Advice from someone who has already filed.........................

[Toby629]

I am working on the paperwork to file chapter 7 BK. I have all the statements of accounts that we owe on, should I also print out a credit report for my husband and myself and really check that as far as comparing our statements and the amounts on them against what is showing on the credit report? Plus many of them have been sent out to collections and I know they get passed on and on to other collection companies. Just afraid that I will miss an account or have the wrong amount or something. What do you think?

[justbroke]

I find running a credit report to be a good way to include some accounts that you may have forgot about. If an account was sent to collections, you really only need the original account, but for notification purposes having the collection account too is a great thing.

Most attorneys will actually run a credit report since the major software packages that are used to file bankruptcies for consumers, can get electronic credit reports and automatically incorporate the creditors from the report onto the schedules!

[cantbreathe]

Toby629,

I got our credit reports for assistance in completing the paperwork. It was very helpful to me as I was careful to list original creditors as well as any internal and outside collectors. I was afraid I might leave something out.
Also, as Justbroke said, our atty also pulled our reports for electronic filing.
Best of luck with the paperwork. It's a lot of work, huh?

[backtoschool]

If you are doing the paperwork yourself, you should definitely get your credit reports. But many attorneys use software that will get your credit reoport and dump it into a filled out petition template on their computer, so depending on your attorney, you many be able to just go by your statements and then the electronic filing software that your attorney uses will take care of the exact amounts on your credit report. That is what happened when I filed last year.

[Toby629]

Thanks for the advices! Going to print off the credit reports, I feel better covering all bases before turning in the paperwork. I can't wait to drop this paperwork off this week with my lawyer and make final payment to him to start this BK. We just want to get through this and we will be starting over again mid-life, at least we can. We try to live with an attitude of gratitude every day even through the darkest of times. So grateful for this forum, it is a lifesaver for anyone having to face BK!

[tobee43]

Thanks for the advices! Going to print off the credit reports, I feel better covering all bases before turning in the paperwork. I can't wait to drop this paperwork off this week with my lawyer and make final payment to him to start this BK. We just want to get through this and we will be starting over again mid-life, at least we can. We try to live with an attitude of gratitude every day even through the darkest of times. So grateful for this forum, it is a lifesaver for anyone having to face BK!

yes, we named everyone and their mother and their mother's mother as well...if we didn't know the amount we put "unknown" or $1.....i wanted everyone possible named.

also...watch your credit report...it had our MAIN address at an address we had not lived at for over 30 years...also mortgages that were NOT nor ever had been ours....so you need to be careful.

also amex...we had two accounts they listed it 4 times!!!!!!! 2'x for each of us...so we listed it 4 times as well.

the trustee office asked what that was about...and i simply explained i wanted all basis covered and that is the way amex listed it....since the trustee's office asked why do you have in consumer debt...and this is NOT the true numbers just an example.....why do you have 250k worth of debt......i answered we don't....we only have 120k....but to look at these incorrect reports i wanted to make certain we are covered for all i know since we filed they added fees, and doubled the amounts just for fun...i have no clue. i even offered to submit the statements to show the credit reports were so incorrect...however, apparently, my answers were sufficient since the trustee's office asked no other questions about our customer debt amount being so far off.

[Toby629]

Wow tobee43, that was very eye opening what you just replied. Just got finished printing just mine, OMG, I see like one account is listed 4 times on the cc report. I think I will take your advice and just list off the cc report, now to pull out the statements and compare, this is the worst part of this paperwork, listing all the creditors etc. Just want this done so I can drop this off already (lol)!

[tobee43]

Wow tobee43, that was very eye opening what you just replied. Just got finished printing just mine, OMG, I see like one account is listed 4 times on the cc report. I think I will take your advice and just list off the cc report, now to pull out the statements and compare, this is the worst part of this paperwork, listing all the creditors etc. Just want this done so I can drop this off already (lol)!

i'm glad it helped....we have a habit of taking too much for granted sometimes... we just assume that "they" we get it all correct. we are our best advocates and have to remember that during this process.

even if one has an excellent atty, they have no idea about you or your history...you have to give them the info. it's the only way they can get the correct info to help you get this done correctly.

keep in touch! let us know how you make out!

[backtoschool]

Ok, there are too many Toby/tobees in this thread, I am getting confused.

I agree with Tobee43, just list everyone and anyone. It is better than having to add them later. If an account has changed hands four times with different collection agencies, then list it four times.

I would still check into whether your attorney can download your credit report into petition software though. It's way easier that way, and most attorneys use that software.

[tobee43]

OK, there are too many Toby/Tobe's in this thread, I am getting confused.

I agree with Tobee43, just list everyone and anyone. It is better than having to add them later. If an account has changed hands four times with different collection agencies, then list it four times.

I would still check into whether your attorney can download your credit report into petition software though. It's way easier that way, and most attorneys use that software.

LOL! b2s....it is me tobee...or NOT??? tobee? i think?

actually the credit report that our atty did was by far the one that was off the most...they did, in fact incorporate their info with the petition and then i went thru it and did the corrections...it was time saving for both the atty and us.

they also wanted to list (the atty's office) zero balance accounts...i made them take them all off....no need to list them i thought...plus i was hoping one or two would make it thru to re-establish our credit...no such luck! they were closed in a ny minute once the our discharged reached the front page of the NY Times!

[Toby629]

Will check with my attorney about that software, don't know if he has this. Well at least our names are spelled different, so kind of easy to distinguish, tobee43 and Toby629! Love your location tobee43, over the rainbow, how I wish I was there!

[tobee43]

Will check with my attorney about that software, don't know if he has this. Well at least our names are spelled different, so kind of easy to distinguish, tobee43 and Toby629! Love your location tobee43, over the rainbow, how I wish I was there!

well all i know is that tobee and toby's rock! LOL!! we do....and you'll be over the rainbow soon enough toby...promise.

b2s...is just putting the colors up...i can see them now!

and make certain you tear the atty's credit report apart as well!!!

let us know how you make out!

[Toby629]

tobee43, you have a good sense of humor! Gotta laugh right, or else you cry! Just printed hubby's credit report, wrong birth date and address already, off to go through these and fill out paperwork! Thanks loads for the advice and smiles!

[tobee43]

tobee43, you have a good sense of humor! Gotta laugh right, or else you cry! Just printed hubby's credit report, wrong birth date and address already, off to go through these and fill out paperwork! Thanks loads for the advice and smiles!

toby...if we can't find a way to laugh our way through this...we will cry and not make it.....humor heals the heart and soul....and friends that have been through this can lend a hand when you need to reach out to touch one.

we have all been there and understand. humor was harder to mustard up than tears, but it keep our heart full of life and hope....

SEE...those darn mistakes...all over!!! LOL!! only his birthday wrong...are you sure they don't have him as a female??? LOL!!! be careful!

[redhunter]

The additional benefit of getting a pre-filing copy of your credit reports is that when you're past your discharge date by about 6 months you'll want to look at your credit reports again to make sure your accounts are all reported correctly. With me and it seems with many others, ghost accounts reappear or other bad data is reported once you file and having a pre-filing credit report will help identify and get rid of the incorrect reporting.

I would print out all three reports and get them directly from each agency.