I’ve Signed a Contract

Now What Should I Do?

Thank you for choosing Duncan Law. We know there are other attorneys in Charlotte, Greensboro and the surrounding areas you could have chosen. We know this is a difficult time for you, and our staff will do everything possible to make this process as easy as possible. Unfortunately, there is a lot of information required to prepare your bankruptcy filing, and you possess that information. We cannot file your bankruptcy until the required information is provided and you meet with an attorney at Duncan Law to sign the paperwork!

What Happens After I Sign?

Supporting Documents to be Submitted with Your Bankruptcy Workbook

Completing Your Workbook

First, you must complete the workbook you were provided in hardcopy format when you signed the contract or the online format accessible with your login and password. You may want to review the example workbook first to determine what you need to have available before you start completing the workbook. As you complete the workbook, please review each question and answer it to the best of your ability or put N/A if the question does not apply to you. As you go through the workbook, you may have questions. We suggest you complete as much of the workbook as possible and make a list of all your questions. At that point, you may want to contact our office at 704-563-1224 or if you only have a few questions, you may want to ask those questions when you turn in your workbook and/or supporting paperwork. It will take you at least 2 – 3 hours to complete this workbook.

Next, included in the hardcopy workbook was a bright orange sheet that has a list of additional information the court requires we obtain from you. If you are completing your workbook online, you were provided an email with this information. To assist you, that list is outlined in Supporting Documents to be Submitted with Your Bankruptcy Workbook. Don’t forget, you may obtain a free credit report from www.AnnualCreditReport.com if you have not received a credit report from the site in the past year. It is highly recommended that you check your credit report before you complete your workbook. However, not all of your creditors will be listed on your credit report. You should use the credit report to refresh your memory of creditors you may have forgotten.

Turn In Your Workbook and Supporting Documents to Our Office

Once you have completed your workbook, either hardcopy or online, and have the additional information outlined in Supporting Documents to be Submitted with Your Bankruptcy Workbook, you should turn them in to our office. You do not need an appointment to turn in your workbook and/or supporting paperwork. We are open from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. on Friday. A staff member will quickly review your workbook and additional information to see if there are any major items missing. If your workbook is not completed or information is missing, the staff member will not accept it, and this will delay the filing of your bankruptcy. At this time, you must pay or have paid at least $500 of your attorney fees. The attorney fee can be paid with certified check or money order made payable to Duncan Law, PLLC. Sorry, but we cannot accept personal checks. These fees are earned when paid and are not refundable. The remaining attorney fees will be due when you meet with an attorney at the signing appointment. It may take 7-10 days for us to prepare the paperwork and resolve outstanding items before your appointment with the attorney. If you have a business, it may take longer. Therefore, if you have a deadline to file your bankruptcy, e.g., house is being foreclosed on, car is about to be repossessed, creditor is about to obtain a judgment, etc., you must factor in the time for our office to prepare your bankruptcy paperwork.

Preparing for Your Signing Appointment

Once the bankruptcy paperwork is turned into our office, someone will either email or call you with questions and additional information needed before your signing appointment. After all questions are answered and information is provided, you will be scheduled an appointment to meet with an attorney at Duncan Law and sign your bankruptcy petition. Please do not be late for your appointment. You should plan to be at our office for approximately 1 ½ hours. You will spend approximately one hour reviewing the details of your bankruptcy with an attorney and you will spend another 30 minutes reviewing and signing your paperwork. It is at this appointment you will pay any remaining attorney fees. The attorney fees can be paid by certified check or money order. You must also bring your filing fee in a certified check or money order and credit counseling fee in a certified check or money order. These fees must be two separate certified checks or money orders made payable to Duncan Law, PLLC. Unless there is a joint decision to hold your filing, your bankruptcy will probably be filed either the day of your signing appointment or the next day. At your signing appointment, you will be given instructions about what will happen next or you can review the website for Now That You’ve Filed, Now What?.