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Law Off of D.L. Drain P.A., Arizona Bankruptcy Lawyer | "Helping You Get Your Life Back on Track"
Law Off of D.L. Drain P.A., Arizona Bankruptcy Lawyer | "Helping You Get Your Life Back on Track"

Bankruptcy for an Individual

Get your life back on track

Individual BankruptcyDiane Drain2026-05-25T15:18:35-07:00

FREE Financial Advice, including Bankruptcy

Key takeaway: Individual bankruptcy may help an Arizona resident deal with overwhelming debt, stop certain collection activity, protect exempt property, and decide whether Chapter 7 or Chapter 13 is appropriate. The first step is to gather accurate information about income, expenses, assets, debts, lawsuits, transfers, tax issues, and secured property before deciding whether bankruptcy is the right tool.

My goal is to get to know you and your situation, then answer your questions (generally for FREE), but there are two things you must do prior to our FREE individual bankruptcy consultation:

  • Watch 9 very short videos so you can learn what creditors can do and what your rights are, as well as some information on the bankruptcy process.
  • Next, you need to fill out a questionnaire that helps me to understand more about your specific situation.

Anxiety stems from financial difficulties. You would not be contacting me unless you were having financial difficulties. So please know I am here to help you. Also, understand that you have not committed to file bankruptcy just because you filled out the bankruptcy information online and then we talked. You can step back at any time. I am happy to answer your questions, but this does not imply that we have created an attorney-client relationship.

If you are still curious about what is involved in the bankruptcy process and how I can help you. Continue on reading below.

Individual Bankruptcy FAQs

View a flowchart of the Chapter 7 Process by clicking on the link below:

Chapter 7 Flow Chart Download

View a flowchart of the Chapter 13 Process by clicking on the link below:

Chapter 13 Flow Chart Download

Assuming Diane agreed to help you with a bankruptcy, she will either send you two emails, or suggest you contact her when you are ready:

(1) the first is an email titled “What’s Next”.  This details all the next steps, including links to various sources.

(2) the second is an email from MyCaseInfo where you will fill out information necessary for the bankruptcy process.  Make sure to print the instructions attached to the “What’s next” email.

First and foremost, our clients will tell you that my fees are very reasonable, often less than those of “mass production” firms. Our initial consultation is completely FREE (you can afford that).

Everyone is unique, as is their situation. If we charged the same fee to all callers, we would be charging some too much and others not enough. Any firm that quotes fees without knowing your situation has decided to limit services to those with complicated cases and overcharge those with simple cases. After the initial discussion, I will let you know if I can help you and what my fees will be.

We are all concerned about the cost of hiring a professional. I understand that price is important, but receiving competent advice is even more important. Otherwise, you will have a bad experience and waste a lot of money trying to fix mistakes caused by bad advice or poor planning. “It costs more to fix a problem than it does to do it right the first time,” as the saying goes. I recommend reading “Hiring a cheap lawyer is very expensive,” .

Before I can give you an accurate cost for our help and support, I need to learn more about your specific situation.

The information you provide will assist me in identifying any problems and explaining how to best resolve those problems (some that you never realized would be problems). It is possible that bankruptcy is not an option, or that it is only one of several options. This type of assessment and planning, like good medical treatment, takes time and experience.

See article “What is a Simple Bankruptcy?”

A typical consumer bankruptcy filing consists of 60 or more pages of paperwork, so what is involved depends on your unique situation.

It involves many state laws and federal laws, both bankruptcy and non-bankruptcy. There are bankruptcy classes required for consumers; tax returns and payroll information which must be file with the court. Failure to do any of these things will mean the automatic dismissal of your bankruptcy.  In addition to the mounds of paperwork, there are strict deadlines and procedures, which if not followed will lead to the bankruptcy being dismissed.

To continue reading more information about what is involved in a “Typical Consumer Bankruptcy”, WHAT IS INVOLVED IN THE TYPICAL CONSUMER BANKRUPTCY?

