Bankruptcy / The Process
A Step-by-Step Guide From Consultation to Discharge
Filing bankruptcy doesn't have to be confusing. Attorney Baro handles the overwhelming majority of the work — your job is to provide documents. Here's exactly what happens, start to finish.
You speak directly with Attorney Kimber H. Baro — not a receptionist or paralegal. She reviews your financial situation, explains your options (Chapter 7, Chapter 13, or non-bankruptcy alternatives), and recommends the best path forward. There's no charge for this consultation and no obligation to hire us.
Timeline: Can often be scheduled within 1–2 business days.
Federal law requires that you complete an approved credit counseling course within 180 days before filing your bankruptcy petition. This course takes approximately 1 hour and can be completed online or by phone at any time that's convenient for you.
The cost is typically $10–$20. We'll provide a list of approved providers in Missouri. Once you complete the course, you'll receive a certificate that we will attach to your petition.
Timeline: Complete before filing; can be done in 1 day.
You provide your financial documents and we do the rest. Attorney Baro and her team will prepare your complete bankruptcy petition, schedules, and all required forms using the information you provide. We handle all of the detailed paperwork that makes bankruptcy complex for most people.
Documents you'll need to provide:
Timeline: Typically 1–2 weeks to gather documents and prepare the petition.
Once your petition is ready and payment is received, we file it electronically with the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of Missouri. The moment the petition is filed, the automatic stay goes into effect by federal law.
The automatic stay is a powerful federal court order that immediately stops:
Timeline: Automatic stay takes effect the instant the petition is filed.
About 3–5 weeks after your filing date, you'll attend a brief meeting called the "341 meeting of creditors." Don't let the name intimidate you — creditors almost never show up. The meeting is conducted by the bankruptcy trustee, who will ask you a series of standard questions under oath to verify the information in your petition.
Attorney Baro will be with you at this meeting. The entire proceeding typically lasts about 10 minutes. You must bring a government-issued photo ID and your Social Security card (or two documents that show your full Social Security number).
Timeline: Held approximately 3–5 weeks after filing date.
If you filed Chapter 13, the court will hold a confirmation hearing to approve your repayment plan. The judge reviews the plan to ensure it meets all legal requirements and is feasible given your income. In most straightforward cases, the plan is confirmed without objection.
Once confirmed, you begin making your monthly plan payments to the Chapter 13 trustee, who distributes funds to your creditors. You must also begin making your regular ongoing mortgage and car payments directly to those lenders.
Timeline: Confirmation hearing typically within 45–75 days of filing.
Before your discharge is entered, you must complete a second required course: the debtor education (financial management) course. Like the credit counseling course, this takes about 2 hours and can be completed online for roughly $10–$20.
For Chapter 7: The discharge is entered approximately 60 days after the 341 meeting, assuming no objections were filed. Total time from filing to discharge: 3–4 months.
For Chapter 13: The discharge is entered after you complete all plan payments over 3–5 years. Any remaining eligible unsecured debt is then discharged.
Once discharged, your eligible debts are permanently eliminated. Creditors are legally prohibited from ever trying to collect those debts from you again. You are officially debt-free and ready for a fresh financial start.
Call today or schedule your free consultation online. Attorney Baro will walk you through every step personally.