This post is meant to complement the Bankruptcy Documents List.
Paystubs are required to be provided to both the Court when you file your bankruptcy case AND to your attorney BEFORE you file so that your attorney can use those paystubs to prepare a Current Monthly Income (CMI) Report, Schedule I and run the Means Test for your bankruptcy petition.
It is imperative that you provide ALL paystubs for ALL employment you've held in the six (6) months preceding your bankruptcy filing. Providing paystubs can be especially frustrating because if the month changes, you will need to provide paystubs for the past month.
Example: You plan to file your case in July. You will need all paystubs received for January, February, March, April, May and June (6 months). If your case is NOT filed in July and is pushed to August, you will then need paystubs for all of July as well!
Paystubs are provided based on the Pay Date they are received.
If you are married, even if your spouse is NOT filing, we will still need their paystubs if you are living together to run the means test.
If you have a different employer, you will need to contact your former employer (try the HR department) and get copies of those paystubs or a report showing the paystubs received, including all deductions.
Your bank statements are NOT enough to show "how much you earn", this does not comply with bankruptcy requirements, your actual paystubs are required.
Your W2 shows your yearly wages, NOT your 6 months of wages, this is not a substitute for your actual paystubs.
