Include Money You May Have Coming to You

When you list your property on the bankruptcy forms, you must include not only property you have when you file, but also property that you may have coming to you. Here are some examples:

• an inheritance from a recently deceased relative that you have not yet received
• stock options, trust funds, or tax refunds
• pensions, retirement funds, annuities, and life insurance, and
• judgments from lawsuits you've filed or could file, arising from a personal injury or other matter.

Don't Deliberately Hide Assets or Other Financial Details

If you deliberately fail to disclose property, omit material information about your financial affairs, or use a false Social Security number to hide your identity as a prior filer, and the court discovers your action, your case will be dismissed and you may be prosecuted for fraud. The punishment for fraud is serious: Jail time is not unusual for those who try to hide property from the court and get caught.