What Information Must I Provide In Order To File Either A Chapter 7 Or Chapter 13 Bankruptcy Case?

The first thing that you must have is a list of all of your creditors. It's best to bring in a recent monthly statement or other written evidence of the debt. What is owed to each creditor and what kind of security or collateral they hold if any. Bankruptcy is a notification process and if you do not list a creditor then the debt may not be discharged or erased by your bankruptcy. 

Prepare a list of your assets such as real estate or personal property such as vehicles, bank accounts or claims you might have against others. Record of your income for the past six months. This includes income from all sources such as wages, unemployment benefits, worker’s compensation, social security or pension income. If you do not retain pay stubs or vouchers for benefit payments, please contact your employer or benefit provider and obtain a record of your income for the past six months. Finally, bring a list your usual monthly expenses for housing, utilities, food, clothing and transportation.

During the course of preparing your case, the following documents may have to be produced to verify information you have supplied. Before your petition can be prepared, you must provide exact name and address (including zip code) of each of your creditors (including debts for which you are liable as a co-maker or guarantor), the account number if any, the year and month the debt was incurred, and the basis of the debt.

Remember, the list must include ALL debts including those which are not yet due or non-dischargeable debts such as student loans, taxes, fines and penalties. The best approach is to have available a recent statement on each account. If you do not have any paper documents you can obtain this information from your credit report. 

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