Pre-Bankruptcy One-on-One Counseling Session

ByDesign Financial Solutions™ certified counselors are experts on the options available to you when determining the right solution to your debt problems. Confidential, one-on-one counseling is available to help you review your situation, establish personal financial goals and develop the best possible strategy to address your current financial needs, as well as to achieve your financial goals.

Our counselors are available to meet with you in person or over the phone to discuss your personal situation. After registering for a counseling session, you will be sent budget pre-work for you to complete prior to attending the session.

Your counseling session will begin with a review of your options for getting out of debt. Next, our counselor will review your personal budget. Finally, our counselor will present an overview of the bankruptcy process. The average Pre-Bankruptcy One-on-One Counseling Session will last 1 1/2 hours, during which time you can ask our counselor questions and receive individualized attention.

The Pre-Bankruptcy One-on-One Counseling Session will cover a wide variety of topics, including:

• Summarizing and prioritizing your financial needs;
• Your options for getting out of debt;
• Your personal budget;
• Common types of bankruptcy;
• Alternatives to bankruptcy;
• Overview of bankruptcy;
• Consequences of bankruptcy:
• Credit after bankruptcy;
• Timeline for bankruptcy discharge;
• The role of an attorney;
• The role of the US Trustee;
• Developing an action plan;
• And much more!

All information shared with our counselor will remain strictly confidential, as explained in our privacy policy.

ByDesign is approved to issue certificates [evidencing completion of a personal finance management course] in compliance with the Bankruptcy Code.* Clients may earn their certificates by taking our Pre-Bankruptcy Counseling via this one-on-one session, a webinar, or a workshop. Each of our Pre-Bankruptcy Counseling options meet the requirements of BAPCA.

The cost of Pre-Bankruptcy One-on-One Counseling (in person or by phone) is $90 for an individual or $120 for a couple. In those cases where it is established that clients are unable to afford the costs for bankruptcy counseling or bankruptcy-related financial education, the agency will, on a case-by-case basis, provide the services at a reduced price or, in extreme circumstances, for free. You must make an appointment for this counseling session.

How The One-On-One Counseling Process Works:

1. Call ByDesign™ (800) 750-2227 to request the "Bankruptcy Packet" or click here for the online version of the packet. We will send you--via mail or e-mail--a packet of information for you to review and complete.
   
   
2. Mail or electronically submit your completed budget and legal forms back to ByDesign™.
   
   
3. ByDesign™ will contact you to schedule a counseling session within one business day of receipt of completed documents.
   
   
4. You will receive a confirmation letter.
   
   
5. To expedite the certification process, you may pre-pay for the One-on-One Counseling session with your debit card, by purchasing below:
   
   

   FOR INDIVIDUALS ($90) Client Name or Purchased For Name:

   

   FOR COUPLES ($120) Client Names or Purchased For Names:

   
   You can also pay for the counseling when you schedule the appointment (by providing your debit card number to the representative) or at the time of the appointment directly to your counselor.
   
   
6. Attend the counseling session either in person or by phone.
   
   
7. If your session was by phone, ByDesign will mail you a certificate of completion. If you spoke with a counselor in person, you will receive the certificate at the conclusion of your session.
   

This service will be initially available only to California residents.

*Approval does not endorse or assure the quality of a Provider's services.