How do I file a chapter 7 bankruptcy?

Let me stress first what you absolutely do NOT do. Do NOT file pro se! You need legal counsel. Pro se cases often go badly, and missteps can cause you not to get debts discharged and can cost you your assets. Unless you know and fully understand all of the following, you are over your head pro se: abandonment of estate assets, motion for relief from stay, objection to exemptions, maximizing exemptions and using the unused homestead, the means test, bad faith objections, insider transactions, when the automatic stay applies and does not, dischargeability objections, reaffirmations, and so on.

The first step in to gather a complete list of all of your debt and assets. You will also need to have 6 months of paycheck stubs or other proof of your income for the last six months. You will need your income tax return for the past year and the year prior. Once you have this basic information complete, contact a bankruptcy attorney to get the process started.