If you are facing excessive debts that have become overwhelming despite your best efforts to keep up, you may find yourself considering filing bankruptcy. While this is a major decision and one that should only be made after a lot of thought, there are some things that you should consider from the start. Here are a couple of tips that may help you to simplify your bankruptcy and recover quickly:

Make Sure You Include Everything You Can

When you make the decision to file, it's in your best financial interest to include everything you can in your bankruptcy. After all, if you can't afford to settle the accounts, they should be part of the bankruptcy. In addition, if you pay off only certain creditors before you file, your bankruptcy may not be permitted due to showing favoritism amongst your creditors.

Once you've submitted your list of debts, take time to confirm that you didn't forget any. If you did forget any, make sure they're added to the case before it's discharged. That ensures that you're not left with outstanding debts while you're trying to rebuild after the discharge.

Call Your Creditors As Soon As You File

Legally, collections efforts must stop as soon as you file for bankruptcy. You can put a stop to the phone calls and everything by calling all of your creditors that are included in the bankruptcy. Notify them of the case and the district where it was filed, then give them your bankruptcy attorney's contact information. They will then legally have to work with your attorney for communication after that.

Get Counseling And Rebuild

Many bankruptcy courts actually require that you attend a credit counseling program before your case can be heard. Take the time to go through the program and really absorb the information that they teach. It will give you the tools you need to not only restore but also maintain your credit in the future.

Once you've finished the program and you have your bankruptcy discharged, it's time to start working on rebuilding. Sometimes, it's best to start with a secured credit card or similar type of loan, because it's hard to get approved for traditional credit right away. Get some form of secured credit and manage it responsibly, making payments on time and keeping the balance down.

With these tips and the help of a bankruptcy law office like Dunbar & Dunbar who is familiar with your local court system, you can complete your bankruptcy and start your future of restoring your credit.