Filing Bankruptcy Alone

Are you filing bankruptcy alone? It is most definitely possible to file alone and be successful at it, many have have made the choice to go it alone before you. To give you a better idea about the process here is quick list of things you must know when you file alone.

1. First, understand the differences between chapter 7 and chapter 13, for individuals filing personal bankruptcy these are the most common. Typically an attorney would administer the means test to determine which chapter best suits your case, so you must figure this out on your own by taking a very good inventory of your debt to income ratio.

2. Once you've determined the chapter you qualify for, download the proper forms from the US Courts website and follow the instructions for filling out the forms and gathering the supporting documentation.

3. Next, whether filing bankruptcy alone or with the help of a professional, you must take debt counseling courses, these are available online, but you must take the course from a source that's approved by the US Courts. There are two parts to this course, the first part is taken before you file and the second after you file, but before your case is dismissed.

4. After your bankruptcy forms are properly filled out and you have the necessary documentation to support your claim, head to your county's bankruptcy court and file your case. If your petition is in order, all you have to do is pay the filing fee, usually $299 for chapter 7 and $235 for chapter 13. If your petition is not in order, you may be denied filing your petition and be asked to file at a later date. In worse cases, depending on the inaccuracy of your paperwork you could be kept from filing for a long time.

Note of caution: never lie on your petition by trying to hide assets, or make your situation look worse than it is. It is not very likely that you'll fool the bankruptcy trustee as his/her job is to scrutinize every petition filed.

5. Once you're case is accepted you will receive notification via mail about your court hearing, where you'll be asked specific questions about the accounts you intend to discharge.

6. Should your case go smoothly and everything is in order, you should receive a discharge about 3 months from the time you filed your case.

This is how to file bankruptcy alone in a nutshell, if it seems like a lot of work, well it can be so be prepared to work hard on preparing your own case. If filing bankruptcy alone is not what you were expecting, consider taking a 100% Free Bankruptcy Evaluation from one of America's most trusted Bankruptcy Networks, you will discover that filing bankruptcy with the aid of a professional is not as costly as most people believe.