Bankruptcy Counseling – Crush Your Debt!

An approved credit counseling agency is a nonprofit that is government-approved for bankruptcy counseling, also called bankruptcy debt counseling or pre filing credit counseling, by the Executive Office for United States Trustees and the US Trustees.

Yes. Alliance is approved in all states and all courts by the Executive Office for United States Trustees (EOUST) and the US Trustees to issue Pre-petition Bankruptcy Counseling Certificates and Pre-Discharge Financial Management Course Certificates in compliance with the bankruptcy code and standards established by the EOUST. Such approval does not endorse or assure the quality of an agency‘s service by the EOUST.

Before filing Bankrupcty, a debtor must complete Pre-Petition Credit Counseling, sometimes called bankruptcy debt counseling or pre filing credit counseling. The bankruptcy counseling must include an analysis of your current financial condition, a review of factors that led to this condition, information about alternatives to bankruptcy, and assistance developing a plan to respond to the financial condition without incurring more debt. The counseling session typically takes 60-90 minutes. A certification of completion is provided by an approved agency in the form of a certificate issued with a serial number provided by the appropriate authority. The counseling must be provided before you file for bankruptcy by a non-profit credit-counseling agency, approved by the U.S. Trustee’s Office.

Prior to obtaining Discharge, a debtor must be certified as having completed the Pre-Discharge Personal Financial Management Course. This is sometimes called bankruptcy exit counseling or debtor education course. The course must include written information and instruction on budget development, money management, wise use of credit, and consumer information. The course must be a minimum of two hours. A certification of completion is provided by a government approved credit counseling agency in the form of a certificate issued with a serial number provided by the appropriate authority. The course must be provided by an agency approved by the U.S. Trustee’s Office. For Chapter 7 cases, the certificate of completion must be filed prior to the 45th day after the creditors meeting (341 meeting) and for Chapter 13 cases, it must be filed no later than the date of the last payment made under the repayment plan or the date of the filing of a Motion for a Discharge prior to completion of the plan.

1. Monthly household income amounts. This includes income from any source.
2. Monthly household expense details such as gas, electric, phone, insurance, food, transportation, medical, etc.
3. Asset information such as value of real-estate, any vehicles, savings, 401k, IRA’s, etc.
4. Unsecured debt account balances and monthly payment, such as credit cards, personal loans, medical bills, etc.
5. Secured debt account balances and monthly payment, such as a mortgage or a vehicle.
No account numbers are required.

1. Bankruptcy case number.
2. District of bankruptcy filing, which is obtained from your attorney.

Course Delivery                 Filing Type                    Price
Online Certificates            Single or Joint Filers       $19
Telephone/In-Person        Single or Joint Filers       $49
Note: You may qualify for a fee waiver or reduction.

Payment can be made by debit card, VISA, MasterCard, Money-Gramm, Cashiers Check, Money Order.

Yes, if you’re filing jointly. Your attorney can help you determine the appropriate filing status.

The bankruptcy counseling takes 60 to 90 minutes to finish.

The financial management course take about 2 hours to complete.

After a counselor has certified your satisfactory completion of the bankruptcy counseling session or debtor education course, a certificate of completion will be sent to you. A copy of the certificate can also be sent to your attorney, by email, fax or mail, at your request. Certificates can be available the same day of completion when a counselor is able to verify fulfillment of online session completion, including data input requirements, ID validation, and may require a brief telephonic interview.

The certificate is valid for 6 months (180 days) from the date listed at the top of your certificate.

Monday through Friday 9:00 am-5:30 pm Eastern. Access to the online course system is available 24×7.

Yes. Our counselors are always happy to assist you with questions you might have in regard to budget, credit, debt, etc.

We always advise to consult an appropriate legal professional before starting down this path. Nevertheless, you can talk to a counselor at Alliance before or after you meet with an attorney.

Bankruptcy is a federal law, and a great summary is found on the US Department of Justice website and Wikipedia.

The length of time to complete the bankruptcy process will depend on what type of bankruptcy you file and on your particular situation. A Chapter 7 bankruptcy can typically be completed in three to six months. A Chapter 13 bankruptcy requires repayment plan, which are typically three to five years.

That is a great question for your attorney. While we don’t offer legal advice, you will find that, in general, there are two main types of consumer bankruptcy. The first is called “Chapter 7,” “liquidation,” or sometimes “straight bankruptcy.” Most of your assets are sold to pay your creditors. The assets you are allowed to keep will partly depend on the state where you live. The second type is called “Chapter 13,” “reorganization,” or “wage earner’s plan.” You can usually keep most of your assets in return for a court-approved repayment plan. The particular type of bankruptcyyou file will depend on your circumstances. A competent attorney can help you make the decision.