The Personal Bankruptcy Toolkit »

A complete guide to filing for Chapter 7 personal bankrupcty, this book contains everything necessary, including clear and understandable instructions, worksheets, and official federal bankruptcy forms that are provided as computer-fillable PDF forms that perform the complex mathematical calculations for the user. The appendix provides details of the bankruptcy exemptions available in all 50 states and Washington D.C. The enclosed CD also contains Adobe Acrobat Reader software. Part of Nova's new Legal Toolkit series.

How to Install Personal Bankruptcy Simplified Forms-on-CD 8

Chapter 1 Understanding Bankruptcy 9

An Overview of Chapter 7 Bankruptcy 10

Non-Dischargeable Debts 11

Understanding Chapter 7 Bankruptcy 12

Other Types of Bankruptcy 14

Chapter 13 14

Chapter 11 15

Chapter 12 15

Changes in the New 2005 Bankruptcy Act 15

When Chapter 7 Bankruptcy Isn't the Answer 21

Chapter 2 The Chapter 7 Bankruptcy Process 26

Attending a Credit Counseling Course 27

Filling out Your Draft Bankruptcy Forms 28

Determining Your Exemptions 30

Calculating Your Eligibility for Chapter 7 Using the Means Test 30

Filling out the Official Bankruptcy Forms 32

Filing Your Bankruptcy Papers 34

The Creditors' Meeting 33

Attending a Personal Financial Management Course 34

Your Final Discharge 35

Instructions for Married Couples 35

Checklist of Actions for Obtaining a Chapter 7 Bankruptcy 37

Checklist of Schedules, Statements, and Fees for a Chapter 7 Bankruptcy 38

Chapter 3 Gathering Information for Your Bankruptcy 40

Bankruptcy Questionnaire 42

What Are Your Assets? 42

What Are Your Debts? 51

What Is Your Monthly Income? 54

What Are Your Monthly Expenses? 55

Chapter 4 Using The Bankruptcy Forms-on-CD 57

Forms and Files Provided 58

To Access Adobe PDF Forms 60

To Fill in Forms in the Adobe Acrobat Reader Program 60

Technical Support 61

Chapter 5 Filling out the Bankruptcy Forms 62

Instructions for the Voluntary Petition (Official Form 1) 65

Instructions for Page 1 of Official Form 1 65

Sample Page 1 of Official Form 1 68

Instructions for Page 2 of Official Form 1 69

Sample Page 2 of Official Form 1 71

Instructions for Page 3 of Official Form 172

Sample Page 3 of Official Form 1 73

Instructions for Exhibit D of Official Form 1 74

Sampel Exhibit D of Official Form 1 76

Instructions for the Schedules for Official Form 6 78

Instructions for Schedule A 78

Sample Schedule A 80

Instructions for Schedule B 81

Sample Schedule B 83

Instructions for Schedule C 86

Sample Schedule C 88

Instructions for Schedule D 89

Sample Schedule D 91

Instructions for Schedule E 93

Sample Schedule E 96

Instructions for Schedule F 99

Sample Schedule F 101

Instructions for Schedule G 103

Sample Schedule G 104

Instructions for Schedule H 105

Sample Schedule H 106

Instructions for Schedule I 107

Sample Schedule I 110

Instructions for Schedule J 111

Sample Schedule J 112

Instructions for the Continuation Sheet 113

Sample Continuation Sheet 114

Instructions for the Summary of Schedules (Official Form 6-Summary) 115

Sample Summary of Schedules 116

Instructions for Statistical Summary (Official Form 6-Statistical Summary) 117

Sample Statistical Summary 118

Instructions for the Declaration Concerning Debtor's Schedules 119

Sample Declaration Concerning Debtor's Schedules 120

Instructions for the Statement of Financial Affairs (Official Form 7) 121

Sample Statement of Financial Affairs 125

Instructions for the Statement of Social Security Number[s] (Official Form 21) 136

Sample Statement of Social Security Number[s] 137

Instructions for the Chapter 7 Individual Debtor's Statement of Intention (Official Form 8) 138

Sample Individual Debtor's Statement of Intention 140

Instructions for the Application to Pay Filing Fee in Installments (Official Form 3A) 143

Sample Application to Pay Filing Fee in Installments 145

Instructions for the Mailing List of Creditors' Names and Addresses 147

Instructions for the Application for Waiver of the Chapter 7 Filing Fee For Individuals Who Cannot Pay the Filing Fee in Full or in Installments (Official Form 3B) 148

Sample Application for Waiver of the Chapter 7 Filing Fee 151

Instructions for Debtor's Certification of Completion of Instructional Course Concerning Personal Financial Management (Official Form 23) 155

Sample Debtor's Certification of Completion of Instructional Course 156

Instructions for Notice to Individual Consumer Debtor under Section 342(b) of the Bankruptcy Code (Official Form B201) 157

Sample Notice to Individual Consumer Debtor 158

Instructions for Statement of Current Monthly Income and Means Test Calculation (Official Form B22A) 160

Sample Statement of Current Monthly Income and Means Test 174

Chapter 6 Completing Your Bankruptcy 182

Filing Your Bankruptcy Papers 182

The Creditors' Meeting 187

Surrendering Your Property 188

Complete a Personal Financial Management Course 189

Your Final Discharge 189

After Your Bankruptcy 190

Appendix A State and Federal Bankruptcy Exemptions 192

Appendix B Federal Bankruptcy Courts 253

Appendix C Approved Credit Counseling Agencies 280

Appendix D Approved Debtor Education 295

Glossary of Bankruptcy Legal Terms 309

Index 315