Registered Attorneys
Client Handouts
Summary
Registered Attorneys are attorneys, legal aid and social service
organizations that wish to regularly refer their clients to the Institute
for Pre-Filing Counseling and/or Post-Filing Debtor Education services.Registered
Attorneys receive their clients’ certificates by email.There is no
cost of any type for the Registered Attorney, and Registered Attorneys
are not required to collect the Institute’s service fees from clients.
Why Become a Registered Attorney
Certificate Received Directly from the
Institute.Some clients don’t
know what to do with a certificate once they get it, or give the agency
or provider the incorrect fax number or email address for the attorney.Even
if the fax number is correct, the attorney then has to scan the certificate
before submitting it to ECF.As a Registered Attorney, the attorney receives
the certificate immediately by email, but can also request an additional
copy from the Institute if the certificate is accidentally deleted.
Efficiency.Many attorneys prefer to have a single agency/provider which
can handle all of their Pre-Filing Counseling and Post-Filing Debtor Ed
needs.With on demand telephone and internet delivery options for both counseling
and debtor education and a no-hassle pro bono process, the Institute can
deliver quality services to almost any client, anywhere.
Institute Service Fees
Pre-Filing Counseling: $50 per household (single
or couple) regardless of delivery method.
Post-Filing Debtor Education: $50 per household (single or couple) regardless
of delivery method.
Pro Bono Services
The Institute for Financial Literacy provides financial education and counseling services without regard to a client's ability to pay. Clients may seek a waiver of fees for credit counseling and/or debtor education and will be eligible if their household income falls below 150% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines. Documentation of household income must be received before the fee is waived. Documentation of household income, along with the name, telephone number, mailing address and email address of the individual requesting the fee waiver and the individual's attorney's name (if applicable), telephone and email address should be submitted in writing by mail. Submissions should be addressed to:
Institute for Financial Literacy
Attn: Fee Waiver Request
260 Western Avenue, Suite 1
South Portland, ME 04106
For clients applying for debtor education, Schedules I and J of their bankruptcy petition must be enclosed. Persons facing an immediate financial problem, such as a foreclosure deadline, and/or persons facing an impending court deadline, will be permitted to submit their requests and documentation by facsimile or email. For additional information call toll free at 1-866-662-4932.
Normal Business Hours
Registered
Attorney Form
In order to become a Registered Attorney, please fill
out a Registered Attorney Form. The Institute will create an account
for your organization and contact you to provide you with your reference
number to be given to clients.
Registered Attorney Client Handouts
These are single
page forms designed to be given to clients by Registered Attorneys.Each
form corresponds to a particular service and delivery method, as the instructions
vary slightly from one to the next.The different services and delivery
methods are explained in the Overview.They are not required, but may help
avoid some client confusion.
Registered Attorney Pre-Filing
Counseling Client Instructions
Registered Attorney Post-Filing
Debtor Education Client Instructions