How It works

Steps To a Successful Bankruptcy

This is the timeline for the chapter 7 bankruptcy process:

 

Bankruptcy Timeline

The bankruptcy timeline is as shown in the diagram above as follows:

Documents prepared
Mandatory counseling class
Documents are filed with the court
Court sends out notices to all creditors
The trustee meeting is held
The debts are discharges

 

Step 1 - Preparation of Documents

The process begins with registering. The information you provide us during registration is very secure. First our registration page is SSL encrypted for maximum security. Secondly, we do not store or handle your payment information. It is passed on electronically to your bank for authorization, so it does not come into human contact and nothing gets stored on our system. This means that your card cannot be charged without your consent and there is no risk of your payment information falling into the wrong hands.

"You deliver what you promise. My papers were accepted by the court. My Trustees Meeting was today. It lasted about 10 minutes. No creditors were there. Trustee asked if you gave legal advice. I said no. He also commented on how nicely done the papers were and asked for the name of your website! Thank you for providing a good product." - Stu J., Fort Wayne, IN

After you register, you log in to our customer-only site where you will provide us the information needed to prepare your bankruptcy. From our customer-only site, you have immediate access to our network of referral lawyers, some of whom will talk to you for free and others for a small fee.

Registering also gives you immediate access to all of The Labyrinth, our storehouse of the most powerful bankruptcy secrets known only to a small handful of top bankruptcy lawyers. The Labyrinth contains not only these little-know secrets, but also, answers to every possible question you could every have about bankruptcy.

It contains such secrets as, how to keep everything you own, even more than the exemptions allow; how to file by yourself while shielding your spouse from the creditors; how to keep your bankruptcy from showing up on your report in the first place; how to use bankruptcy to erase all your bad credit including the bankruptcy in just months, not years and a lot more.

"Awesome!"

It should be noted that The Labyrinth is not an instructions manual for filing bankruptcy and you do not need it in order to work with us. The Labyrinth is just an added treasure for those who want to make the filing of bankruptcy an empowering thing, instead of a mere act of resignation. We pride ourselves on being able to prepare your bankruptcy without your every having to read anything or having to know bankruptcy law. This is the key to making the process as smooth as silk. The less you have to study the easier it is.

"We have told him how easy it is when one uses your site" - Gabrielle Q

After logging in, you enter your bankruptcy information in our online questionnaire at your own pace. Your entered information is saved so that you can log off, even close your browser and log back in later to continue where your left off. This means that you do not have to wait till you have all your bills to get started. For most people, it takes only an hour or so to complete the questionnaire. If you do not have all your information, you can start now with what you have and then come back repeatedly to enter more information as you get it. If you are filing with a spouse who lives somewhere else, you can both log on into the same account, from different locations anywhere in the United States.

You can file by yourself or jointly with your spouse, without being charged anything more. If you are not sure whether or not to file with your spouse, you can sign up by yourself, and after reading what we have to say in The Labyrinth about shielding your spouse from the effects of your bankruptcy, you can decide to add him or her later.

You can enter as many creditors as you like without worrying about being charged an extra fee. You can also make as many changes to the information that you have already entered. Just log on and change any information that you want to modify. Even after your bankruptcy has been filed and even after your debts have been discharged, the court allows you to amend it to add any creditors that you forgot.

"I didn't have a question, I just want to thank you for all your work with my bankruptcy papers. I filed with the court today and was complimented on how perfect everything was. The clerk told me that they rarely see documents completed so perfectly, as mine were, without them having been done by a lawyer. So I just wanted to take a moment to thank you for all that you have done to help me with my documents. I will recommend you to anyone needing this type of help. Thank you again. Sincerely, Jim C." - Jim C., New Orleans, LA

This process of entering your information is so easy that it is foolproof. The questionnaire is so easy to use that we do not have any instructions manual or help files. We do not ask any legal questions and there is never a need to calculate any numbers or to remember any dates or facts and figures. We never ask you any questions that will stump you or for which you will need to get up from your chair to go find. We just ask for ordinary commonsense information that you would already know, such as your name and address and estimates of your income and expenses and the like.

"I just wanted to say thank you! I cannot BELIEVE how easy this was! I even got the waiver of the filing fee and did it all by mail! My creditor meeting is May 22! LIGHTENING FAST! I have recommended you to a couple of friends! THANK YOU!!! PC of Virginia - P.C., Harrisonburg, VA"

You never have to enter the same information more than once. This is because you enter your information in a simplified and highly targeted questionnaire, not in the actual bankruptcy forms as almost all lawyers do. This means that you do not have to worry about the schedules or to know which information goes on which schedule. You enter your information in one simple interface and we handle making sure it all goes to the proper schedules and statements.

When it comes to listing your creditors, we only need to know which ones you want to list. We do not need to know exactly how much you owe each of them since the court only needs an approximation. So there is never a need to wait for the latest bill or to spend days looking for where you stored an old collection letter. For example if you think you own ABC Collection company about $1,250, entering $2,000 or even $3,000 will not make a difference to the outcome. The amounts are used mostly for statistical purposes such as reporting how much debt is discharge annually in the country. If you do not remember who the creditors are, we can help you with getting a free report.

