Online Bankruptcy
Online bankruptcy filing is only available for bankruptcy attorneys. While you can download bankruptcy forms, buy software to complete your bankruptcy forms online or find a bankruptcy attorney to complete you petition and file it online - you cannot actually file your paperwork with the court online.
Each court requires a different amount of copies to be filed in addition to your petition the creditor matrix has to be submitted a certain way which is different for each court.
Do It Yourself - If you plan on filling out the bankruptcy forms yourself, you will need to research and find the information applicable to your state and to the local courthouse you are zoned for. It will also be important to find out what the bankruptcy exemptions are in your state to use in order to exempt your property from being sold in a chapter 7 bankruptcy.
Representing yourself at the 341 hearing is also your responsibility if you prepare your own bankruptcy forms. This is obviously the cheapest method, but it also leaves the most room for errors and confusion.
Hire An Attorney - Hiring a bankruptcy attorney is also an option, they will look over your assets, debts and income, advise you on the best chapter for your situation, they will then complete the bankruptcy forms and submit them to the courthouse.
Your bankruptcy lawyer will represent you at the 341 meeting as well. While this method requires the least amount of work and aggravation on your part, but the trade off is that the cost is much higher - and for those who can’t pay basic expenses, paying for an attorney may not be possible.
