"The Thought of Declaring Bankruptcy Scared Me"

Life After Bankruptcy Stories

The thought of declaring bankruptcy scared me. I didn’t want anyone to look down on me for failing with my finances.




After discussing my financial options with my boyfriend and dad, I made the decision to file for bankruptcy. I contacted a lawyer and felt relief after the process was explained to me because I didn’t know what to expect.

The fee to file and use a lawyer was something I wasn’t expecting and the office worked with me to determine a payment plan. They gave me time to come up with the money to help me pay. I completed the necessary paperwork and submitted my final payment.

I was then notified that filing Chapter 7 was the best option but I was very close on the means test to the maximum income cutoff for a single household. Due to this, I was audited by the U.S. bankruptcy Court trustee, which meant more paperwork and faxing of documents to prove I had no money.

The paralegal at the lawyer’s office was a life saver. She would email me what I needed and contact me if documents weren’t received. She assured me that in my financial state, this was the best decision.

The day came when I had the 341 meeting; I had to appear before the bankruptcy trustee.

I was completely nervous. What was the trustee going to say? The meeting was the easiest thing. There were a series of yes/no questions from the state trustee. The U.S. Bankruptcy Court trustee was also in attendance for my meeting just to make sure I did not have any valuables that I could sell to help with my debt. The lawyer was in attendance and was supportive when I was asked questions from both trustees.

Approximately six months after starting the bankruptcy procedure, I received my discharge in the mail. I now have a sense of financial relief. I am appreciative for the opportunity to start over. I am now able to save my money and not have worry all the time about money issues.

Contributed by Kerri from Massachusetts