Tuesday, January 17, 2012

Preparing to Meet With an Indiana Bankruptcy Lawyer: What do you need?

            So, you have made the first step toward solving your debt problems.  I offer my congratulations on this, because you are going to be able to come up with a plan!  You are going to be able to sleep at night and that 20,000 pound gorilla is going to be removed from your shoulders....and the solutions may not even include filing for bankruptcy.

           I know that those who contact Halcomb Singler to meet with me regarding bankruptcy are often stressed out, nervous, emotional and are at the end of their rope.  I know they have tried to avoid calling my office or the office of any Indiana bankruptcy attorney.  I both respect and understand that fact.  And I know that once a person contacts a bankruptcy attorney they often move from being stressed about contacting a bankruptcy attorney to being nervous about meeting with a bankruptcy attorney.

           When you meet with a bankruptcy attorney you are not armed with the information that he or she will need to determine whether bankruptcy can help and/or to answer your questions regarding the bankruptcy.  I cannot speak for all attorneys, but I know what information I need to be able to evaluate options for solving debt problems:

1.  What is your household income on a monthly basis after taxes (this includes what is made by a live-in significant other);
2.  What are your monthly living expenses?
3.  To whom do you owe money and approximately how much?  (i.e, how much do you owe in personal loans, credit cards, medical bills, on auto loans, mortgage(s), etc.)  Don't worry about these being down to the penny....a ballpark number will do just fine.
4.  How much are your assets worth?  (I will need to know the approximate value of any real estate, vehicles, or valuable pieces of personal property....probably $4,000.00 or more).

         That's it.  That's all I really need you to be able to tell me.  Based on these answers I will let you know whether bankruptcy could be helpful and if I do believe your bankruptcy would be helpful perhaps even what type of bankruptcy to file.  With that being said, I will need much, much more information before I am actually able to file your bankruptcy.  But I will give you a questionnaire and checklist of documents in the event you decide to move forward that will give me all of the information I need to make sure that your bankruptcy petition if filed and that you receive the discharge you need.

          And don't worry about feeling self conscious that the attorney is "judging" your debt.  Bankruptcy attorneys talk about debt all day long and they simply need to know the numbers to properly give advice.  I believe being embarrassed about debt in a conversation with a bankruptcy attorney is similar to being embarrassed at the dentist because you have a cavity or bad breath.  The bottom line is you shouldn't be embarrassed by seeking the assistance of a professional whose job it is to help those in your situation!

         To have an initial bankruptcy conversation with me at Halcomb Singler just call my office at 317-575-8222 to set up an appointment.  I accept new clients who live in Indianapolis, Noblesville, Fishers, Anderson, Zionsville, Carmel, Tipton, Kokomo and the surrounding areas.  I look forward to speaking with you.

Halcomb Singler, LLP, is a debt relief agency.  It helps people file for bankruptcy under the bankruptcy code.  No attorney-client relationship with the firm of Halcomb Singler, LLP, is created through this blog. Also, please note that Erika Singler is an attorney licensed in Indiana and does not seek to practice law in any jurisdiction in which they are not properly authorized to do so.  The information contained in this blog is general in nature and should not be relied upon for the circumstances of any individual(s) or businesses.

No comments:

Post a Comment