Bankruptcy Consultation : What To Bring To Your Meeting With a Lawyer

What To Bring To Your Bankruptcy Consultation With a Bankruptcy Lawyer

The most common question we get asked is “What Should I bring to my initial bankruptcy consultation?” This article will help answer that question.

1. Make the Call. Set the Appointment and Show Up. That is the most important step of all. If you don’t show up, you cannot find out your options.

2. If you can also bring any or all of the items listed below, that is a bonus to make the consultation go smoother. But, refer to Step 1, If you can’t find all the documents below, that is fine for the initial consultation. The Key Thing is attending your free initial meeting. If you don’t show up, no bankruptcy lawyer can help you.

The hardest part about finding out your options when meeting with a bankruptcy lawyer is making the phone call to schedule your appointment and then showing up.

What Happens at the First Meeting?

When we meet in person, I will ask you the important questions and we discuss the big picture and your goals. I will give you a checklist of things you actually need to provide to me to work on your case.

If you can bring additional information to the initial meeting, then that’s great. But, the key is to make the call and show up. We can take care of rounding up documents later.

When filing bankruptcy, time is of the essence. Because the sooner you file, the sooner you can recover garnished wages, stop creditors from calling and harassing you, and get the protection of the automatic stay, which can stop eviction, foreclosure, or having utilities shut off.

Documents and Questions to Bring

If you have certain documents you want to bring and have the time to put them together, then the following is a list of things that are helpful:

• Bring a copy of any lawsuits or garnishments.
• Bring 6 months of pay stubs so we can do the financial analysis under the Means Test.
• Have an idea of how much you owe in credit cards, medical bills and collections.
• Bring any mortgage or car loan statements.
• Have a list of questions ready. Ask about your options, the attorney’s experience, legal fees, which of your debts have a good chance of being discharged, and what the total cost will be from start to finish.

For an overview of the factors to discuss, read How Much Debt Do You Need to File Bankruptcy?.

Our office is centrally located so that we can assist people in Tacoma, Federal Way, Auburn, Kent, Puyallup and the surrounding areas.

Our clients love working with us as your debt attorney. Check out what our clients have to say.

Over the past 34 years, the Law Offices of Christopher A. Benson has helped over 3,000 of Washington clients take control of their financial situation. We can review whether bankruptcy may help stop your garnishment and address your debts through a repayment plan. Sources: 11 U.S.C. § 362(a)–(d); U.S. Courts: Chapter 13 bankruptcy. If money has already been garnished, recovery may be possible in some cases, depending on the timing of the transfers, applicable exemptions and other legal requirements. A refund is not automatic or guaranteed. Sources: 11 U.S.C. § 547(b)–(c), (e)–(g); 11 U.S.C. § 522(g)–(i); 11 U.S.C. § 550(a). But you have to act quickly–call (253) 815-6940 for your free consultation, or email us today. Evening and weekend appointments available.

For an additional article on How To Stop a Wage Garnishment, click on this link.