Why use a tax program to prepare your return? Up until now, there haven't been any affordable bankruptcy software programs for consumers. Our program exceeds those used by most lawyers and law firms at a price of less that $100, not $1200-$1800. With the price obstacle removed, then you need to weigh the importance of accuracy and compliance with federal rules not to mention time savings against the cost of the program.
The program uses windows based dialog boxes to collect information needed to complete the bankruptcy papers which when printed usually exceed 50 pages in length. All information is cross referenced. Creditors are alphabetized as required, math calculations are all done by the computer including interest rate amortizations for secured debt, summaries of the schedules and so on. When you are ready to print and file the information is transferred into the official forms required by the court in a competed package ready to file.
Artificial intelligence means the program gives you tips and helps you select the proper legal exemptions in property, tells you when your budget isn't balance properly and things like when your chapter 13 plan, is under funded, or inconsistent with court guidelines or other information you have entered in your case. If you have used a tax return preparation program you will see a similar kind of artificial intelligence.
Professional software is never really free. However our program is affordable for anyone seeking to prepare their own bankruptcy or act as a bankruptcy advocate for others. The program is free to download and use to analyze a bankruptcy. Watermarks on the prepared papers remain until a license is purchased to remove them. A six month license costs $49.95.
The short answer is that it was created for you, and you are a unique minority of the general population within the continental U.S.A. The creation of this program takes approximately the same time and resources as the creation of a tax program. The problem is that the market for the program is small compared to the market for a tax return program. About 180 million tax returns are filed every year in the US. About 544,000 people file bankruptcy per year. To be fair we should charge 360 time what a tax return program costs to recoup our development costs, however we do not. A consumer can purchase a sufficient license to handle their own case for only $49.99