Getting Ready to File Bankruptcy

Steps to Take Before Filing A Bankruptcy In Oregon or Washington

Do your best to limit the the amount of purchase activity in the ninety days prior to the actual filing of your case.
Stop using all of your credit cards today.
If you have made big purchases, executed balance transfers or taken cash advances in the last year, try and make sure that there have been at least three payments on each relevant credit account. If not, you may want to make such payments until your case is filed.
Get your state and federal tax records for the last year that you filed.
Make copies of all pay-stubs for the last seven months and continue to collect them up until the filing date of your case. Get copies of any paperwork that would document any other income such as social security, unemployment and the like for the same period.
Do not transfer any bank accounts, real estate or valuables out of your name without speaking to your Oregon or Washington Bankruptcy Attorney. If you must do so, make sure that the sale does not involve a friend or family member.
Do not–I repeat, do not– make any repayments on debts to friends and family members prior to filing.
If you already have a judgment against you, do not tell a creditor that you are going to file bankruptcy. It may provide motivation for them to seize assets while they can.
Continue to make payments to secured creditors for property that you want to keep. This is very important if you want to keep your car and house.
Perform a title search on your home to make sure there are no unknown liens.
Disclose all property that you may have an interest in to your attorney. This includes bank accounts held with parents as cosigners, potential legal claims, personal injury cases, and any debts that are owed to you.