- 1). Take a credit counseling course in the Cleveland area. Federal law requires you to receive credit counseling from an independent counseling agency no more than 60 days prior to filing for Chapter 13 protection. Your counselor will help you formulate a debt repayment plan and give you a certificate of completion after you finish the course.
- 2). Download and fill out a statement of financial affairs form. This form asks you to list your financial data, including your current monthly income, other sources of income (gifts, winnings), debts, closed accounts and and foreclosure information including your lender's name and the amount that you owe.
- 3). Go to the bankruptcy clerk office at the Howard M. Mmetzenbaum U.S. Courthouse in downtown Cleveland, and file a Chapter 13 bankruptcy petition, along with a schedule of your assets and liabilities, a schedule of your income and expenses, a schedule of executory contracts and leases (if any), a statement of net monthly income and expected increases or decreases in income, a statement of interest in federal or state tuition accounts, your most recent tax return and a pay stub from the last 60 days (if any). Turn in your statement of financial affairs form, debt repayment plan and certificate of credit counseling completion at this time.
- 4). Pay a $235 filing fee and a $39 administrative fee to the bankruptcy clerk. You must do this when you file your paperwork.
- 5). Verify that all of the information is correct. After you finish filing with the clerk, the court will issue an "automatic stay," immediately halting the foreclosure process.
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