Just finished filling out all the paperwork provided by Lawyer..

[ccmisery]

Be sure to list the new wheelbarrow you purchased to haul around your petition.

Tell me about it, I spent probably $40 for the paper and ink jet cartridge combined, then I see I need to pay for this and that, I need to save up funds to pay the lawyer now and I am concerned I won't have the money to pay for everything. I contemplated filing Pro Se, but my joint owned property complicated things to the point where I did not want to attempt it, not even sure if the Trustee will be interested in it and/or if I will be a 7 or 13.

[ccmisery]

Your case would not be dismissed should the (greedy) Trustee decide to send an appraiser. They will just change the numbers and try to get you to buy your stuff back. (Yes, they do this!) As Mrs. Cat writes, I don't think I've ever read about the Southern District of Florida sending appraisers. It's the one in the "Middle" that seems to send the appraiser.

HOWEVER, with the recent ruling, the Florida Supreme Court (2/2011) ruled that Florida bankruptcy debtors get to use the Homestead Exemption found in the Florida Constitution (Article X Sec. 4) as a wildcard should they not claim the homestead exemption in the bankruptcy. That jumped the wildcard from $1,000 (per debtor) to $5,000 (per debtor). (The homestead exemption was $4,000!)

This extra money made it less likely that a Trustee would send an appraiser to the property. Prior to this ruling, it was quite simple. If you had a home and filed bankruptcy, then you did not get the $4,000 exemption. You had only $1,000 to cover ALL of your non-vehicle property. You can see how it would be quite easy for almost everyone to go over that amount! Especially if you're living in a 2,000 sq ft. + home!

Good info thanks!