The total filing fee must be paid within 120 days of filing the petition. The Court recommends that anyone filing bankruptcy seek legal counsel. However, individuals may file on their own without an attorney. The bankruptcy process begins when a debtor files a bankruptcy petition with the Clerk of the United States Bankruptcy Court serving the area in which the debtor has lived for the six months prior to filing. The debtor must also list all property owned which is considered exempt from bankruptcy proceedings under state or federal law.
More information concerning exempt property is included on the next page.
The debtor must also file a statement of financial affairs and a matrix which is a list of all the creditors to whom the debtor owes money. The matrix include the creditors, names and complete addresses including zip code. A sample matrix and preparation instructions are attached. However, creditors may petition the Court to proceed in their collection efforts against the debtor after a bankruptcy petition has been filed. Once the petition is filed, a trustee is assigned to the bankruptcy case.