Why should you work with us? Because this firm has never been or will ever be a bankruptcy “mill” comprised of inexperienced or uninterested lawyers. I limit the number of clients we accept so that I can provide them with the best possible service.

YOU DESERVE BETTER!!

I’ve been practicing law since 1985, and the most dangerous misconception is that bankruptcy is a “one-size-fits-all” solution. I used to ask all of my law students at the start of each semester if they believed the “one size fits all” statement. The majority said “yes.” By the end of the semester, they had all realized how naive they had been in thinking “it’s just filling out a bunch of forms.” The truth is that one person’s financial and life circumstances are extremely unlikely to be identical to another’s. My goal is to tailor my legal advice to your specific history, needs, and desires, all at an extremely affordable cost based on your ability to pay.

See the comments from our wonderful clients made about how we helped them find that fresh start.

Helping out with bankruptcy

FREE Consultation Process

Please complete the following prior to our FREE Bankruptcy consultation in order for me to really help you:

Step 1.

watch 9 short videos from the Bankruptcy Court

Step 2.

Review a list of Arizona exemptions

Step 3.

Complete our online questionnaire

Step 4.

Schedule a FREE 30 to 40 minute phone call with Diane 602-246-7106

Post-consultation Steps

“Mean’s Test” – A follow up from our initial consultation

Move forward with filing your bankruptcy

Clients from all across Arizona have put their trust in us

Helpful to establishing a stable life

“Helpful to establishing a stable life” L.A. Diane and Jay are a great team. Diane took the time to explain every step of the way and provide me with so much education regarding my bankruptcy. The material I obtained was and is very helpful to have a [...]

She helped us to pick up the pieces of our lives

"She helped us to pick up the pieces of our lives" Posted on AVVO Anonymous *Diane Drain and her staff have guided us through the rough terrain of a bankruptcy. From the beginning of this process, to an end that is quite near, Ms. Drain has provided the highest [...]

It is a lot of work to prepare, but….we are more prepared for a better future

"It is a lot of work to prepare, but….we are more prepared for a better future" L & A.Q. My wife and I would like to thank Diane and Jay for their hospitality, thoroughness and patience. With the hard decision of wanting to file bankruptcy, they showed [...]

You literally saved my sanity and helped me get back on track.

You literally saved my sanity and helped me get back on track. D.S. Diane Drain and her paralegal, Jay McClimon were absolutely top-notch and experienced in every respect. She's experienced, kind, and compassionate - 3 qualities you really want in a bankruptcy attorney. I had been feeling [...]

Diane’s steady hand, expertise and cool head, got us on the right track

“Diane’s steady hand, expertise and cool head, got us on the right track.”  P.R. Our lives were spinning out of control. We were trying all kinds of “quick fix” gimmicks to get our finances in order following employment challenges and being small business [...]

Diane and Jay were very patient with us

"Diane and Jay were very patient with us" N & J Diane and Jay were very patient with us in explaining every important detail involved in our case which helped ease the anxiety that sometimes came when we felt unsure about certain questions, Thank you. [...]

You were brilliant!

"You were brilliant!!" G. I will never forget what you’ve done for me. You were brilliant!Thank you.

Diane Drain is really knowledgeable.

"Diane Drain is really knowledgeable." B.W. Diane Drain is really knowledgeable. She helped us tremendously in our bankruptcy case. We are thankful for all she did for us!

Diane – you were nice and caring.

“You were very nice and caring. ” R.G. I cannot thank you enough Diane for taking the time to speak with me. Your website has so much information and very helpful. You were very nice and caring. Appreciate you!  R.G.   [...]

I do appreciate your kindness

"I do appreciate your kindness ." D. I do appreciate your kindness in helping us through this tedious process.

You were the main catalyst that made a very emotionally draining time very bearable

"You were the main catalyst that made a very emotionally draining time very bearable." M & B Just a quick note to say Thank You! We received our discharge paperwork this week and it has been a huge burden lifted off of our shoulders. I want to thank [...]

