D is for Disclose
Do I have to list everything in my bankruptcy? Is everything included in the bankruptcy case? Yes. Yes again.
Everything must be disclosed. All debts (everything you owe) must be disclosed. All assets (everything you own) must be disclosed. Assets you hold for others must be disclosed. Closed financial accounts must be disclosed. Safety deposit boxes and the contents must be disclosed. Charitable donations and gifts over a certain sum must be disclosed. Pensions, insurance policies, cemetery plots, motorcycles and art must all be disclosed.*
Disclosures Must Be Complete and Accurate
When you disclose your financial information, assets, debts, income and expenses to your bankruptcy lawyer be as complete and accurate as possible. The value of your assets is what you could sell them for, or the current market value, not what you paid for them. Make a reasonable inquiry using local dealers, Craigslist and or eBay to get comparable values. Have a realtor give you a selling price for your home that is geared to get a quick offer, not a high bargaining position. Use NADA or Kelley’s Blue Book to value your automobile.
Income Disclosures
Let your lawyer know how much your income is and its sources along with your monthly expenses. Include all sources from wages and dividends to social security and pension distributions. Include any investments and losses. Your attorney can decide when and where your information fits into the petition, schedules and financial affairs forms for a chapter 7 or chapter 13. This information will also form the basis for your reorganization plan in a chapter 13.
Possible Audit and Failure to Disclose
You should have documentation for all income, expenses, assets, debts and transactions. One in every 250 bankruptcy cases is audited. If you are chosen for an audit the documentation will be valuable to establish you did your best to be accurate and complete in your disclosures.
Failure to disclose all of your assets, debts, income, expenses and financial affairs can result in you being denied a bankruptcy discharge and you may be charged with a crime. You might spend years in prison and have to pay a substantial fine.
The bankruptcy crime of nondisclosure or concealment of assets may also take the form of transferring or concealing property before you file for bankruptcy without making the proper disclosures. If you are completely honest and forthcoming with your bankruptcy attorney you’ll have no problems. Your attorney will know what needs to be provided to the court and will have the documentation to back up her decisions.
*This disclosure applies to all bankruptcy cases and is not to be confused with the written disclosure statement required in a chapter 11 reorganization.
Other Lawyers writing on the Bankruptcy Alphabet:
- Debt Relief Agency by Metro Richmond Consumer Attorney, Mitchell Goldstein
- Debtor by Metro Richmond Consumer Attorney, Mitchell Goldstein
- Debtor by New York Lawyer Jay S. Fleischman
- Debtor by Taylor Michigan Lawyer, Christopher McAvoy
- Declaring Bankruptcy by Wisconsin Lawyer, Bret Nason
- Deconsolidate by Omaha and Lincoln, Nebraska Bankruptcy Attorney, Ryan D. Caldwell
- Discharge by Silicon Valley attorney Cathy Moran
- Discharge by Kona Bankruptcy Attorney Stuart Ing
- Discharge by Los Angeles Attorney, Christine Wilton
- Discharge by Los Angeles Bankruptcy Attorney, Mark J. Markus
- Discharge by Daniel J. Winter, Chicago Attorney
- Discharge by St. Louis, Missouri Attorney, Nancy Stokley Martin
- Disclosures by Colorado Springs Bankruptcy Attorney Bob Doig
- Divorce by Jacksonville Attorney, Monica D. Shepard
- Do’s and Don’ts by San Francisco Bankruptcy Attorney, Jeena Cho
- Do’s and Don’ts by Livonia Michigan Attorney, Peter Behrmann
- Documents by Philadelphia Lawyer, Kim Coleman
- Domestic Support by Philadelphia Lawyer, Chris Carr
- Domicile by Miami Attorney, Dorota Trzeciecka
- DUI, DWI, OVI by Cleveland Area Lawyer Bill Balena