Bankruptcy law is federal law so most bankruptcy attorneys will be giving the same counsel in all states of the U.S. There are exemption laws that are different in different states, and bankruptcy attorneys are also familiar with the preferred procedures in their local Bankruptcy Court and the preferences of the local bankruptcy judges.

That being said, any good bankruptcy attorney should spend about an hour with you at an initial bankruptcy consultation and should go over all aspects of your financial situation with you. The attorney should look at your income and expenses, and should also help you put a value on all your assets, as well as help you determine what all your liabilities (debts) are.

If after the initial consultation the attorney feels you truly are a candidate for bankruptcy, the attorney will then ask you to pay the retainer, and will then proceed to complete all the necessary paperwork for you to sign so you can file your case.

Once the case is filed, a good attorney will keep you advised of any developments in the case and will be sure that you do not miss any important deadlines. Your attorney will also provide communication to the bankruptcy trustee assigned to your case to make sure you fulfill any requirements the trustee has.

The "not so good" bankruptcy attorneys take your money, file your case and then forget about you. A good bankruptcy attorney will help you all the way through the process until the court enters the final decree in your case, and will be available for any questions you have.

We have had a family member who went through bankruptcy. In addition to the legal advice their attorney gave them, this is some of the advice they received from their bankruptcy attorney they they found most helpful:

While it may be emotionally stressful to go through bankruptcy, you will feel tremendous relief once it is over.

Once you file for bankruptcy, your next step will be to set up a workable budget that you can live with going forward. If necessary, you may need to move someplace less expensive, or reduce your expenses in otrher ways.

For the first few months after bankruptcy, you will probably need to live without credit cards. You can use your debit card during that time.

Your initial step towards re-establshing credit may be a pre-paid credit card. After another few months, you may be able to graduate to a regular credit card with a low limit. Eventually, the limit will be raised. Orchid Credit Card company offers credit card opportunities for people who have been through bankruptcy.

If you pay your bills on time and maintain a low credit card balance, you can rebuild your credit rating quickly. Within a couple of years of being responsible with your finances, you will again be able to get car loans and mortgages.

Colorado bankruptcy preparers CANNOT offer advice, as they are paralegals, not attorneys. Accordingly, they can only assist you in the preparation of the bankruptcy petition.

If you or anyone visiting this question now who reside in the state of Colorado need legal advice or information beyond the filing out of bankruptcy forms, which is fairly simple for a Chapter 7 petition, not so, for Chapter 13, seek a COMPETENT bankruptcy attorney in your area.

Thank you for your question.