Complete Chapter 13 Personal Bankruptcy Guide »

Edward A. Haman received his law degree from the University of Toledo College of Law. As a student, he served as coordinator of the law school's Client Counseling Competition team, and as editor of the law school's legal journal Discovery. He also has a Bachelor of Arts degree from Western Michigan University, with a major in communication, and minors in accounting and general business.

Since graduating from law school, he has practiced law in three states. In Hawaii, Mr. Haman was engaged in general private practice, initially as a sole practitioner, then with a small law firm emphasizing family law, real estate, and business law. This included trial practice, as well as criminal appellate work before the Supreme Court of Hawaii and the U.S. Court of Appeals in San Francisco. In Michigan, he served as a Circuit Court domestic relations hearing officer. After moving to Florida, he spent several years as an attorney for the Florida social services agency, handling a variety of legal matters, including cases involving the abuse and neglect of children, the elderly, and the disabled; public health matters; child support enforcement; welfare fraud; and, the licensing of assisted living facilities, nursing homes, and other health care facilities. Mr. Haman has also engaged in private practice in the areas of real estate, family law, and probate.
Mr. Haman has authored and co-authored numerous self-help law books, including The Complete Bankruptcy Guide, File Your Own Divorce, and How to Write Your Own Living Will. In connection with the self-help law books, he has been a guest on numerous radio programs, and has appeared on the Fox News Channel. He has also written severalarticles for The Florida Keystone Series, a legal publication for attorneys. Currently residing in Tampa, Florida, Mr. Haman continues to write books, and also volunteers as a support group facilitator for the Alzheimer's Association. In his spare time, he enjoys travel, kayaking, snow skiing, hiking, and mountaineering.

The Complete Chapter 13 Personal Bankruptcy Guide has everything you need to file and complete a Chapter 13 bankruptcy case.

Using Self-Help Law Books -

Introduction -

Section 1: Bankruptcy and the Legal System -
-History and General Information
-The Legal System
-Bankruptcy Law and Procedure

Section 2: Lawyers -
-Needing a Lawyer
-Selecting a Lawyer
-Working with a Lawyer
-Firing Your Lawyer

Section 3: Avoiding Bankruptcy -
-The Effects of Bankruptcy
-Income and Expenses Worksheet
-Property Worksheet
-Debt Assessment
-General Guidelines
-Alternatives to Bankruptcy

Section 4: Preparing for Bankruptcy -
-Basic Legal Requirements
-Arranging Your Finances

Section 5: Gathering Information -
-Income
-Expenses
-Property
-Debts
-Legal Research

Section 6: Chapter 7 Bankruptcy -
-Qualifying for Chapter 7 Bankruptcy
-Understanding Legal Forms
-Voluntary Petition
-Application to Pay Filing Fee in Installments
-Application for Waiver of the Chapter 7 Filing Fee
-Schedule A-Real Property
-Schedule B-Personal Property
-Schedule C-Property Claimed as Exempt
-Schedule D-Creditors Holding Secured Claims
-Schedule E-Creditors Holding Unsecured Priority Claims
-Schedule F-Creditors Holding Unsecured Nonpriority Claims
-Schedule G-Executory Contracts and Unexpired Leases
-Schedule H-Codebtors
-Schedule I-Current Income of Individual Debtor(s)
-Schedule J-Current Expenditures of Individual Debtor(s)
-Summary of Schedules
-Declaration Concerning Debtor's Schedules
-Statement of Financial Affairs
-Chapter 7 Individual Debtor's Statement of Intention
-Statement of Current MonthlyIncome and Means Test Calculation
-Debtor's Certification of Completion of Instructional Course Concerning Personal Financial Management
-Master Address Lists and Mailing Matrix
-Filing with the Court Clerk and Notifying Creditors
-Creditors' Meeting
-Court Hearing and Approval of Plan

Section 7: Chapter 13 Bankruptcy -
-Qualifying for Chapter 13 Bankruptcy
-Understanding Legal Forms
-Voluntary Petition
-Application to Pay Filing Fee in Installments
-Schedule A-Real Property
-Schedule B-Personal Property
-Schedule C-Property Claimed as Exempt
-Schedule D-Creditors Holding Secured Claims
-Schedule E-Creditors Holding Unsecured Priority Claims
-Schedule F-Creditors Holding Unsecured Nonpriority Claims
-Schedule G-Executory Contracts and Unexpired Leases
-Schedule H-Codebtors
-Schedule I-Current Income of Individual Debtor(s)
-Schedule J-Current Expenditures of Individual Debtor(s)
-Summary of Schedules
-Declaration Concerning Debtor's Schedules
-Statement of Financial Affairs
-Chapter 13 Plan
-Statement of Current Monthly Income and Disposable Income Calculation
-Debtor's Certification of Completion of Instructional Course Concerning Personal Financial Management
-Master Address Lists and Mailing Matrix
-Filing with the Court Clerk and Notifying Creditors
-Creditors' Meeting
-Court Hearing and Approval of Plan

Section 8: Special Circumstances -
-Amending Your Paperwork
-Changing from Chapter 13 to Chapter 7
-Lien Avoidance
-Redemption
-Reaffirming a Debt
-Lawsuits
-Pensions and Retirement Plans

Section 9: After Your Discharge -
-Handling Your Finances
-Obtaining Credit

Glossary -
Appendix A: Exemptions (Federal and State) -
Appendix B: Checklists and Worksheets -
Appendix C: Blank Forms -
Index -
About the Author