Chapter 13 Bankruptcy Checklist

Chapter 13 Bankruptcy was designed to enable individual debtors the option of applying a percentage of their future earnings to a portion of their current debts over an extended period of time. Chapter 13 authorizes the wage earner to keep the property (like your home and car) while consolidating and reorganizing debt, allowing the debtor a reasonable opportunity to arrange installment-payments of what is owed out of future income. The debtor is protected from creditors by an automatic stay (an injunction against the continuance of any action by any creditor against the debtor or the debtor's property) while the plan for repayment is developed and carried out. Debtors who file for Chapter 13 Bankruptcy agree to pay some portion of their debts over a three to five year period.

In order to qualify certain documentation and information must be provided to the attorneys at Second Start before the filing of your case.

• Copies of your state and federal tax returns for the past two years.
• Copies of the last six months of pay stubs, proof of income, or profit and loss statement for both filing and non-filing spouse.
• Copies of all leases.
• Copies of all rental agreements with tenants.
Affidavits from anyone providing monthly support payments.
• Copies of any divorce judgments or documents providing for domestic support or child support obligations.