Important Instructions for
Completing Your Intake Forms

Everything you have in your possession — from the coffee pot to the house you live in and everything in between — is an asset. Even if you still owe money to a creditor, the asset you are paying for is still in your possession and its value must be disclosed when you are filing bankruptcy.

Your attorney may be able to help you estimate the value of some property, but in most cases values can be obtained from current mortgage statements, receipts, and bank records.

Providing the complete names and addresses for every debt you owe — as well as the company collecting for the debt, if applicable — is extremely important. Without this information, the company you owe money to may not be properly notified by the court and the debt may not be eligible for discharge.

In some instances it can even be considered fraud not to provide complete mailing addresses for all creditors, because it denies a creditor the right to file a Proof of Claim or Motion for Relief from Stay in a timely manner and could delay the discharge of your case.

What if you don't know the address? Start by calling the toll-free national information line at 1-800-555-1212 to see if a toll-free number is listed under the company's name. You can also search online at google.com or look up ZIP codes at usps.com. Be sure to list both the original creditor's address and any collection agency address — all parties need to be notified by the court.

• Spell out all company names in full. Instead of "HSB," write "Home Secure Bank" or whatever the full name is.
• Make sure the street address is readable and all abbreviations are spelled out.
• Include city, state, and ZIP for every address. Look up unknown ZIP codes at usps.com.
• Fill in all information for each creditor completely. If you do not know the exact date you obtained a debt, a year — or a 2-year time frame — is sufficient. Not providing dates will delay processing of your petition.
• For the "last date charged on this account" field — do not provide the last date you received a statement. We need the last date you actually made a purchase on the account.

What to do if creditors keep calling after you've retained an attorney: Provide the collector with Lauren's name and phone number, and your case number if you have one. Do not provide any other information. Allow your attorney to handle the creditor — that is what she is here for.

Under changes to bankruptcy law effective October 17, 2005, you are required to pass a Means Test to determine whether you are eligible to file Chapter 7 or Chapter 13. The court requires that you provide the amount of income you earned for the last 6 months.

Even if your income has drastically increased or decreased recently, the amounts you received must still be disclosed. This information may or may not match what you report on the Income History form.

An often-overlooked piece of vital information is your year-to-date income, plus the income you made in the last two years. This appears right below your name on the Income History form. Your year-to-date total should appear on your most recent paycheck stub.

If you have had more than one employer this year, provide the total income earned working for all employers combined.

If you also receive or have received another type of income — child support, unemployment, Social Security, pension, etc. — within the past 2 years, provide the income for this year and the last 2 years for each separate type. Note: Social Security income is not considered income under bankruptcy law, but Lauren still needs this information for your file.

Every box on the Statement of Affairs forms must be answered with either Yes or No. These pages serve as a written statement about your current financial condition. If a box is left unanswered, you will need to provide a written statement before your petition can be finalized.

If any question is answered "Yes," fill in all the required detail under that question. For example: if a car was repossessed, don't just write "car" — provide the year, make, and model. If you previously lived at another address, include the full city, state, and ZIP code.

The higher level of detail you provide at this stage will move your case along quickly and prevent long delays and additional paperwork later.

Always provide the year, make, and model of every motor vehicle. The court requires market values obtained from the Blue or Black Book, which requires all vehicle information including present mileage.

For example: "2001 Kia" is not sufficient — write "2001 Kia Rio" or "2001 Kia Spectra," etc. Simply writing "car" tells us nothing and delays the filing of your petition.

If you have been involved in any court proceeding within the past 12 months — including foreclosure, wage garnishment, traffic tickets, fines, lawsuits, or debt collection judgments — we need the following information, which can be found on the court pleading you received:

• Court heading (example: John Doe, Plaintiff vs. Jane Doe, Defendant)
• Case number
• Name and address of the court where the document was filed
• Date the document was filed
• Names and complete addresses of all attorneys or parties involved
• Current status — has a hearing taken place? If not, what is the scheduled date?

The easiest approach is to make a photocopy of the court document and include it with your intake forms. If you no longer have the pleading, you may be able to find it online by searching for your county court records at google.com.

Contracts may include cell phones, automobile leases, or any agreement you entered into with another party to pay back a debt. For each contract, provide:

• The date or year the contract began
• How many months the contract runs
• The monthly installment payment amount
• Whether you want to continue paying the contract or not assume the lease
• Any other relevant details about the contract or lease