To file bankruptcy you have to receive Credit Counseling. This counseling may enable you to avoid bankruptcy.

The organizations listed below provide counseling by Internet or telephone. There is a fee for this counseling, typically about $50 per person filing, but if your income is very low, at or near the poverty level, the fee might be waived: ask the credit counselor.

Money Management International 9009 West Loop South 7th Floor Houston, TX 77096-1719 877-918-2227 www.moneymanagement.org

Consumer Credit Counseling Services , Inc. 1515 S. Glenstone Springfield, MO 65804-1407 800-882-0808 www.cccsoftheozarks.com

Additional Details:

With limited exceptions, § 109(h) of the Bankruptcy Code requires that all individual debtors who file for bankruptcy relief, receive a briefing that outlines the available opportunities for credit counseling and provides assistance in performing a budget analysis.

The briefing must be given within 180 days before the bankruptcy filing. The briefing may be provided individually or in a group (including briefings conducted by telephone or on the Internet) and must be provided by a nonprofit budget and credit counseling agency approved by the United States trustee or bankruptcy administrator. The clerk of the bankruptcy court has a list that you may consult of the approved budget and credit counseling agencies.

A complete list of approved credit counseling is available on the Internet at http://www.usdoj.gov/ust/eo/bapcpa/ccde/

To finish your Bankruptcy and obtain your order of discharge from the court, you have to complete a Financial Management Instructional course. This course may help you avoid future financial problems.

Although there may be exceptions, an individual debtor generally must complete a financial management instructional course before he or she can receive a discharge. The clerk of the bankruptcy court has a list of approved financial management instructional courses. We don’t have a suggested list yet—the revised bankruptcy law is too new.

Bankruptcy crimes and availability of bankruptcy papers to law enforcement officials.

A person who knowingly and fraudulently conceals assets or makes a false oath or statement under penalty of perjury, either orally or in writing, in connection with a bankruptcy case is subject to a fine, imprisonment, or both.  All information supplied by a debtor in connection with a bankruptcy case is subject to examination by the Attorney General acting through the Office of the United States Trustee, the Office of the United States Attorney, and other components and employees of the Department of Justice.

WARNING: Section 521(a)(1) of the Bankruptcy Code requires that you promptly file detailed information regarding your creditors, assets, liabilities, income, expenses and general financial condition.  Your bankruptcy case may be dismissed if this information is not filed with the court within the time deadlines set by the Bankruptcy Code, the Bankruptcy Rules, and the local rules of the court.

You are cautioned that bankruptcy law is complicated and not easily described.  Thus, you may wish to seek the advice of an attorney to learn of your rights and responsibilities should you decide to file a petition.  Court employees cannot give you legal advice.

Gary Bollinger and the Bankruptcy Center serves as a Debt Relief Agent: that is, we help people get debt relief under the Bankruptcy Code.