Should I hire a petition preparer?

Petition preparers are not lawyers and are not allowed to charge for or give legal advice.  Essentially, they are typists.  They can charge a modest fee for completing your bankruptcy forms and schedules.  They can often be of help when you do not own a typewriter, a word processor or you do not want to fill out the bankruptcy forms yourself.

All of the forms and schedules you need to file bankruptcy are on our website, can be downloaded for free and they can be completed by hand.

Petition preparers cannot represent you in court.  If you use a petition preparer, remember that you will have to represent yourself in court.  If you need legal advice in completing your forms and schedules or need representation in the courtroom, a petition preparer cannot help you with these matters.