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Articles on bankruptcy petition drafting and building a remote career.
190 articles
Bankruptcy FundamentalsHow the 2005 Bankruptcy Law Change (BAPCPA) Created the Bankruptcy Assistant Profession
The 2005 bankruptcy reform added the means test, credit counseling and a mountain of paperwork. Here is what changed, how the industry responded, and what still matters for petition preparers.
Petition Drafting TipsHidden Assets and Forgotten Debts: What Bankruptcy Petition Preparers Should Flag
Most omissions on a bankruptcy petition are honest mistakes. Here are the assets, debts and transfers debtors forget most often, and the questions and records that bring them to light.
Bankruptcy CareerBankruptcy Petition Preparation Pricing: Flat Fee or Hourly? A Guide for Bankruptcy Assistants
Flat fee, hourly, or both? A simple pricing method for bankruptcy petition preparation that protects your income and keeps attorneys happy, without guessing at numbers.
Bankruptcy CareerBeyond Petitions: 7 Bankruptcy Assistant Services to Add (Foreclosure Mediation, Family Law Support and More)
Once attorneys trust you with petitions, they have more work to hand off. Here are seven add-on services that build on the same skills, and how to add them without crossing into legal advice.
Bankruptcy FundamentalsEmergency Bankruptcy Filing (Skeleton Filing): A Preparer's Checklist Before the Foreclosure Sale
When a foreclosure sale is days away, speed matters. Here is what an emergency or skeleton bankruptcy filing needs on day one, what is due later, and how a prepared assistant helps the attorney move fast.
Marketing TipsMarketing to Bankruptcy Attorneys on a Zero Budget: 10 Free Ways to Find Your First Clients
You don't need an ad budget to get your first bankruptcy attorney clients. You need a target list, a clear message, and a follow-up habit. Here are ten free tactics that still work.
Petition Drafting TipsIs Your Client's Budget Believable? A Schedule J Reasonableness Checklist
A trustee can tell in seconds when a budget doesn't add up. Use this Schedule J checklist to catch missing categories, unrealistic numbers and income gaps before the petition goes to the attorney.
Bankruptcy FundamentalsWhat Happens at a 341 Meeting of Creditors (and How to Prepare Your Client)
The 341 meeting is the one court-related event most debtors actually attend. Here is what happens, what to bring, and how a careful petition makes it a short, calm appointment.
Petition Drafting TipsCredit Card Charges Before Bankruptcy: What Trustees and Creditors Look For
Charges made shortly before filing can put a debt at risk of being challenged. Here is what petition preparers should look for in a debtor's statements, and what to flag for the attorney.
Marketing TipsHow to Build a Bankruptcy Petition Portfolio That Gets Attorneys to Call Back
Attorneys can't judge your skills from a resume. A well-built portfolio shows them your work, your process and your professionalism before they ever talk to you.
Petition Drafting TipsHow to Value Property on a Bankruptcy Petition (Never Guess a Value)
A guessed value is the quickest way to draw a trustee's attention. Here is where to find defensible values for every kind of property, and how to document them.
Petition Drafting TipsHow to Request Missing Bankruptcy Documents from Debtors Without Crossing the UPL Line
Incomplete intake is the number one reason bankruptcy petitions stall. Use these scripts, checklists and email templates to get what you need, and stay on the right side of the line.