In accordance with § 342(b) of the Bankruptcy Code, this notice to individuals with primarily consumer debts:
(1) Describes briefly the services available from credit counseling services;
(2) Describes briefly the purposes, benefits and costs of the four types of bankruptcy proceedings you may commence; and
(3) Informs you about bankruptcy crimes and notifies you that the Attorney General may examine all information you supply in connection with a bankruptcy case.

You are cautioned that the law is complicated and not easily described. Thus, you may wish to seek the advice of an attorney to learn of your rights and responsibilities should you decide to file a petition. Court employees cannot give you legal advice.

Notices from the bankruptcy court are sent to the mailing address you list on your petition. In order to ensure that you receive information about events concerning your case, Rule 4002 requires that you notify the court of any changes in your address. If you are filing a joint case (a single bankruptcy case for two individuals married to each other), and each spouse lists the same mailing address on the petition, you and your spouse will generally receive a single copy of each notice mailed from the bankruptcy court in a jointly-addressed envelope, unless you file a statement with the court requesting that each spouse receive a separate copy of all notices.

1. Services Available from Credit Counseling Agencies

With limited exceptions, § 109(h) of the Bankruptcy Code requires that all individual debtors who file for relief on or after October 17, 2005, receive a briefing that outlines the available opportunities for credit counseling and provides assistance in performing a budget analysis. The briefing must be given within 180 days before the filing. The briefing may be provided individually or in a group (including briefings conducted by telephone or on the Internet) and must be provided by a nonprofit budget and credit counseling agency approved by the United States trustee or bankruptcy administrator. The clerk of the court has a list that you may consult of the approved budget and credit counseling agencies. Each debtor in a joint case must complete the briefing.

In addition, after filing a bankruptcy case, an individual debtor generally must complete a financial management instructional course before he or she can receive a discharge. The clerk also has a list of approved financial management instructional courses. Each debtor in a joint case must complete the course.

2. The Four Chapters of the Bankruptcy Code Available to Individual Consumer Debtors

Chapter 7: Liquidation ($245 filing fee, $39 administrative fee, $15 trustee surcharge: Total fee $299)

1. Chapter 7 is designed for debtors in financial difficulty who do not have the ability to pay their existing debts.
Debtors whose debts are primarily consumer debts are subject to a “means test” designed to determine whether the case
should be permitted to proceed under chapter 7. If your income is greater than the median income for your state of residence
and family size, in some cases, creditors have the right to file a motion requesting that the court dismiss your case under §
707(b) of the Code. It is up to the court to decide whether the case should be dismissed.

2. Under chapter 7, you may claim certain of your property as exempt under governing law. A trustee may have the
right to take possession of and sell the remaining property that is not exempt and use the sale proceeds to pay your creditors.

3. The purpose of filing a chapter 7 case is to obtain a discharge of your existing debts. If, however, you are found to
have committed certain kinds of improper conduct described in the Bankruptcy Code, the court may deny your discharge
and, if it does, the purpose for which you filed the petition will be defeated.

4. Even if you receive a general discharge, some particular debts are not discharged under the law. Therefore, you
may still be responsible for most taxes and student loans; debts incurred to pay nondischargeable taxes; domestic support
and property settlement obligations; most fines, penalties, forfeitures, and criminal restitution obligations; certain debts
which are not properly listed in your papers; and debts for death or personal injury caused by operating a motor
vehicle, vessel, or aircraft while intoxicated from alcohol or drugs. Also, if a creditor can prove that a debt arose from fraud,
breach of fiduciary duty, or theft, or from a willful and malicious injury, the court may determine that the debt is
not discharged.

I am a debt relief agency. I help people file for relief under the Bankruptcy Code.