New Forms in Bankruptcy

December 1 saw the roll out of new national bankruptcy forms, replacing most of the petition.  The goal is to make the forms easier for non-bankruptcy folk to decipher and use.

There are appears to be some hits and misses.  The prior form packet, while sparse on instructions. was pretty straightforward.  A pro se debtor could take a packet, fill everything out, and probably submit the documents mostly correct.  The new forms are easier to fill out, but their are now different forms for different types of debtors, so that adds a layer of complication.

Additionally, the same challenges remain - bankruptcy is more than just filing a few forms.  The procedures and dangers are unchanged, and many of the pitfalls are just as easy for the unwary to stumble into.  Because the forms are federal, exceptions (which are determined by the state), remain just as difficult.