What To Bring Your Bankruptcy Attorney

Please print out this list of documents to compile. Bring these documents to your attorney at the Topeka Bankruptcy Law Office. Always bring us copies and keep the originals for yourself.

Your Appointment:  Date: ____________ Time: ________

With Attorney:  __________ Mark Neis __________ Jill Michaux

Documents You Need to Bring to Your Attorney Meeting

Please bring these documents to our office when you come to meet with us. Do your best to find these papers. It is very important that you bring these items with you. We know it is difficult to come up with all these documents, but, unfortunately, we cannot file your case without this information. If you are missing documents, please call us at 785-354-1471 to see if there is a work around.

_____ Certificate of Credit Counseling and worksheets if you have already done this. If you have not done this, please wait and discuss this step with us.  We will assist you. Credit counseling must be done before the bankruptcy case is filed.

_____ Bills and statements from ALL creditors, including your living expenses, whether or not you want to pay them or discharge in the bankruptcy. We must know about all creditors including your friends and relatives and your friendly creditors.

_____ Pay stubs from all employers and proof of any other income for the last seven (7) months.

_____ Bank statements for all accounts for past seven (7) months.

_____ Federal and state tax returns for last four (2) years (2013, 2014).

(Do not spend any tax refunds without our assistance.)

We must have a copy of 2013 and 2014 federal and state returns with all attachments. We can accept transcripts from IRS and State of Kansas if you have filed your returns but don’t have copies.  You may get free transcripts from the IRS. Taxpayer Assistance at Docking State Office Building in Topeka will provide printouts for state returns. If you have not filed tax returns for 2002 through 2014, you will need the original returns with W2s or 1099s, or proof that you are not required to file federal or state income tax returns. Both IRS and State of Kansas will check your history for unfiled returns. Your bankruptcy case will be dismissed if returns are not filed.

_____ Deeds, promissory notes, mortgages, purchase papers, property tax statements, or contracts on any real estate you own or are buying with approximate payoff amount.

_____ Registrations or titles for all vehicles and proof of insurance showing coverage and lender as loss payee.

_____ Notes, retail installment contracts from banks, credit unions, finance companies or other lenders including pay day loans and car title loans. Also, any security agreements, purchase papers, leases or other documents listing your property as collateral for the purchase of cars, furniture, mobile homes, other personal property, rent to own or cash loans.

______ Liens on any property

______ Divorce decrees, property settlement agreements, child support orders or other domestic lawsuit documents, prenuptual and postnuptual agreements, and the current name and address of the other person in those lawsuits and agreements, amount due if you owe.

______ Statements for life insurance policies that have a cash value and annuities. You do not need to bring term life policies.

______ Judgments or court orders entered against you or in your favor. Garnishment papers.

______ Executory contracts, leases, contracts for sale or deed and lease-purchase contracts or rent-to-own agreements.

______ Statement for your IRA, Roth IRA, 401(k) or 403(b) plan, profit sharing plan, KPERS, tax sheltered annuity or other retirement plan.  Promissory note for any loans against your retirement plan.

______ Your government issued photo ID

______ Proof of your Social Security number (SS card, W2, 1099, pay stub, health card)

______ Credit reports you already have.

______ $10-50 for individuals and $10-100 for couples if you are doing your credit counseling. We recommend www.debtorcc.com, which charges $9.95 for single or couple.

______ $25 for individuals and $50 for couples for credit reports we run. We run credit reports even if you have already done so.

______ Trusts you own or are the beneficiary of.

______ If you have lived outside the State of Kansas in the past five years, please bring a list of dates and places you resided for the past five years.

______ Business records. Call us to discuss what documents will be needed for your business. At a minimum, we will need business tax returns, bank statements, asset lists and values, creditor lists, monthly income and expense figures for the previous seven months and the current tax year, stock, and ownership documents.

______ Prior bankruptcy case information, date filed, case number, type of case, whether discharge granted, any papers you have.

______ Documentation of any property in your name that belongs to someone else or any property that belongs to you in the name of someone else.

______ Documentation for any property you have sold, transferred, given away,  pledged or put in someone else’s name in the past 10 years.

Neis & Michaux, P.A.
Bankruptcy Law Office
534 S. Kansas Ave., Ste. 825
Topeka, KS 66603
785-354-1471

785-354-1170 fax
lawyers@neismichaux.com

 

Image Credit: Attribution Some rights reserved by Alan Dean

About Jill Michaux

Jill Michaux is a Kansas bankruptcy attorney with Neis Michaux Law Office. She and her partner, Mark Neis, are Topeka's only consumer bankruptcy law specialists. They are board certified by the American Board of Certification.

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