They are compassionate truth-tellers who educate and empower

They are compassionate truth-tellers who educate and empower. M.R. Diane and Jay are caring and competent professionals who have helped so many people through difficult legal processes. They are compassionate truth-tellers who educate and empower as much as they provide legal assistance. Highly recommend. [...]

I’m so grateful for all their help during a very stressful time.

“I'm so grateful for all their help during a very stressful time.”  P.F. "Diane and Jay helped me tremendously. I highly recommend their services, and I'm so grateful for all their help during a very stressful time." P.F.

Diane and Jay are the Best

“Diane told me how to file a complaint against Scott Forrester and ask the State Bar for my money back.” D.B. Diane and Jay have been wonderful to work with, they are really the best. I found them after paying Scott Forrester and finding out he was [...]

If there is more than 5 stars, I would Jump to give the highest

"If there is more than 5 stars, I would Jump to give the highest." P.G. If there is more than 5 stars, I would Jump to give the highest possible rating to attorney Diane Drain. Before I called Diane, we did our own research, read everything on their web [...]

I will be forever grateful to Diane and Jay for giving us our life back!

I will be forever grateful to Diane and Jay for giving us our life back! P.E. I cannot adequately describe how much we appreciate the help Diane and Jay provided us. We were in serious financial trouble, which created an incredible amount of stress that was beginning [...]

Process was very simple to understand

“Process was very simple to understand” R.C. Very professional Diane and Jay, loved their process was very simple to understand.

Experienced and excellent. 5.0 stars

"Experienced and excellent. 5.0 stars" M.R. Diane did a tremendous job preparing me for my bankruptcy. She educated me thoroughly about the process and stressed the importance of following all the steps as concisely as possible. Her rates are very reasonable, and I cannot recommend her highly [...]

Individual sad about her bills

This may help you answer some questions

What is involved in the chapter 7 bankruptcy process?

I encourage you to take a look at the following Chapter 7 Process that we use in our firm. This flowchart gives you an overview of the process of filing for chapter 7 bankruptcy.

What can I expect if I file a chapter 13 bankruptcy?

Have a question about Chapter 13 Bankruptcy? I recommend that you look at the following Chapter 13 Process that is used in our firm. This flowchart depicts the steps involved in filing for chapter 13 bankruptcy.

FREE bankruptcy advice

You may feel anxious, overwhelmed and stressed about what will happen next.

Our purpose is to assist you in discovering solutions, which we accomplish by offering free bankruptcy consultation. This will need a lot of effort on your part, but the end result might be life-changing. Do you have to choose between purchasing groceries and paying your rent? Please contact us so that we can discuss your options for starting a new life.

Do you dread getting a phone call or having someone knock on your door?

This is not a healthy way to live, and asking questions is the first step toward regaining control of your life.

If you watch the videos and complete the questionnaire (the green FREE CONSULTATION button below), I will provide you with free bankruptcy advice that will provide you with the information you need to make informed financial decisions.  There is no commitment to filing bankruptcy, or even working with our firm.

♥ This remark is from one of our amazing clients. It may help you understand the importance of reading and following instructions.

Thank you very much. It was an honor and a joy to be your client. I am eternally glad that you were referred to me to assist me with my bankruptcy. You are definitely the finest of the best, and it would be a pleasure to share with anyone at any time my most lovely and painless experience with you as my guide and wise advise. I’ve never studied instructions or followed rules more carefully in my life, and I’m appreciative for your well-thought-out website and professional experience in ensuring that I was informed and on track throughout. I am grateful for your guidance, immense knowledge and wisdom, expert advice, and encouragement. I’m singing your and Jay’s praises from the rooftops for all of the aid and advice you gave me.

-K.

(see more of our client reviews)

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Are you or a loved one experiencing financial hardship?

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