File Yourself
The only reason you would consider this is due to the cost. Doing it yourself costs about $300.00 (courts fees) and hiring a bankruptcy lawyer can range from $1000.00 up to $3,000.00 depending on the state and the complexity of the case. If you are detailed oriented the forms won't frighten you. Still there are common mistakes made, here are some of them:
Not knowing exemption limits on assets
Not listing all required assets
Not listing all liabilities
Not knowing the "go back" limits
Not providing all required records
If you have to redo the application there is a time delay and there could be additional fees to do this. The part that would hurt you the most would be liabilities, if you failed to list all the liabilities you wanted discharged you then open the door to a judgment from that lender.
So, you do have a few fine points that can cause problems, but if you go back and triple check your work and even get someone to review it you can save some bucks.
If you decide to look into this option try Books, Kits, Software and Forms
Find A Bankruptcy Lawyer
There is not much more to be said about hiring a lawyer. If your not detailed oriented or just don't want the headaches, a lawyer is the other option. A referral from someone who had a good experience is probably the best way to locate one. Most will give you a Free consultation so try out several before you make the final choice.
You can also try Legal Match - Find a Lawyer as an online source. Most lawyers who specialize in bankruptcy's for your state do this routinely and know all the details. In most cases the two major reasons for hiring bankruptcy lawyers is their knowledge of the process and putting your mind at ease.
