How to Prove Income in a Bankruptcy
- 1). Gather pay stubs for the past six months. You need to average out your last six months of income for the means test to determine if you can file Chapter 7 or Chapter 13 bankruptcy. You will also need to file pay stubs from the 60 days before you filed bankruptcy with your petition. Contact your employer and request pay records if you do not have all the pay stubs. If you are self-employed, give business financial records, such as a profit and loss statement, that cover the last six months.
- 2). Get one to six months of statements from bank accounts, investments and other financial accounts. The number you need depends on your bankruptcy jurisdiction and the requirements of the trustee for your case. Send the statements to the court at least one week before the date of the 341 meeting in which you answer questions from the trustee and any creditors in attendance about your petition.
- 3). Provide one to three years of tax returns depending on the rules of the bankruptcy court in your jurisdiction and the trustee's requirements. Send the documents to the trustee no less than seven days before the 341 meeting.