Prospect Heights Bankruptcy Attorney On What To Bring To The First M...

You technically don’t need to bring anything but yourself to the meeting.  The meeting is much like an interview, where I as your attorney will ask you a series of questions.  We will go through your income.  We will go through your expenses.  We will go through your assets.  We will go through your liabilities.  

Now, it makes good sense if you have a recent paycheck stub, and it makes good sense if you have a recent federal tax return, and it makes good sense if you have a list of the people you owe money to for the interview to go smoothly.  However, I do not need that information the very first time that I meet you.  When we have our interview you’re going to know the answer to a lot of these questions, whether or not you have exact documentation backing it up or not.  For example, you know whether you owe credit cards, medical bills, personal loans, past due utilities, repo auto deficiencies, and foreclosure deficiencies.  You are going to know approximately who you owe and how much.  You’re just not going to have the addresses right in front of you.   

Further, you’re going to know approximately what you make, whether or not you’re able to obtain your paycheck stub prior to our meeting.  Additionally, you’re going to know approximately what you made last year, whether or not you have your federal tax returns sitting in front of you or not.  The most important thing that you need to bring to the meeting that you have with me is yourself. 

Now I say that kind of halfheartedly, but what I mean is you need to make the first step to get help, and if gathering documentation is holding you back from the consultation, by all means, come in with no documentation, but bring yourself and sit in the chair and let me interview you, because once you come into my office you are not only going to learn exactly how I can help you, but you are going to see how you can be helped.  You are going to see how other people have been helped.  You’re going to understand that there are two chapters of the bankruptcy code that typically apply to consumers.  You’re going to learn the benefits of both.  You’re going to learn when someone would file one case and not the other.  You’re going to leave with a ton of information.  You’re going to leave with a copy of the book that I wrote, Chapter 7 Success.  You’re likely going to walk away with a disk or a DVD or an article or something from my office.  So by all means, if you don’t have your documentation with you come in for your first appointment anyway.  It’s going to be beneficial to you. 

You’re going to finally see that there is light at the end of the tunnel.  There is a process.  There is a way to get help.  There is a way to better yourself going forward, so you’re not struggling with debt, so you’re not being harassed by bill collectors, so you’re not wondering day-to-day, “Am I ever going to get out of debt?  Am I ever going to remove this stress from my life?  Am I ever going to get back on my feet again?” 

Many people meet with me and the first thing they say when they get up is, “Boy, I feel so much better now.  I wish I had come here sooner.  I’ve been struggling for so long.  I should have made the effort.  I should have made the first step.  I’ve been paying on my bills and paying the high interest credit cards for the last three years and getting nowhere.  I thought about this.  I talked about it with other people.  I then didn’t make any action on it, and now I finally decided to do it and, boy, I feel great.”  

So that’s what I recommend, you come in whether you have documentation or not.  You come and meet with me so that I can advise you on how I can help you, so that you can get some relief.  That’s what this is all about.  Bankruptcy is relief under Title 11 of the United States Code.  Relief is what I provide, relief is what the law allows, and relief is what you get when you come into my office and learn how I can help you.

For more articles, visit Prospect Heights Bankruptcy Attorney or simply call (847) 520-8100.