Getting ready
What to bring to your first appointment, and why.
The more of this you can find, the more we can tell you at your free consultation. And if you can't find all of it, come anyway. Helping you track things down is part of the job.
By Angela McElroy-Magruder
Board Certified in Consumer Bankruptcy Law by the American Board of Certification
The big four
Paycheck stubs, your last two tax returns, three months of bank statements, and a list of who you owe. Those four do most of the work.
We do the hard parts
Home and car values, the income math, the budget form. Leave those blank. That is what the appointment is for.
Protect your Social Security card
Never fax it, and don't text photos of it. Bring it with you, or call the office and we will tell you the safest way to get it to us.
Ready when you are
Call the Augusta office to set up your free consultation, or text if that is easier.Why each item matters
The list, with the reasons behind it.
I promise we aren't trying to be a pain in the tush. Every item here answers a question the court is going to ask, and having it at the first appointment means you get real answers instead of maybes.
Paycheck stubs from January 1 to today
For anyone filing with you, like your spouse. If you can only get the last ninety days, that is fine, but we really like having that January paycheck in case it includes December money in your year-to-date.
I have to calculate your current income and your income for the last six months. That math decides whether you qualify for a Chapter 7, a Chapter 13, or both, and in a Chapter 13 it helps set your monthly payment.
Household income, including the people not filing
If you have working kids in the household, we need to know what they make and whether they pay any bills. Same with a spouse who is not filing. We don't list household members by name, but we must disclose household income and household expenses.
So if your hubby has a car payment, let us know how much he owes and what he pays every month. Best to bring his most recent paycheck stub too so we know income before and after taxes.
Your last two years of federal and state tax returns
We need numbers off both returns. You must be current with your last four years of tax filings in order to file a Chapter 13. I also look at these to catch income or a business you may have forgotten about, because I use them to make sure your bankruptcy schedules are true and accurate.
Behind on filing? Come in anyway. There is a short window to catch up after a case is filed, and I would rather help you use it than have you wait on the IRS before you even call.
Three months of statements from every deposit account
Bank accounts, savings, Cash App, PayPal, Venmo, Chime. These help me help you remember amounts for your budget, income you may have forgotten, and payments you made to creditors. If you file a Chapter 7, we have to send them to the trustee anyway.
(If you already know you need a Chapter 13 because you are behind on a house or car you want to keep, I probably don't need the Cash App and Venmo statements.)
A list of who you owe
Creditor name, approximate balance, and the creditor's address. You can also print a credit report at annualcreditreport.com. It is free! Don't leave anyone off because you plan to keep paying them; every creditor gets listed, and we will go through what that means for each one at the consultation.
Your driver's license and Social Security card
We have to send these to the trustee before your first hearing. A W-2 works as proof of your Social Security number too. Bring them with you rather than sending them ahead; see the note below about keeping these safe.
Closing statement, if you sold property in the last two years
We will eventually need it, and having it early avoids surprises later.
Your divorce decree, if you have one
Especially if the order awarded property to your ex or says who pays which debts. If it is really old and there were no debts or assets to divide, we probably won't need it.
The intake form, filled out as much as you can
We can email it to you, or get it off our website here. Doing it ahead saves you from filling it out at your appointment. If you don't know some or a lot of the answers, don't worry. We will help!
We will look up the values of your assets like your home and cars, and we will calculate your income and help fill in the budget form. Just leave those blank.
Depending on your situation
A few more things we may ask for.
Not everyone needs these. If one applies to you, bringing it saves a second trip.
- Names and addresses of any cosigners, the person you rent from, and anyone you pay child support or alimony to
- 401(k) or retirement info, including any retirement loan
- Lease agreements or rent-to-own contracts
- Your vehicle insurance declarations page, if a repossession has happened or is threatening
- Proof of cash value on any whole life insurance policy
Keeping your documents safe
How to get all this to us.
This list includes the most sensitive paper you own. Treat it that way.
Never fax your driver's license or Social Security card, and don't text photos of them. Bring them to your appointment in person. For everything else, call the office at 706-724-6000 and we will tell you the best way to send it, or simply bring the whole stack with you. Copies are helpful but not a necessity; we can make them here.
The bottom line
An imperfect stack of paper beats a perfect excuse to wait.
Every week someone tells me they put off calling for months because they couldn't find a tax return or didn't know their balances. Meanwhile the garnishment or the repossession they were worried about kept right on moving.
Still have questions about how the process works? Start with the FAQ, or just ask us directly.
One more thing
The appointment costs nothing, and neither does asking.
If you are not sure whether it is even time to talk to a bankruptcy attorney, that is exactly what the free consultation is for. Bring your questions and whatever paper you can find, and you will leave knowing where you stand.
About the author
Angela McElroy-Magruder
Angie has practiced bankruptcy and consumer law in Augusta since 1995. She has been Board Certified in Consumer Bankruptcy Law by the American Board of Certification since 2007, and her cases have produced more than 40 published court decisions.
This page provides general information, not legal advice for a particular case. Reading it does not create an attorney-client relationship. Requirements can vary with the facts of your case; the attorney will tell you exactly what yours needs.
We are a debt relief agency. We help people file for bankruptcy relief under the Bankruptcy Code.