My lawyer is asking me for check register

[storesstores]

My lawyer is asking me for a check register for the past 6 months showing the payments for electric, gas, telephone, internet, cable, car insurance, day care, water bill, groceries etc..etc..

I do not keep a check register..

I paid everything online using my online banking from my checking account, or I paid items with a credit card.

He is asking for this info with my filled out questionaire.

I did not submit nothing to him yet. I am just about wrapping up the lenghty questionaire. One of the many items requested with this lenghty questionaire is the check register thing.

Any thoughts?


What do I need to do with this?

[marzipan13]

Are you able to printout your account activity online? Or download the statements from the last 6 months?
I went into my bank and asked for account activity with average daily balance for the 90 days prior to filing, which I submitted to the trustee. He didn't ask me for 6 months prior, only 90 days. The trustee does want to see 6 months paystubs.

[CindyLou]

most of us do not keep registers because they are online. simply print out your online register and give it to your attorney. Same thing...no sweat. Also provide your credit card statements you will be fine.

[PaKettle]

most of us do not keep registers because they are online. simply print out your online register and give it to your attorney. Same thing...no sweat. Also provide your credit card statements you will be fine.

What are they looking for in the check register?
This is for a chapter 7?

[CindyLou]

I'm guess the attonry is getting together the expenses??????????

[JRScott]

If your online bank lets you do a printout I'd do that.

Otherwise go to each of your utilities and get printouts of your payment record , that would help some .

[PaKettle]

If your online bank lets you do a printout I'd do that.

Otherwise go to each of your utilities and get printouts of your payment record , that would help some .

Is it common for them to want checking records for a ch. 7? what are they looking for?

[lrprn]

Is it common for them to want checking records for a ch. 7? what are they looking for?

It's not common for you to be asked for proof of anything other than what's required - pay stubs, etc.

A guess....bk lawyers are held accountable for the accuracy of the information in every case they file. Storesstores's lawyer is probably just being cautious. Or maybe this lawyer was burned by another client and this is his/her way of ensuring nothing is hidden - no recent money transfers, no recent creditor payments, etc.

[PaKettle]

It's not common for you to be asked for proof of anything other than what's required - pay stubs, etc.

A guess....bk lawyers are held accountable for the accuracy of the information in every case they file. Storesstores's lawyer is probably just being cautious. Or maybe this lawyer was burned by another client and this is his/her way of ensuring nothing is hidden - no recent money transfers, no recent creditor payments, etc.

First of all, thanks, lrprn, for the referral, I'm signing up with the guy Cathy Moran recommends in L.A..

As for your comment above about "no recent payments", I was advised by 2 attorneys to go ahead and make a payment even after I decided to file, because I had spent several hundred dollars on those accounts and not made even one payment. So they both said this would not hurt, to at least have it look like I attempted to pay back some of what I spent on those cards.

I probably won't file until September, waiting 3 months after my last purchases of a tv and a camera. Now, of course, I wish I'd never made those purchases, but at the time I did not know I was going to file, I realized it when I went to pay my bills later that month.

[lrprn]

First of all, thanks, lrprn, for the referral, I'm signing up with the guy Cathy Moran recommends in L.A..

Woo hoo!! I am so glad that your laywer search is over, Pa! Glad to have helped in some small way for you to find a lawyer that you are comfortable with - that's so important!

I probably won't file until September, waiting 3 months after my last purchases of a tv and a camera. Now, of course, I wish I'd never made those purchases, but at the time I did not know I was going to file, I realized it when I went to pay my bills later that month.

Sounds like you have a good plan set, Pa. Keep us posted how your pre-filing planning goes. We're all rooting for you - hope the weeks before filing go smoothly!

[SinkingFast]

Is it common for them to want checking records for a ch. 7? what are they looking for?

This was an attny request that Stores got. Not the Trustee.

Some attnys are VERY thorough in their prep of every case. Ours was like that.

By the time he filed our case, he had CC statements, bank statements, utilities bills, and what not for a year prior to filing. Copies of our Lease, our insurance policies, our cell phone contract. Nearly everything of any importance in our lives, our attny had a copy of it.

Our paralegal said they scan everything into their system and maintain an electronic record of all documentation for every BK Case filed. In case,......... In case a BK is audited. In case the Trustee requests 6 months of bank statements. The paralegal doesn't have to call the Filer. She creates an email, attaches a document, and hits send. In case........ Our attny was just very thorough that way. He left no stone unturned.