Chapter 7 - questions on what to bring to Lawyer

[paulka]

I will be filing Chapter 7. I'm a no asset case. I'm going to start the process of looking for an attorney soon, but I had some quick questions about what to bring with me to the consults..

I owe a lot of money to MANY different collection agencies for old credit cards and hospital bills... some things dating back to 1999-2000. I know many of you will say not to worry about these old debts, as they are time-barred by the SOL. However, I am in the process of defending myself (with the assistance of legal aid) against a debt that is time-barred. I want to make sure EVERYTHING is included in my BK (even old debts.) I've been creating a debt matrix of my own to bring to my attorney after I select one. My questions are:

What info should I include with this matrix? The amounts and locations on some of these old accounts has changed so frequently that I have no idea where some of them are. Many are not listed on my credit report. Do lawyers need exact amounts? Account numbers? What information will the lawyers have access to? Essentially, what do they NEED me to bring to them? Do lawyers track down some of the debts, or is that my job?

The point of this is that I simply cannot leave anything off. I don't have time to fight off debt collectors that are abusing the civil court system to get money from debts that are no longer collectible. I work hard and can't continually take time off when something like this suddenly "pops" up. I want a fresh start. I've gotten much more financially responsible and savvy since my living off a credit card days. I want to put that behind me for good.

[Flamingo]

When you retain your attorney to file you will be given paperwork which will include a listing to input all your creditor informatoin. You will have to list the creditor's name, address (look on the back of bills for the correct address - never put down the address at which your sent payments), the account number and the amount due and owing at the time you are filling out the form or the amount on the last bill you received. It is your responsibility to provide this information and provide it correctly. If you have past bills that have been moved around from one collection agency to another, you will have to provide the most recent information you have on that and be descriptive on your paperwork.

Details in a BK can drive you nuts; been there. When you sit down and discuss all this with an attorney, you will feel 100% better.

[AngelinaCat]

Hi Paulka: Welcome to the forum. Ms. Flamingo is absolutley correct. Follow her advice about listing all of your creditors.

HOWEVER: the creditors, and their third party agencies, buy and sell debts all the time. You cannot be expected to keep up with all the changes of hands, er pockets.

My advice is to list every single debt and creditor that you are aware or right now, and list that in your Creditor Matrix. That includes any debt sales that you are aware of RIGHT NOW.

And I will say, include your Utilitiy Companies. We had an Electric Utility listed because we had to pay them a Deposit on an account we already owned and had had for more than 40 years. We had to list any deposits we had made. After Discharge on Aug 13, 2008, we got a credit from this company for about $1300.00.

Good luck to you.

[AngelinaCatHub]

Gord I hate to back my wife but she is right. Flamingo is very good at her advice and, it is better to name everyone than some. We have forgotten a few and are now wondering if they can collect. It was innocent, but none the least, it counts. Ms. Flamingo is your best friend at this time. ‘Hub