Pre-BK counseling, what a joke!

[boomerkae]

We did ours online and they recommendation and "action plan" for us: Buy less prescription medicine, get sick less (me and the wife both have on going medical issues), and use coupons"

Gee thanks.

My husband felt the same about ours - for the other expenses section, the amount they suggested we decrease by was about $150 less than daycare. OK, I'll leave the infant home with the two year old and pay him an allowance. YEAH RIGHT.

[alibaba]

One thing that does come to mind though-mine said I had like $500 left at the end of the month I didn't input some things-does the court see this? Or is it just for my information? I went back in to fix it and it would not let me. Anyone know?

[IamOld]

One thing that does come to mind though-mine said I had like $500 left at the end of the month I didn't input some things-does the court see this? Or is it just for my information? I went back in to fix it and it would not let me. Anyone know?

Hello! The court/trustee - no one sees the result of your required counseling session - what atty will need is a certificate you and/or the atty prints out stating that you've completed the session.

[murphsmom]

The only part that was beneficial to me was that it really showed me how I got into this situation to begin with. This whole process has been very eye opening. I'm really going to try to live a cash only lifestyle, not live like a consumer, and keep to a budget. I never, ever want to go through this again. But, I pretty much knew that before the silly course. If you get to the point where you actually are required to take the course, you probably know all of this already.

[BrokeIn2010]

BK counseling has to be the biggest scam to come out the revision to the BK laws that I ever saw.

[mhp8982]

We thought most of it was pretty silly..we used debtorwise.com.. the one my attorney recommended. It was $25 for the prefiling and it is $15 for the post filing. We did learn some about saving and budgeting though... not sure about the post filing yet...

[free2breathe]

I found the pre-filing education rather redundant. We all pretty much know how we ended up in the situation we ended up in by the time we realize we are in the situation. I pretty much knew everything they told us. By the time I was at that point, I'd quit using credit cards, only spent what we had to spend, and wished we had anything leftover to put into savings. I did, however, find a free pre-filing course and paid all of $13 for myself and hubby to get our post-filing education and certs. I'd have been miffed if I couldn't have found providers that were what I considered to be affordable.

[discouraged]

My pre-filing was very helpful. without it, I would not even have known or thought of filing for bk. In my case, I'd gone through the program to help stop foreclosure and since I'd been unemployed for so long and am in my 50's, they sent me to a counselor that they paid for and that counselor told me it would be to my benefit to file bk. In fact, she saw no way I could get around it.

I'd never even thought of it. She walked me through the procedure, told me what I would need and suggested a lawyer (who I did not choose, but that's another story).

Without this help, I may never have realized I had the option, as I was raised - as most of us were - to think you did NOT ever consider bk as an option. It was a real eye-opener and I am very thankful for her advice, especially now that I am in the 60 day club.

The post one was frustrating and took me 3 DAYS - as my computer (which is old) kept crashing - but some of it was helpful. Not much that I hadn't already done - budget, etc. - but I did learn a few things. Can't think of them now (LOL) but there was some value I remember thinking.

[chicagoannie]

My fees were waived for both required counseling courses (I did have to attend in person, tho.) The first session I spent about 30 min speaking with the social worked at the CCCS office; for the post-bk class, she just had me take the test. I got a 100, so she figured if I HAD income, I would know how to properly manage it!

[gmk]

It seems that every time laws need to be enacted for crimes against society in general, (BK, DUI, et al come to to mind) there's always some group that makes do-good counseling mandatory so we just won't do it again. In reality what happens is that a new cottage industry is born with one aim, take your money, fullfil the bare requirements and throw a certificate at you. But take heart, that someone who made this activity part of the law sleeps very well knowing he, she or they made a huge difference in our lives. Pretty soon we'll have pre-incarceration counseling for all kinds of capital offenses. Thou shalt not kill.

As mentioned above, it's just "hoop jumping." So pay your money, jump through and continue with the process. You're now reformed.

[BrokeIn2010]

1 of my neighbors told me that she and her husband had to go to the in person class. It was them and about 10 other people. They paid the $30 fee, the "counselor" took their ID, left the room for 15 minutes, came back, handed them their certificate and ID and a "confirmation code" and set 'em home. Nothing else, just walk in, pay, walk out. Her husband was PISSED.

[btbeme]

The first counseling session felt a lot like traffic school...stuff you know, or should have known, but were reminded of for only $50 and a wasted afternoon. Ugh. No lesson learned. Who was the comedian who said a better penalty than a speeding ticket would be to have to turn around and drive a half-hour in the opposite direction?

The second session, however, was much different. I genuinely appreciated the second session I took online - it made me feel "OK" about my BK and gave actual useful advice as to how to change the direction of my thinking about credit, debt, cash flow, etc. I was actually quite enlightened by the discussion. Basically, I was made to drive a half hour in the opposite direction, and it gave me time to think.

I dunno...Maybe I am getting soft in my old age...

[discouraged]

btbeme; I think you hit it on the nail for the second (wish your first would have been better). The 2nd one really did make me think. So much money I wasted - trying to keep this house together, things I never would have done if I'd only stayed in my apartment, rather than buying a house with so many problems. I'm relieved now and no longer feel like a loser just because it did not work to own ahouse; at least for me.

Ah, hindsight is a wonderful thing, isn't it?

[lillymarlene]

btbeme, I agree, the first course was about worthless, the second one was much better, actually made some useful points, like ask yourself: Do you really need it? Or is it just that you want it?, How to argue for the "best price." etc. I sat down and completed the second one in about 3 hours, mostly because of my machine and connection speed. Unfortunately, I'm still on dialup:-)

The cost of the two courses was included in my attorney's fees.