What do I bring to my first meeting with lawyer?

[ezgo68]

I have my first consult with a lawyer Jan. 03. What exactly do I need to bring? I know credit card bills and paycheck stubs for the last six months. I'm sure this has been asked before but I couldn't find where. Also does my spouse need to go the the first consultation?

[Spartan]

You don't really HAVE TO bring anything. There is no binding requirement there. You just need to explain your situation precisely. Bringing your bank account statements, your pay stubs, your credit card bills, will help the lawyer get a better understanding of your situation.

If would be helpful, if you can write down all the debts, all the assets your have, your income, and your monthly expenses. It will help to get a clear picture of your financial situation.

The lawyer will ask all the questions. Just answer them thoroughly. Let them decide what is relevent, and what is not.

[lrprn]

I have my first consult with a lawyer Jan. 03. What exactly do I need to bring? I know credit card bills and paycheck stubs for the last six months. I'm sure this has been asked before but I couldn't find where. Also does my spouse need to go the the first consultation?

Ask each lawyer's office when you make the appointments what you should bring along with you. As Spartan said, you aren't required to bring anything with you, but if you will take the time to pull together a listing of all your assets and financial obligations in a spreadsheet or written down on paper in categories, it will save a lot of time and ensure you will get the most out of each consultation.

Here are what several bk lawyer websites recommend bringing with you for the first visit:
* Identification - photo ID (driver's license, passport) and social security card
* Proof of income - pay stubs for both of you if you plan on filing together and a calculation of your last six months of income listing each source (records or receipts from employment income, tips, bonuses, commissions, child support, spousal support, support from someone paying or sharing your living expenses, rental income, unemployment compensation, social security, retirement, pension, interest, dividends, etc)
* Income deductions - if these aren't showing on your paystubs
* Income tax returns - last two years (if available) for federal, state, and city (if applicable)
* Average household expenses - mortgage or rent, utility services (electricity, gas, fuel oil, propane, water, sewage), telephone service, cable or satellite television service, internet, home maintenance, food, clothing, laundry and dry cleaning, medical and dental, transportation, recreation, clubs, entertainment, charitable contributions, insurance (homeowner or renter, life, health, auto), taxes on property, alimony, maintenance, child support, etc.)
* Credit report - you can request one free report a year from http://www.annualcreditreport.com
* List of current non-secured debts - credit cards, medical bills, student loans, furniture loans, etc with amounts owed for each
* List of assets with approximate values
* List of current secured debts - mortgage loans, car loans, etc with amounts owed for each
* List of other financial obligations - child support, alimony, retirement withdrawals, etc with amounts owed for each
* If you own a business - a listing of all of your monthly business expenses including a year-to-date or recent monthly profit and loss statement for your business, if possible

Depending on your income level and which chapter you plan to file, some to all of this information will be needed to complete the required Means Test. It's also very helpful to have all these figures easily accessible to complete the pre-filing credit counseling course and get your required certificate.

Pulling everything together ahead of time and knowing exactly where you stand financially will make the most of your initial visit consultations. Let us know how your visits go!

[ezgo68]

Thanks for the responses. Does my wife need to go?

[lrprn]

Thanks for the responses. Does my wife need to go?

If you intend to file together, then it's a good idea for your wife to go with you. There's a great deal of information shared back and forth during each meeting, so it's best for both of you to be there to hear it. Also it gives each of you a chance to fill in or correct financial information that one of you is more familiar with than the other. You're in the family bankruptcy together - both of you knowing everything about filing makes good communication and understanding between the two of you a lot easier.