STEP 1: DOCUMENT COLLECTION

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1 STEP 1: DOCUMENT COLLECTION Because your filing will require many details and documents and because the court is both picky and strict about information, documents are needed from you. Income Tax Returns please provide the following: 1. Your complete tax return for 2009 including all W-2 and 1099 forms, all schedules and your state tax return. 2. Your complete tax return for 2010 including all W-2 and 1099 forms, all schedules and your state tax return. Pay Stubs please provide the following: 1. All of your pay stubs for the past 60 days. 2. All of your pay stubs until you have your meeting with the trustee. 3. Additional pay stubs as needed to perform calculations required for a six-month means test. Please talk to your specialist or attorney about exactly what pay stubs will be needed from you. Other Income Information please provide: 1. Information showing the amount of any unemployment compensation you received in each of the past seven months. 2. Information showing the amount of investment or interest income you may have received in the past three years. 3. Information on the amount of child support you received in the past three years. 4. Information on the amount of any back child support owed. 5. A list of any other income sources and amounts for the past three years including social security, disability payments, pensions,

2 STEP 1: DOCUMENT COLLECTION (cont d.) Page 2 401(k) payments, IRA payments, annuities, worker s compensation, personal injury awards, etc. 6. Other documents we may request. Financial Account Statements please provide one copy of the most recent statement for each of your financial accounts. This includes statements for: 1. All checking accounts. 2. All savings accounts. 3. All membership accounts at credit unions. 4. All certificates of deposit. 5. All retirement accounts (including IRAs, 401(k) accounts, pensions, deferred compensation plans, etc.). 6. All non-retirement investment accounts. 7. Education savings accounts including education IRAs. 8. All accounts you jointly hold with others including your parents and children or anyone else. Information on Debts Owed we order a special copy of your credit report that lists many of your debts but this report will not include all of your debts or many of the collectors involved. To ensure we list all of your creditors and collectors on your filing, please provide the following: 1. The last statement from any creditor who does not report to the credit bureaus. (Typically doctors, clinics, hospitals, utility companies, etc. do not report to the credit bureaus.) 2. Statements from any collector or law firm contacting you about a debt. 3. Copies of any legal notices or legal paperwork.

3 STEP 2: EXPENSE IDENTIFICATION The court requires that you provide information on your monthly expenses. Please provide this information on the following table. Item Rent or home mortgage payment (include lot rental costs for a mobile home) Monthly Amount a. Are real estate taxes included? b. Is property insurance included? Electricity and heating fuel Water and sewer Telephone Other (please list telecommunications, cell phone, etc. costs and related amounts) Home maintenance (repairs and upkeep) Food Clothing Laundry and dry cleaning Medical and dental expenses that are not deducted from paychecks (out-of-pocket only) Transportation (not including car payments)

4 STEP 2: EXPENSE IDENTIFICATION (cont d.) Page 2 Item Recreation, clubs and entertainment, newspapers, magazines, etc. Monthly Amount Charitable contributions Homeowner's or renter's insurance Life insurance (include only amounts not deducted from wages) Health insurance (include only amounts not deducted from wages) Auto insurance Other insurance: Taxes (not deducted from wages or included in home mortgage payments) Alimony, maintenance, and support paid to others Payments for support of additional dependents not living at your home Regular expenses from operation of business, profession, or farm (attach detailed statement) Other expense not already listed (please identify and show related amounts)

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6 STEP 4: SELF-EMPLOYMENT AND BUSINESS INCOME IDENTIFICATION Please complete this form only if you have self-employment or business generated income. If you need to complete this form, please talk to your attorney or specialist about what months should be included. Month Revenue Expenses Net Income

7 STEP 5: PROTECT YOUR ASSETS Avoid Losing Money to Setoffs It is very important that you protect your financial assets from setoffs when filing for bankruptcy. If you owe any bank, credit union or other financial institution money, it has a right to take the amount needed to satisfy your debt when you file for bankruptcy. This means that you should not keep more than a few dollars in any institution to which you owe money. If for, example, you owe U.S. Banks money for a loan or a credit card, and also have checking or savings accounts at that bank, you should move all but a few dollars from those accounts BEFORE you file. You should also redirect any direct deposits such as payroll payments to protect yourself. Avoiding setoffs is important because banks and credit unions do take every penny from accounts when possible. We have seen individuals lose money needed for mortgage payments, food and other necessities to setoffs. Avoid letting this happen to you. You need your money for a fresh start and smart money management from you can ensure you get the fresh start promised by law. You may need to open another account at a different bank or credit union but make sure it is one to which you do not owe money. Avoid Administrative Freezes on Your Accounts If you have accounts at Wells Fargo, even if you do not owe Wells Fargo any money, you should take your money out because they have been known to administratively freeze accounts even if you do not owe them anything. Avoid Doing Anything Unusual with Your Finances When You Are Thinking About Filing for Bankruptcy Bankruptcy rules are complicated. To avoid serious problems in bankruptcy: Do not give money or property to anyone. Do not sell or transfer property that costs more than $500 to anyone. Do not pay back relatives, friends or business partners.

8 STEP 5: PROTECT YOUR ASSETS (cont d.) Page 2 Do not pay any creditor over $600 in the 90 days before you file (except house, car or rent payments). Do not withdraw any money from retirement accounts. Do nothing involving anything of value of $500 or more that is out-of-theordinary. Remember: The best way to protect yourself is to talk to me and get my opinion in writing before doing any of the above. The good news is that almost all who pay attention to the above information are able to file for bankruptcy. Most of my clients are able to keep all of their assets.