Credit counseling is very important before you have filed for bankruptcy, and aspects of debtor education should take place after filing. You must give a credit counseling certificate once you have filed for bankruptcy. Also, evidence that you have completed debtor education after filing must be done, before a discharge of your debts. Those certificates are not just issues by anyone, but only from course providers approved by the United States Trustee Program. Protection against fraud is done through production of certificates via an automated central system, dully numbered.

In a pre-bankruptcy credit counseling session, taking place in an organization approved to offer the counseling must include the financial situation evaluation of the individual, discussion of bankruptcy alternatives and plans of a personal budget. Mostly, the counseling session typically takes an hour or one and a half, online, through the phone or in person.

If you cannot pay for the credit counseling, the counseling organization must offer the service without payment. However, it is important to ask for the fee to be waived prior to the start of the session, to avoid being charged about 50 dollars for the service, depending on the received service, location and a score of other factors.

The certificate is proof that you are through with the required course, and it is important to check with the U.S. Trustee to make sure the received certificate is from a credible counselor. The fee for the certificate should also not be charged more than the required cost.

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