and house and your stuff. I liked the way they arranged this section because you did not have to worry figuring what was secured or not secured. There was just a common sense way it was organized so that in the end you did not have to do any thinking. Just answer the questions in the interview wizard and that's it. If you have your information, I guess you could be done entering them in about hour, so this is easy stuff. 

Step 3 - The most important thing is that after you have entered all the information is that you should go over all of it again. If there are any mistakes in the finished bankruptcy, in my experience, it will not be from USA bankruptcy associates but from yourself. So if you double check your information, USA bankruptcy associates will have the right information to prepare your bankruptcy right.

I found this out myself because the first time I thought I was done entering my information, I was in a hurry to file and I had left off three bills and when I got back the papers from USA bankruptcy associates, I was pissed that they did not include them. When I want back, I saw that I had left them off the Usa bankruptcy web page by mistake. So take your time and give Usa bankruptcy associates the right information.

Step 4 - When you get back the finished forms from USA Bankruptcy associates, look them over to make see you did not leave off any creditors. The reason is that if you decide after you have filed your bankruptcy to add more creditors, the court will charge you another fee of about $30 and change to add more creditors. That is what they charged me. But if you do not know all the creditors and you need to file in a hurry, I guess you can file on the ones you have and then have Usa bankruptcy associates amend your bankruptcy to add the others later.

Step 5 - Before you file the bankruptcy you need to take the counseling class that is required. After registering with usa bankruptcy associates, their web site has information on where you can take the counseling class. For mine, I took it on line and it cost $15. After you get the certificate from the counseling class, include it in your bankruptcy forms that you file with the court.

Step 6 - USA bankruptcy associates gave me a fee waiver even though I did not ask for it. I didn't think of it so when I got it, I was glad they remembered. So when you go to file, try to see if the court will waive the court fee. If you are unemployed or don't make much, they will waive the court fee. For me that savings was more than what I paid usa bankruptcy so in a way they did my bankruptcy for free.

Step 7 - Filing your bankruptcy is easy. Usa Bankruptcy Associates gave me the court address where to file and instructions on how to file. You need to sign the documents from usa bankruptcy associates and make copies. They tell you on their site how many copies to make. You can file through the mail but I found it better to file in person since I did not have to wait to get back the docket number days later. The court clerk will give you your docket number and set the date for the trustee meeting right there when you file.

From here on you just wait for the hearing with the trustee. In my own bankruptcy, it was abut 4 weeks after i filed. That morning I was nervous since I did not have a lawyer but all that ended the moment I walked into the hearing room. I notice that each person who came up was asked the same three questions. They asked if you filed bk on your own free will, if you got help preparing the documnets and if you want to go on with it or wanted to change anything. 

I thought for sure Citibank would send some body there because I maxed out their card before I filed so I was a little nervous. They were not there. I did not see any creditors there either though it is called a creditor meeting. So right away that calmed me down. When mine was over, I breathed a big sigh of relief, especially that I did not pay the $1,500 the attorney wanted. I paid USA Bankruptcy Associates only about $200 and I also got the court fee waived and I even charged the usa bankruptcy price on a credit card that I bankrupted, so in the end, my bankruptcy with USA bankruptcy associates was free. So if I had to do it again, without a doubt I would use them again.

I hope this helps you with your bankruptcy. Take it from me, you do not need any attorney. If I did it, so can you.