Filing for bankruptcy is surprisingly easy – when you file with an attorney that is.

Filing on your own is a nightmare wrapped in a headache smothered in an aneurism. There’s so much law to learn, so many mistakes to make, and so much money and assets to lose. And let’s not fail to mention screwing up so bad that you can’t file for bankruptcy again when your case gets dismissed.

As Joseph Conrad said “The horror! The horror!”

Don’t be one of those people. Don’t file without an attorney.

With that said, it begs the question, “how can I make filing with an attorney as easy as possible?”

The key is proper preparation. It’s not difficult. It’s not even all that time consuming. Just get off the couch and do it!

What’s To Be Done?

Your attorney is going to give you some forms to fill out and ask for some documents.

Fill out the forms.

Get all the documents.

That’s it.

Surely It Can’t Be As Easy As All That?

Well to be fair, there’s a bit more to it.

The key is to be sure to thoroughly go through the paperwork. That means when it asks you to list your assets, list ALL of your assets. Really rack that noggin of yours so you don’t forget anything.

If that means you do a little tour of your attic (both literally and figuratively) to be sure you didn’t forget to list your Christmas wreath or your great grandma’s antique bone china that you forgot you had and never wanted in the first place, then do it.

And when the paperwork says you need to provide your last two bank statements – get those statements. And we aren’t talking about just the front page either. It means the whole statement; even that seemingly blank page at the end.

If you’re thorough, your attorney can do his or her job thoroughly and your case will go smoothly. If you mail it in, then your attorney can only work with what he or she has been given.

If your attorney makes a mistake based on information he didn’t have, then that’s on you. The end result could be the loss of money, the loss of an asset, or the complete dismissal of your case.