I’m Michael Chekian, your friendly bankruptcy lawyer, and I want to help you file your own bankruptcy.
Bankruptcy isn’t nearly as complicated as most lawyers would lead you to believe. Many lawyers will try to scare you into thinking that you cannot file the case yourself and that it is some mystical incomprehensible process. It is not.
The bankruptcy forms are available free on the courts website, and there are free clinics at the courthouses where volunteers will help two days a week to fill out the forms.
Chapter 7 is the quick and easy three to four month process where, if the paperwork is properly prepared, you can wipe out most unsecured debts including credit cards, judgments, collection accounts, and some older tax debt.
Chapter 13 is a payment plan bankruptcy lasting 3 to 5 years which most people use to pay back delinquencies and retain expensive assets such as vehicles and real estate. In a Chapter 13 you can also wipe out other bills like credit cards and judgments while paying little to nothing on them.
Chapter 11 is for higher debt individuals and companies usually who want to reorganize their debts by paying some debts and wiping out and not paying others. Chapter 11 is probably the only major bankruptcy chapter where you may probably need a lawyer to help.
If you need help or have questions, go to the link below.