Once I hand over the docs to my attorney...

[tic1975]

How long till the next step? And is that step the actual filing?

[LadyInTheRed]

i assume you mean all of your financial documents. Your attorney will need time to prepare your petition. The only one who can say how long that will take is your attorney. When the petition is ready, your attorney will either send it to you to review or have you come into the office to review and sign it. Make sure you carefully review the petition to make sure it is accurate and complete. Don't let them rush you to sign until you are satisfied that your income is correct, all of your expenses are listed (note that the means test wiill not be your actual expenses), and that all creditors and assets are listed.

[brokehmowner]

Yes, and don't assume they won't make a mistake. I brought all my own figures to quickly cross-check the petition. They did make a minor mistake; can't remember what it was but I do remember he had his paralegal fix it before we left.

[LadyInTheRed]

...all of your expenses are listed (note that the means test wiill not be your actual expenses), and that all creditors and assets are listed.

Just reading this again and it occurs to me that your schedule J expense may not be what your current expense are if you have been cutting your expenses to pay your debt. Also, if your spending is a little high on one expense and low on another, your attorney may adjust between the expenses. The expenses should be reasonable. If anything looks out of whack, ask your attorney about it, but also trust that he knows what will be seen as reasonable by the trustee.