I am Thinking of Filing for Bankruptcy in Florida, What Documents do I Need to Bring Me to My Initial Consultation?

If you have decided it is time to see a bankruptcy attorney and you have already scheduled your first appointment, then you will need to gather some documents to bring to your consultation.  The following is a list of documents that you should bring:

1. Your paystubs – You should try to find the last six months of paystubs from your employer and bring them to the consultation.  The paystubs are used to determine your qualification for different types of bankruptcies.  If you are self-employed then you will need to provide how much money you have distributed to yourself over the same period of time.
2. Your bank statements – You should try to bring the last six months of your bank statement(s) to your initial consultation.  This applies for any type of bank or investment account that you have.  The monies and types of accounts will help determine whether or not the assets are partially, entirely, or not exempt from the bankruptcy court.  Also reviewing the bank documents will help determine whether or not the debtor has to worry about any fraudulent transfer or preferences.
3. Your Tax returns – In order to file for bankruptcy we require the last two years of tax returns you have filed.  Some trustees will require the debtor to provide upwards of five (5) years of tax returns.
4. Vehicle information – Providing copies of your registration, title, and proof of insurance is again helpful to determine whether or not the vehicle you own is exempt partially, entirely, or not at all.
5. Debts – typically most debts can be obtained through a credit report, however debts from small medical offices, payday loans, or other small entities may not show up on a credit report.  You don’t need to bring in a list of all your credit card debt.
6. Assets – Providing a list of any other assets you own would be extremely helpful and used to determine which bankruptcy chapter is right for you.  Assets can include anything from household goods, stocks, boats, paintings, or jewelry.

The non-exhaustive list above provides the debtor a head start for their initial consultation.  The documents will be very helpful for any attorney to easily determine the right path for the debtor.  If you would like to schedule a free consultation with Shmucher Law, PL in any of our Florida office locations then please give us a call at 954.309.5559 or 305.741.5553.