Pre bk counseling course

[samantha625]

I need to get this done today, so that I can turn in the rest of our paperwork!

When I put in all our creditors I have not put in any payments to them, because we haven't made any payments to them in such a long time. Then when I finish the course, it shows that we have little debt and says that we are in the range we are supposed to be for debt vs. income!

Am I supposed to make up an amount for payments, as if we were paying them? Does it really matter? Does the trustee look closely at this, or is the counseling really for us to see exactly where we are?

Thanks!

[stressin]

I am interested in this info as well. I am a few to several months behind on all CC payments now, and so the info that I have is for the past due + current payments due. I think the goal of the counseling is to see if bankruptcy is the best alternative, so it seems like they would want the payment info on the credit cards--so they can see what our financial lives would look like if we didn't file for BK.
Thanks in advance to anyone who has insight on this one. I need to get my counseling done in the next week or so and I am getting the numbers together.

[magyar123]

Trustees don't care one way or another about the debt counseling services' conclusions/their reccomendations. All the 2005 laws require is that you waste your money on this service, pre filing and past filing.

[RedLight]

Agreed, I have yet to take either course. Will probably do so this weekend. I can't believe what a waste of time and money this is for everyone here. Shouldn't we be using that money to get ourselves back up? It would be much better used for some sort of financial support group or something.

[Cali]

My counseling was apart of my attorney fees. And I used the amount I last paid for each credit card.

If you can't afford the counseling prices you can get them for free if you qualify for that. I didn't think paying the money for it was a waste, since I am discharging 162k.

[csrhjr31]

I thought the counseling was a joke. We took both of them on-line, then had to speak with someone on the phone. For our Pre-Counseling the person we spoke with was VERY unfriendly. The Post Counseling, we spoke to someone for 2 minutes. It is very obvious that it is a government mandated, and they just want to see a completed certificate.

[Help!]

Another BAPCPA wonder. Maybe congress should take some credit counseling and learn how to live on a balanced budget.

[Cali]

My first one I had to speak to someone. The second one I had to watch some stuff online and then take quizzes and a test. I had to do it 2 times, one for me and one for my hubby(since he is not here).

The first one took maybe 15 minutes, the last one took 45 mins each.

I thought the counseling was a joke. We took both of them on-line, then had to speak with someone on the phone. For our Pre-Counseling the person we spoke with was VERY unfriendly. The Post Counseling, we spoke to someone for 2 minutes. It is very obvious that it is a government mandated, and they just want to see a completed certificate.

[PoorGrammyinBK7]

Ours was just $30 (for both of us - for the pre-fining one online) through InCharge Education Foundation, Inc. (incharge.org I think). Haven't done the post yet.

[samantha625]

So.... I should not worry about putting in payments, and that the debt to income ratio is inaccurate?

We had to pay for ours ourselves- $50.00 a couple, it's online. I understand that it's supposed to help people to not get into trouble again, but for me going through the actual bk itself is what is helping me to change!