Preparing for your bankruptcy consultation doesn’t have to be stressful. Bringing the right documents—or emailing clear PDF copies before your appointment—allows us to spend our time discussing solutions instead of tracking down paperwork.

Don’t worry if you’re missing a document or two. Bring what you have, and we’ll let you know if anything else is needed.

Chapter 7 Bankruptcy

Please bring (or email PDF copies of) the following:

✅ Identification

• Government-issued photo ID (Driver’s License or State ID)
• Social Security Card or
• A recent W-2 showing your full Social Security Number

✅ Income Information

• Your last 2 months of pay stubs
• If you receive other income (such as Social Security, pension, unemployment, or self-employment income), please bring documentation if available.

✅ Tax Returns

• Your last 2 years of Federal income tax returns

✅ Bank Statements

• Last 3 months of bank statements
• Include every bank or credit union account where your name appears, even if the balance is small or the account is rarely used.

✅ Vehicle Information

• Vehicle title or electronic (E-Title) information for every vehicle you own.

✅ Retirement Accounts

• Most recent statements for:
  • 401(k)
  • IRA
  • Pension
  • 403(b)
  • Other retirement accounts

---

Chapter 13 Bankruptcy

Please bring (or email PDF copies of) the following:

✅ Identification

• Government-issued photo ID
• Social Security Card or
• A recent W-2 showing your full Social Security Number

✅ Income Information

• Last 6 months of pay stubs

✅ Tax Returns

• Last 2 years of Federal income tax returns

---

Can’t Find Everything?

That’s okay.

Many people don’t have every document before their consultation. Bring or email whatever you have, and we’ll help you obtain any additional information that may be needed before your case is filed.

Emailing Your Documents

Sending PDFs before your appointment can save time and make your consultation even more productive.

• Scan documents using your smartphone or scanner.
• Make sure every page is clear and readable.
• If you have multiple documents, combining them into a single PDF for each category (pay stubs, tax returns, bank statements, etc.) is helpful but not required.

We Make the Process Easy

At the Law Offices of Walter Metzen, we understand that filing bankruptcy can feel overwhelming. Our goal is to make the process as simple and stress-free as possible. By gathering these documents before your consultation, we’ll be able to answer your questions, explain your options, and develop a plan that’s tailored to your financial situation.

If you’re unsure whether a document is needed, simply bring it or email it. We’d much rather have too much information than not enough.