Ann Arbor Chapter 7 Bankruptcy Attorney

Preparing for Chapter 7 in Ann Arbor

Ann Arbor is in Washtenaw County, within the Eastern District of Michigan’s Southern Division. Nearby communities include Ypsilanti and Saline. Residence, property, income and debt facts—not a city label—determine the analysis. Use this local preparation guide alongside the Chapter 7 guide and categorized FAQ.

Separate student-related income from student-loan debt

If your household combines wages with a fellowship, stipend, contract teaching or help from relatives, identify the source and timing of each receipt. The income analysis is not answered by the label student or by one unusually low month. Educational debt requires its own review: a loan’s documents, use and legal category matter, and many qualifying educational debts survive without an undue-hardship determination. Keep income preparation separate from assumptions about whether a student loan will be discharged.

Keep a garnishment or housing deadline visible

A state-court collection case in the Ann Arbor area is different from a federal bankruptcy case. Gather the complaint, judgment, garnishment writ and exact payroll dates. For a homeowner, retain the mortgage default letter, advertised sale information and any completed-sale documents; for a renter, keep the lease, ledger and eviction notices. A consultation does not stop collection, and filing does not reverse every completed event. Do not let a university or work calendar obscure an actual legal deadline.

What to gather for a mixed household

Identify everyone on the lease or deed, who contributes to recurring expenses, and whether a spouse will file. Gather six full calendar months of income material plus current changes, bank statements and property records using the detailed checklist. If you have moved between Ann Arbor and another county, give the full address and dates; venue and household questions require actual facts, not an assumption based on a mailing address.

Your bankruptcy court and 341 meeting

A secure next step from your community

Much of the intake process can be handled by phone and the secure encrypted upload form. The firm’s only listed office is 444 W. Willis Street in Detroit; no additional office is implied. Never email SSNs or ID photos. Use the secure upload form for documents and completed PDF questionnaires. The encrypted Cognito upload form is active. Write only the last four SSN digits in the PDF questionnaire. Upload ID and SSN proof securely.

What to gather · Client questionnaires and secure upload · All 34 counties and court/meeting distinctions · Eligibility estimate and costs

Chapter 7 attorney fee: $1,300. Reaffirmation agreement hearings are included in the $1,300 attorney fee. Payment plans available on the attorney fee. In Chapter 7, the attorney fee is generally paid before the case is filed, so plans are arranged before filing. The $338 court filing fee is paid separately. The $1,300 does not include credit counseling or debtor-education course fees or services, or adversary proceedings. The attorney and court fees total $1,638 before excluded items. The written engagement agreement confirms scope and any additional charges.