Initial Office Visit – Required Documents
The initial office visit is intended to acquaint you with basic information about bankruptcy and to assess your current financial situation in order to determine your need and eligibility for the filing of a bankruptcy case. There is no charge and no obligation for this initial consultation.
1. We have enclosed the intake form. If you want to fill it out now and get it ready, that will save you time. You can just hand it to the receptionist when you arrive. If you forget it, no big deal – you can fill one out when you arrive. If you are unable to complete the intake form due to physical disability or any other reason, that’s okay – just let the receptionist know when you arrive.
2. You will be meeting with an experienced Kansas bankruptcy attorney, who will evaluate your financial situation, explain your options, and answer any questions you have. In order to do this, it would be helpful if you could bring as much of the following as possible:
√ PROOF OF INCOME. Please bring with you all available pay stubs or other records of income for the past seven (7) months.
If you are married and living with your spouse, then we need this information for both you and your spouse.
If you are married, but living separately from your spouse, then we only need the information for you.
If you have not saved all of your pay stubs, you might be able to obtain a printout either online or ask your employer to print one out for you. If so, it would be helpful to make sure the printout shows gross income (before taxes), all deductions (itemized), and net income (take-home amount).
√ INCOME TAX RETURNS. Please bring with you copies of your filed state & federal income tax returns for the last two (2) years, with W2s (or 1099s) attached.
√ BILLS. Please bring the most recent statement for all of your debts, including those for credit cards, medical bills, personal loans, auto loans, furniture loans, jewelry loans, lawsuits, etc. If the account has been turned over for collection, bring the most recent letter from each collector, as well as anything you have received from a lawyer for a creditor. If you are missing any bills, write down the information on the creditor sheets at the end of this packet. However, we do not need monthly living expense stuff like current utility bills or rent.
√ LOAN DOCUMENTS. This is for secured debts:
- If you own or are buying a house or land, or any mobile homes, we would like to see the mortgages and promissory notes (or contracts for deed if you are seller-financed). If they are in a safe-deposit box or the back of the garage, don’t worry about it. We can work around it.
- Any paperwork for car loans, car or residential leases, furniture purchase contracts, rent-to-own agreements. Again, if it’s lost or locked up, we will work around it.
√ OTHER DOCUMENTS.
- The most recent statement on all pension/IRA/401(k) accounts;
- Any divorce decrees and separation agreements less than 5 years old;
- Any documents you have pertaining to lawsuits on which there has been activity in the last year.
Please do not cancel your appointment for your initial office visit simply because you do not have these records. We can still do the evaluation. However, if you decide to file for bankruptcy relief, we will need those documents (and others) before we can go forward.