NHBA - Low-Income Bankruptcy

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Bankruptcy

The Pro Bono Program coordinates attorneys across the state to help low-income individuals with their legal issues on an unpaid, volunteer basis. Due to the increased demand for bankruptcy assistance and our limited staff and volunteer resources, the average waiting time for a referral to an attorney may be up to six months or longer for qualified applicants.

The Pro Bono Program’s limited resources allow us to provide volunteers only for Chapter 7 cases. Contact New Hampshire Legal Assistance for information on Chapter 13 bankruptcies or if you are trying to save your home.

For information on bankruptcy, including different types of bankruptcies, exemptions and debts that may not be dischargeable, please read the NH Bar Association’s pamphlet on bankruptcy.

To determine whether the Pro Bono Program may be able to assist you, please answer the following questions:

Section I

Have you filed a Chapter 7 bankruptcy within the past 8 years?

Do you have student loans?

If you can answer yes to either question, the Pro Bono Program will not be able to assist you. If you answered no, please continue with the following questions:

Section II

Do you have income from a job?

Do you own a home?

Do you have any other assets? (For example, other real estate)

Have you been taken to court by a creditor within the last six months?

Do you have any court action by creditors pending?

Are you behind in car payments?

If you answered no to ALL questions in Section II, the Pro Bono Program will not be able to assist you. If you answered yes to any question in Section II, read the information below and check the chart to determine whether you may meet the income eligibility guidelines for assistance.

The Pro Bono Program follows income and asset guidelines. We include the gross income (income before taxes and other deductions) from each individual in the household. Count the number of adults and children living in your house and find the maximum gross annual income for your household size on the table below.

Number of Household Members	Maximum Gross Income (Social Security, Alimony, Pensions, Wages, Child Support, TANF or other assistance)
1	$19,058
2	$25,743
3	$32,428
4	$39,113
5	$45,798

*Revised May 2011 – You will need to be able to certify the accuracy of your income.

If your household income is above our guidelines, you have some financial resources available or need immediate assistance, you may wish to contact the Lawyer Referral Service at 603-229-0002 or the Reduced-Fee Program at 603-715-3290.

If you are financially eligible and meet the requirements in Section I and Section II, print out the application, complete it and mail it to the Pro Bono Program along with proof of your income. Our address is Pro Bono Program, 2 Pillsbury Street, Suite 300, Concord, NH, 03301. If you have questions about the application, you may contact our office at 603-224-5387. Please note that completing our application is NOT filing for bankruptcy.

OTHER RESOURCES
New Hampshire Legal Aid: Legal information, referrals and Pro Se assistance.
New Hampshire Legal Assistance: Helpful consumer law publications.
Student Loan Borrower Assistance: A resource for student loan borrowers.

New Hampshire Bar Association
2 Pillsbury Street, Suite 300, Concord NH 03301
phone: (603) 224-6942 fax: (603) 224-2910
email: NHBAinfo@nhbar.org
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