"Awesome..."

By the way, I thought I would tell you that my documents that were prepared by you were awesome and the trustee was very impressed." - Trevor D, Louisville, KY

You do not have to first take a means test elsewhere because everything called for by the means test is built into the questionnaire. When you put us to work for you, we guarantee the filing, the means test, the discharge and all. Everything! So you can rest easy knowing you are being taken care of completely.

Keeping true to our goal of making the process as smooth as possible, you never need to leave the site to go hunt down exemption laws or to do any legal research. You do not even need to understand how exemptions work. Our questionnaire is designed to put every bit of information just a click away and to make the whole experience extremely easy.

"I just wanted to thank you for your help yesterday. Your messages have been very helpful and I will take your advice and file right away. Thanks again!! You have been exceptionally patient and helpful!" - Ronaldo Q., Denver, CO

"I just wanted to say thank you! I cannot BELIEVE how easy this was! I even got the waiver of the filing fee and did it all by mail! My creditor meeting is May 22! LIGHTENING FAST! I have recommended you to a couple of friends! THANK YOU!!! PC of Virginia" - P.C., Harrisonburg, VA

We are always available to answer your questions as often as you like. You are never alone. If you need to talk to a lawyer, you can use our ask-an-attorney feature to contact a lawyer who can answer your questions for a modest fee and sometimes, even for free. These lawyers figure that if they establish a relationship with you, by answering your questions for as little as $20 or $30 or even for free, you will return to them in the future for other services.

If you have decided to use an optional technique from The Labyrinth, you simply adjust the information you entered in our questionnaire to reflect what you decided, and we incorporate it into the preparation of the documents. For most of the secrets in The Labyrinth, you do not have do anything else outside of our questionnaire. Just reflect your choices in the questionnaire and it is done.

After entering your information, we prepare all your bankruptcy documents, everything you need to file and get your discharge. We include in every case, the fee waiver paperwork, so that you can request that the court waive their filing fee. We get it all done in a few hours, and always in less than a day. When they are done, we give you a link from which you can download the finished documents. You print and sign them and then file them with the court.

"I even got the waiver of the filing fee and did it all by mail!" - P.C., Harrisonburg, VA

 

The Other Steps

Mandatory Counseling and Budget Classes

There is a mandatory credit counseling class that all persons must take during the bankruptcy process. It is a 90 minute informational class that can be taken by phone or online and should be taken before filing the documents with the court. We provide a list of all the court approved class providers. Class providers charge a modest fee and they are required by law to offer it to you for free if you cannot afford it. We recommend that you take the class after we have prepared the documents but before you file them with the court. The court also requires a personal financial management class (that is, a budgeting class,) after filing bankruptcy. This class is offered by phone or online and can be taken from the same provider for the counseling class.

File documents with the court

Filing the documents is easy. You simply hand them to the court clerk with the court filing fee. We include a fee waiver in every case so that the court may waive their court fee. You can file by mail if you like. The 'automatic stay" kicks in the moment you file, which means that you can break out the Champaign because you are for all practical purposes, FREE. After filing you just wait for the trustee meeting. While you wait for the trustee meeting, you can take the budgeting class as mentioned above.

"i just wanted to email you and give some thanks for making the filing for bankruptcy much, much easier for me. i sent my completed forms in last week, and heard back today that my 341 meeting is set for 6 weeks from now, and that my fee has been waived, which was a great relief to me. i now can start looking forward to less worries about debt, and start working on the process of getting my finances back on track.
thanks again!" - Tom A, Oktibbeha, MS

Court clerk sends out notices to all creditors

After you have filed, the court handles everything from here on to the end of the bankruptcy. You do not contact the creditors. The court sends out an official notice to all the creditors warning them to stop all actions against you. They cannot call you or send you collection letters and any legal actions they have already started must stop, and this includes evictions, lawsuits and garnishments.

To reiterate the process thus far: (1) We prepare the documents, (2) You file them, (3) The court takes it from there while you wait and watch.

The Court clerk sets a date for the trustee meeting

After filing, the court will send you a letter informing you of the time and place for the trustee meeting, also known as creditor meeting or 341(a) hearing.

"It was a breeze..."
 

"Completed BK7- I wanted to send an email to you to say thank you so much for your services! I completed my BK with you sometime back and it was a breeze. Everything you say on your site is true. I had not[sic] problems at all. Every step was spelled out so it took away the nervousness I had about filing. I just had to say thank you! - Reginald B., Cheyenne, WY

Attend the trustee meeting

The trustee meeting is the easiest part because of how well we prepare your bankruptcy documents. You show up for the meeting along with dozens if not hundreds of other person. It is mostly like a roll call. When your name is called, the trustee will ask you a couple of questions such as if you understand what you are doing and if you want to go through with the process. You answer yes, and you are done. That is it. The duration of the meeting is measured in seconds and usually does not go past 2 to 3 minutes. creditors very rarely show up and when they do, they do not participate in the process. (It is a misnomer to call it a creditor's meeting since the term creditors meeting applies more accurately to complex chapter 11 corporate bankruptcies and not to consumer bankruptcies.) Your biggest surprise will be how quickly it is over. You do not have to do anything else.

