Online Bankruptcy Services

[brokenomore]

I have found several services who will do all the paperwork for around $150 to $200.

Has anyone used this approach?

Will they work with you if you need to later add some creditors? (Can creditors even be added after filing? I'm not sure who all of them are...)

[HHM]

Will they work with you if you need to later add some creditors? (Can creditors even be added after filing? I'm not sure who all of them are...)

Sure, if you pay them more

Just be sure you know what you are paying for when you use these services. Basically, you are paying someone to complete the BK forms based on the info YOU provide on a questionnaire. NOTHING MORE. About all they guarantee is that the petition will be complete (again, based on the info you provide), but these services are not attorneys, cannot provide legal advice, and cannot make any claim that the petition that is prepared is legally sufficient.

[mtbc]

I can answer your last a little:

Yes, creditors can be added after filing. If you are pro se you would probably have to arrange for them to be served with the relevant papers (can be by mail, of course), as well as paying extra fees to file the amendments with the court. So, other things being equal, try to get it right first time. I suspect it turns into more of a pain and delay if you try to add more late in the process, though.

You should get copies of your credit reports to help make sure you didn't miss any creditors; I spent some hours poring over ours and tracking people down, and you should even list disputed accounts and mark them as such (I did that with a medical bill that their office seems to agree we already paid but I've not yet got their collector to clearly agree). However, if you are a no asset case without any fraud or bad faith issues, then you stand a good chance of getting discharge from even unsecured ones you forgot.

[jribe]

I have found several services who will do all the paperwork for around $150 to $200.

Has anyone used this approach?

Will they work with you if you need to later add some creditors? (Can creditors even be added after filing? I'm not sure who all of them are...)

If you know all the information- you can fill out the forms yourself and save the $200.

You can buy the NOLO book, or something similar that basically walks you through all the forms, and what is needed. The rest is just reading the form and putting it in the right spot.

If you need advice- you hire an attorney.

Otherwise- i would recommend just doing it yourself.

Good luck

[jribe]

oh- one other thing...

At my 341, everyone there (about 3 people) that had used bankruptcy preparers had paperwork that was messed up somehow.

One guy was filing alone, and his wife had actually been included (the couple should have noticed this first though)

And the others just had other mistakes.

[justbroke]

For what it's worth, I used an on-line preparer/service. They messed up my numbers and had bad "IRS Allowances". I emailed them several times about it, and they never answered me. I had to re-do several forms by hand to make the corrections. I then asked for a refund, but their policy was only that your paperwork would be "accepted" by the Bankruptcy Court. Not that it was accurate!

Proceed with caution... and understand what HHM wrote above about "legal" advice. They cannot provide any. I will say, that if you're in a pinch and have only a week to put together your petition (as I did), it did still help tremendously.

I would not pay $150-200 though. That sounds too high.

[OnTheRocks]

I used one of the less than $200 sites. You get one printout, to redo you pay again. But it was OK for me. I had to change a couple forms to be the same as my BK court supplied, and I got the original forms (from the Sample Forms on this forum) and redid a couple as I wanted to change a couple things. Make sure you use your full name, I had to hand write my middle name on everything, and don't date it till you are ready to file, and ensure you get every spot!

Mine went through the 341 like shit through a goose, I was concluded fast! For me it was worth it, it gave me the foundation of the paperwork, then I tweaked myself (using NOLO and this forum) and filed. I should mention I was no asset or complications.

At the 341 I had to fill out a form stating I used them for typing and the Court only allows them to charge $140 so I leave it to the Court and the website to sort out. I can only be honest.

Good luck!

[mtbc]

One thing I did hate about the official PDF-fillable forms is how the free Adobe Reader doesn't let you save what you filled in for adjusting later. I found some alternative tools but all too buggy.

[OnTheRocks]

Time was of the essence in my filing and I hand wrote the forms I had to redo. I felt bad about that, it didn't look professional, ..but all went well. And I could fit everything in

Best luck!

[tigergem]

I would rather do it by hand than pay somebody to do it. That way when mistakes are made (mistakes? what?) at least you are personally familiar with what is on each form to be able to correct them.

[brokenomore]

Has anyone who here made a mistake and the trustee sent you away to make corrections?

Do the trustees seem to be ok with do-it-yourselfers?

I previously had a chapter 13 dismissed, and would be filing chapter 7. Is there anything extra I would need to do because of that?

[tigergem]

I think my trustee is pretty hardcore and humorless. Or at least his assistant is. So I don't want any mistakes at my 341. None. I am living in fear of mistakes until that part is over.

[HHM]

Has anyone who here made a mistake and the trustee sent you away to make corrections?

Do the trustees seem to be ok with do-it-yourselfers?

I previously had a chapter 13 dismissed, and would be filing chapter 7. Is there anything extra I would need to do because of that?

Ok, so why was your prior chapter 13 dismissed. Since you have been down this road before, your initial questions seems sort of odd. What are you trying to accomplish with the BK?

[OHBOY]

Quote by 'Brokenomore':
.."have found several services who will do all the paperwork for around $150 to $200.

Has anyone used this approach?

Will they work with you if you need to later add some creditors? (Can creditors even be added after filing? I'm not sure who all of them are...)"


I know of a local lady that prepares the paperwork for $ 299. Personally I would NEVER use her service as she claims that she NEVER puts down the non filing spouses income if the 2 ARE living together ! I even showed her were this is a requirement (!) and where it's listed right on top of the page of the bk form.....

She claims that she never had anybody come back because of any problem, and she claims that her bk petitions are filed in all three filing locations for the Middle of FL...whew.....

Anyhow, I walked away from that.........

[tigergem]

Additions and subtractions can be made to the matrix after the filing. In my district, there is a $26.00 fee for this. But whether you are adding only one or more than one at the same time, they only charge you the $26.00 ONCE. Only each time you send in a change.