Getting started
Our compassionate attorneys know that many times the hardest part of bankruptcy is to pick up the phone and make the call to an attorney or to e-mail an attorney office for help. Our experienced attorneys have been representing clients in bankruptcy for over a decade and have filed thousands of cases. You can trust our attorneys to know the law and to treat your case with care and to treat you with respect.
Please call our office at 651-351-1975 or 715-246-9331 to get started!
If you have an urgent matter: served with a lawsuit, wages being garnished, judgment entered against you, home in foreclosure, the vehicle in repossession –
OUR ATTORNEYS CAN PROVIDE HELP – WE WILL STOP THE HARASSMENT!
After hours, or on weekends. We are here for you.
Information you will need
You do not have to have any documents to contact our office. Please contact our office if you need help dealing with your creditors: 651-351-1975 or 715-246-9331.
After hours or on weekends call our APPOINTMENT HOTLINE 651-208-1408.
Although you do not need any documents prior to contacting our office the process of bankruptcy requires information and documentation of your assets, debts, income and expenses. In order to fully analyze your case our attorneys will need the following information:
1. Complete information about your debts
2. Most recently filed tax return (current year or last year filed)
3. Income information for past 6 months (6 months of pay stubs)
4. Significant assets and their probable value
5. Your budget of monthly expenses
Don’t get overwhelmed! Our experienced attorneys can help you complete the task! Some of our competitors give you 30 pages of paper to fill out – we can do that too – but you can also ask for an email questionnaire – or you can simply do your best to bring the information you have and we will HELP YOU do the rest!
We are your partners in this process!
How do I meet with an attorney?
How do I meet with an attorney?
For many of our clients, this is the first time they need to meet with an attorney – WE ARE HERE TO HELP!
Piletich and Skokan has offices in Minnesota and Wisconsin. If our office locations in Stillwater and New Richmond are not convenient WE WILL COME TO YOU!
We understand that our clients are busy people with jobs, families and many, many responsibilities. We make our attorneys available for evening and weekend appointments! SO DON’T MISS WORK TO MEET WITH YOUR ATTORNEY – MEET WITH US WHEN IT’S CONVENIENT FOR YOU!
During your free attorney consultation, our knowledgeable attorneys will advise you on filing for Chapter 7 or Chapter 13. We have helped clients with multiple properties, multiple businesses, high income and we have helped clients who are struggling to barely pay the medical and utility bills. Our attorneys will prepare the needed documents and provide guidance with the credit counseling requirements. The cost of your bankruptcy will depend on the complexity of your case.
We are dedicated to providing affordable bankruptcy representation to all clients!
What happens in bankruptcy court?
What happens in bankruptcy court?
Many of our clients have never been to court for any reason. At Piletich and Skokan you have our promise that your attorney will be there with you in Court – some of our competitors send a substitute attorney for court. Our attorneys are with you from the start of the process through the preparation of documents and in court with you!
You will need to appear in court for your bankruptcy. The court appearance will occur approximately 30 days after your case is prepared and filed. You will need to bring your driver’s license and social security card. Additionally, you may need to bring bank statements, paystubs, or vehicle titles. You will be asked a short series of questions under oath. The questions relate to the information you have provided on your income, expenses, assets and debts. Our experienced attorneys have done this thousands of times and will make your Court experience worry free!
Bankruptcy Court appearances are assigned by geographic area: Wisconsin -Eau Claire, LaCrosse, Wasau, Duluth/Superior. Minnesota – St. Paul, Minneapolis, St. Cloud, Rochester, Duluth. Bankruptcy Court appearances are not conducted in State/County courthouses, so you will not go to your local county courthouse for bankruptcy.
How long does bankruptcy take?
How long does bankruptcy take?
The length of proceedings depends on the type of bankruptcy you have filed. Unlike many other legal proceedings Chapter 7 bankruptcy proceedings occur on a set schedule. Your Chapter 7 bankruptcy will take approximately 90 days from start to finish. Chapter 13 cases last 36 to 60 months – depending on the length of the payment plan.
The first step in the process is to call us! Once your case is prepared and filed (this can be done same day for emergency filings or may take several months when clients need additional time to find documents and funds to file) After your case is filed you will need to complete the 2ndcounseling course.
Your court appearance will be scheduled by the Court and occur within 30 days of the filing of your case. After court, your case will remain open for an additional 60 days. This two month period is important as it provides you an additional 60 days to add any creditors that you might have missed in the initial filing. Once the 60 days have passed , the court will issue an Order Discharging your debts.
What if I have filed for bankruptcy before and I need help again?
What if I have filed for bankruptcy before and I need help again?
Help is available! Our experienced attorneys can advise you if you are eligible for a new Chapter 7 bankruptcy, or if you can benefit from Chapter 13 bankruptcy in the event your Chapter 7 bankruptcy case was filed less than 8 years ago. We can also advise you on strategies to make it to the 8 year mark if you are close but not there yet.
Some of our clients may need to file again in the future – new medical expenses and repeat job losses can force anyone to file again.
We are here to help! We will make the process easier and less expensive!