What to Expect Once You’ve Decided to File Bankruptcy from Home

File Bankruptcy from Home

There are a few things that happen when you file bankruptcy from home. An automatic stay to protect you from debt collection goes into effect. You are required to go to credit counseling. You must complete bankruptcy paperwork and submit it to the court along with your filing fee.

No matter who you are or why you decide to file, these things occur when you file for bankruptcy.

This is the case whether you file traditionally or if you file bankruptcy from home.

Pre-filing Counseling

Everyone who files for bankruptcy must participate in pre-filling credit counseling. There is an additional education course required mid-way through bankruptcy. The purpose of these courses is to ensure anyone who files has the information needed to determine if bankruptcy is the best option for them.

Additionally, the courses help filers handle their credit better in the future and understand how to manage their money if that was something they struggled with before filling. These courses are mandatory and anyone filling from home or otherwise must submit proof of participation in the courses to the court before their bankruptcy is finalized.

The US government provides information about what you need to know concerning bankruptcy counseling courses here.

Automatic Stay

Anyone who files for bankruptcy, whether they file from home or if via traditional means, receives the benefits of an automatic stay once they’ve begun the filing process. The automatic stay legally bars any debt collector from contacting you about the debt. They cannot call you, email you, mail you, come to your home, or serve you with a lawsuit. They cannot file a new lawsuit, nor can they begin or continue foreclosure or repossession efforts.

All debt collection efforts stop when you file. This doesn’t mean you are protected forever from certain collection efforts, though you might be. It does mean you can move forward with the filing process without constant harassment from collectors.

Paperwork and Filing Fees

Bankruptcy relieves a great deal of your stress and some of your debt obligations, at least temporarily. But this doesn’t mean you won’t have responsibilities once you decide to file. Your most important obligation is completing your bankruptcy paperwork and submitting it to the court with your filing fee. Bankruptcy paperwork is detailed and time-consuming, but it’s likely the most difficult part of the filing process.

You’ll need to organize your financial information, share it with the court, and show that you are prepared to meet any remaining obligations of filing for bankruptcy. Ideally, you’ll call on a bankruptcy attorney to help you with the paperwork. We’re able to help you file for bankruptcy from home, which makes it as efficient and safe as possible.

Meeting of Creditors

One of the most dreaded parts of bankruptcy is the Meeting of the Creditors. Sometimes known as the 341 Meeting, this is a face-to-face meeting where the bankruptcy trustee and creditors review your paperwork and raise any concerns they might have. Most of the time it goes off without a hitch, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t intimidating. Many people are happy to learn that the meeting can be held virtually when you file for bankruptcy from home.

Discharge

Finally, after you’ve completed all other requirements of filing for bankruptcy, you are granted a discharge of your debt. If you’ve filed for Chapter 13 bankruptcy you’ll begin your payment plan. This step is the goal when you file for bankruptcy and it provides you with the financial fresh start you were seeking.

An Attorney Helps You File Bankruptcy from Home

Filing for bankruptcy from home or in the traditional manner is one of the best ways to get a handle on a difficult financial situation. If you’d like to learn more about how bankruptcy can help you, we’d like to speak with you. Contact us at the Law Office of Robert M. Geller at 813-254-5696 to learn more.