| How to benefit from your bankruptcy
credit counseling |
| By Brigitte
Yuille • Bankrate.com |
|
If you want to get the most out of your credit counseling
session, you should prepare properly and make arrangements to avoid
distractions that will detract from the presentation.
Try to find a quiet place if you're
consulting on the phone. Arrange for some privacy and avoid interruptions
if you're getting your consultation on the Web. That means no screaming
kids, honking horns or loud televisions in the background.
You'll want to do all you can to avoid a bad phone
connection. Credit counselors also point out the necessity of avoiding
misinformation online through inaccurate typing.
All of these troubling occurrences, and more, make
it difficult for counselors to proceed with their jobs. So here
are few tips on how to best benefit from your bankruptcy counseling,
no matter which
method you choose.
Proper etiquette
Prepare a list. Counselors say it helps them to know the following:
gross income, take-home pay, household living expenses, and secured
and unsecured debts. Also don't forget major documents such as your
mortgage and medical correspondence, especially if you're meeting
with the counselor in
person. Monthly statements and one or two recent pay stubs are
also items you'll want to bring when you sit down with the counselor
one on one. Be prepared to spend more than 90 minutes talking with
the adviser if you have questions and want to take advantage of
the opportunity.
Cut down on those distractions. If you are on the
phone or the Internet, make sure you are in a quiet spot with your
prepared list and documents. Schedule enough time so you can give
the briefing your full attention. If the counseling is done at your
attorney's office, ask to be placed in a private room.
Watch those typos. Common mistakes include adding
too many numbers or inverting numbers. Be cautious when entering
your information. You can avoid extra zeros by simply double-checking
what you have typed before moving on to the next screen.
Weighing the pros and cons
Counselors suggest receiving the bankruptcy
counseling sooner rather than later. That way they can provide
you with more options. If you're not sure whether to pick up the
phone, surf the Internet, or hop in the car and drive on over, you
might want to consider the pros and cons. Thinking them through
will help you discover what might best suit you, in order to get
what you need out of your time spent. Here's a guide:
 |
Pros and cons |
|
|
| |
Pros |
Cons |
| In person |
| On the phone |
| Over the Internet |
|
|
