As a Phoenix Attorney who specializes in bankruptcy law, my biggest suggestion to anyone wanting to file a Chapter 7 bankruptcy is simple: fully cooperate with your attorney and fully disclose your financial information to your attorney.
As mentioned in previous articles, a Chapter 7 bankruptcy is usually the quickest and cheapest remedy for most individual debtors to get their financial house in order. Howver, to reach that goal, a coooperative relationship between the debtor and his or her attorney is not only recommended, but a necessity.
Bankruptcy attorneys understand that many people have financial skeletons in their closet, especially those who take risks in starting a business or have various personal financial issues. For example, some debtors may assume that they don't have to disclose every piece of property that they own to their bankruptcy attorney or the bankruptcy trustee. Unfortunately, that is a very bad assumption and if you are caught, you risk not only the dismissal of your case, but also criminal penalties and big fines. Therefore, be sure to reveal any and all potential skeletons to your bankruptcy attorney at the initial consultation.
In summary, the only way to proceed with a Chapter 7 bankruptcy is to tell your attorney everything. Don't take matters into your own hands. Rather, give you attorney a chance to do his job and resolve your issues for you. To do otherwise is to risk dismissal of your bankruptcy and also potential civil and criminal penalties. If you would like to schedule a free consultation with a knowledgeable attorney at Wright & Gallagher, PLC, contact us online or call 480-269-9707.
