Here is a list of what documents to gather for your bankruptcy attorney. Please save these these papers and items as PDF documents on a computer to share with our office when you meet virtually with bankruptcy attorneys Mark Neis or Jill Michaux.
Please do your best to find these papers. They are very important. 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 email or call us at 785-354-1471 to see if there is a work around. We will guide and assist you on how to deliver the PDF files to us.
_____ 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 help you. The bankruptcy case cannot be filed until we have the credit counseling certificate. Please do not take this course until we tell you to do so. You will need $25 for this course, which is done by telephone. We recommend using Allen Credit.
_____ Bills and statements from ALL creditors and collectors, including your living expenses, even if you want to pay them or not discharge them in the bankruptcy. We must know about all creditors including your friends and relatives and your friendly creditors. Write down the names and addresses of anyone who might say you owe them. Google is a good way to find addresses. The lastest statement from each creditor is very helpful.
_____ Pay stubs or printout from all employers and proof of any other income for the last seven (7) months.
_____ One year of records for all sources of all sources of incoming money to the household whether taxable or not. This includes unemployment benefits, Social Security, retirement, side jobs, gig work or anything else. On self-employment income, we need a monthly statement for income and expenses for 2024. We will use your 2023 tax returns for 2023. It can be as simple as January $125 from vet then a list of expenses.
_____ Bank statements for all accounts for past seven (7) months.
_____ Federal and state tax returns for 2021, 2022 and 2023 with all W-2s, 1099s and attachments
_____ Any papers you have about any tax returns that have NOT been filed with tax authorities or any papers about any taxes you owe to any tax authorities.
(Do not spend any tax refunds without our help. You will have to prove to the trustee how refunds are spent.)
We must have a copy of 2021 and 2022 federal and state returns with all attachments. We will need 2023 tax returns with all attachments when they are filed in 2024. We might be able to accept transcripts for 2020 if you have filed your returns. You may get free transcripts from the IRS from this IRS website. Taxpayer Assistance at Scott State Office Building in Topeka will give printouts for state returns for $5-10 per year. If you have not filed tax returns for 2016 through 2022, you will need signed original returns or proof that you were not required to file federal or state income tax returns. Both the IRS and the State of Kansas will check your history for filings and file an estimated claim for any unfiled year. Your bankruptcy case will be dismissed if required 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 an estimated payoff amount.
______ Registrations or titles for all vehicles and proof of insurance showing full 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, prenuptial and postnuptial 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 showing all nine digits (SS card, W-2, 1099, pay stub, health card)
______ Credit reports you already have.
______ If you have not already done your credit counseling, $20 for internet or $25 for telephone from www.allencredit.com.
______ $25 for individuals and $50 for couples for credit reports we run. We run credit reports even if you have already done so to import the creditor lists into our software. There may be a $1-2 convenience fee to pay this online.
______ Trusts you own or are the beneficiary of.
______ If you have lived outside the State of Kansas in the past eight years, please bring a list of dates and places you resided for the past five years.
______ Business records. Contact us to discuss what is needed for your business. 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, tax returns for past two years, and ownership documents. We may need other documents, too.
______ 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.
______ Any other papers you think are important about your property, debts, income or expenses.
______ Information about gambling income or gambling losses for past two years.
______ Other documents requested ___________________________________________________________________________
Neis & Michaux, P.A.
Bankruptcy Law Office
3601 SW 29th ST Ste 132
Topeka, KS 66614-2054
785-354-1471
785-354-1170 fax
lawyers@neismichaux.com
Our office is in the Southwest Plaza Building at 29th Street and Arnold Avenue. Parking is free. Parking is located in the large lot on the south side of the building. We are on the ground level, there are no stairs. Use the center entrance on the south side of the building please. We are in the east wing of the building.