"I have had my meeting of the creditors, everything seems to be going smoothly. We did not have to amend any of our forms!! Suprisingly[sic] almost all of the people with lawyers did! Now I am looking for the information for the {...} help us get the bankruptcy removed sooner. Can you help? - Wyatt R., Tampa, FL

Court issues you a discharge notice

The discharge is a virtual certainty but you will have to wait a few weeks for the court to mail it to you. Waiting for the court to mail you the discharge notice does not hinder you from enjoying your new found freedom. You freedom starts the day you filed our bankruptcy documents.

Your case is closed

At some point after the discharge, the court will close your case.

 

How We Make it So Easy

For all practical purposes, the moment you file your bankruptcy, you are done and your discharge is certain, that is, if you use our services. As you can see from the above timeline, once you file, the court takes it from there while you mostly wait. Everything rides on the documents and it does not matter whether you use a lawyer, you type it yourself or you use our services.

Whether or not you use a lawyer

Sloppy Bankruptcy Documents    =     Major Headaches
Great Bankruptcy Documents      =     Smooth Bankruptcy

Just because a lawyer charges thousands of dollars does not speak to their experience. In fact the higher their fees are the fewer their clients and the less their experience base. Most lawyers understand the practical aspects of bankruptcy no more than the average person. After filing your bankruptcy, you will have more bankruptcy experience than the average lawyer. So if you are going to use a lawyer, use one who files dozens every week, not just a few each year.

"I have had my meeting of the creditors, everything seems to be going smoothly. We did not have to amend any of our forms!! Suprisingly[sic] almost all of the people with lawyers did! Now I am looking for the information for the {..} help us get the bankruptcy removed sooner. Can you help? {Our Answer: That is easy. The lawyer we use charges a few dollars and it works just about in every single case. It is incredible.]. Log back in to the site and click on the link...}" - Wyatt R., Tampa, FL

We have prepared more bankruptcies than just about anyone else nationwide and that includes bankruptcy lawyers. We have done it for so long that it has become second nature. We have been there to witness every bankruptcy law change in the last couple of decades, and so we are always in tune with what is going on with the courts and trustees. And this goes back to before black and white laser printers hit the market, when it was either done by typewriter or by dot-matrix line printers.

More than twenty years later, we now produce virtually perfect bankruptcies filings, not to mention the many powerful bankruptcy secrets in The Labyrinth that we put at your disposal. Here is what it comes down to. If you cannot afford a well experienced bankruptcy lawyer, then we are your best choice for virtually flawless bankruptcy filings.

It begins with our questionnaire which is the easiest in the industry. It has evolved over many years, incorporating client suggestions until it has become as simple as it can get.

Most lawyers and bankruptcy preparers will give you the equivalent of the federal bankruptcy forms, full of legal jargon and call them their questionnaire. They will often give you a stack of these forms and ask you to take it home and come back in a couple of weeks with it filled out.

Because the official bankruptcy forms are a one-size-fits-all, howbeit in electronic or paper form, they have to contain all the legal jargon for every type of bankruptcy, including large corporate chapter 11 bankruptcies. And that is what stumps persons and inexperienced lawyers alike. If you can readily fill out their questionnaire, you can type your own bankruptcy forms yourself.

Our intake questionnaire is designed intuitively, exactly the way you think. There are no legal questions; you do not have to first read some help files or a bunch of bankruptcy laws or exemption laws. We take your simple answers and convert them to all the legal mumbo-jumbo that the bankruptcy documents calls for.

But just because it is simple does not mean that is anything but complete. It is so complete and accurate that court clerks everywhere compliment our clients when they file our documents.

"How Perfect"

Filing bankruptcy can be easy or it can be difficult. Do not yield to the temptation to settle for do-it-yourself bankruptcy software. You are about to put an end to your financial nightmare. Do not make it the first day of a new crisis preparing your bankruptcy documents, just to save a few dollars. Do it right and be done with it. Let our team make your bankruptcy filing truly easy.

Our iron-clad guarantee starts where others stop. Attorneys do not guarantee their work at all. How can they? They have no idea whether what you tell them is true or not or whether the information you supply them for your bankruptcy is correct or not. Besides, they do not fancy refunding the $1,500 or more that they charge. Other non-lawyer bankruptcy professional do not guarantee the discharge either. They may guarantee the documents but not the discharge and this is because they have no control over the information you supply. We guarantee you the discharge not only because we know that we are good enough to get it in every case, but because we know you have a lot of worries on your mind and we want your discharge not to be one more worry.