If you have filed bankruptcy, you have probably heard me or someone in my office talk about the “second bankruptcy course” or the “debtor education course.” It is one of those things that sounds more complicated than it really is.

In fact, completing the second course is very easy. There is nothing to be afraid of, and there is no difficult test that you have to pass.

There are simply a few rules you need to understand.

There Are Two Bankruptcy Courses

Under the Bankruptcy Code, there are two separate financial education requirements that apply to individual bankruptcy debtors.

Attorneys will often refer to them simply as the “first course” and the “second course.” Technically, however, they are different.

The first course is really a credit counseling briefing. You generally complete this before your bankruptcy case is filed. It is designed to review your financial situation and discuss alternatives to bankruptcy.

The second course is more educational in nature. It is generally referred to as the Debtor Education Course or Personal Financial Management Course. It is designed to provide information about managing your finances after bankruptcy.

Both courses are required by the Bankruptcy Code.

The important thing to remember is that completing the first course does not satisfy the second-course requirement. They are two separate requirements.

You Cannot Take the Second Course Before Filing Bankruptcy

One of the questions I frequently get from clients is:

“Can I just take the second course now and get it out of the way?”

Unfortunately, no.

The second course cannot be completed until after your bankruptcy case has been filed.

The reason is simple. The certificate you receive after completing the course must contain your bankruptcy case number. You do not have a bankruptcy case number until your case has actually been filed with the Bankruptcy Court.

Once your case has been filed, however, you can take the course.

And I strongly recommend that you do it as soon as possible after your case is filed.

Don’t Put It Off

There is really no reason to be nervous about the second course.

It is not an examination where you have to study for hours and worry about getting the answers right. It is not a test that you can fail.

You simply need to complete the course.

There may be questions or a brief quiz as part of the process, but the purpose is to make sure that you have completed the required educational program. It is not designed to trick you or keep you from receiving your bankruptcy discharge.

The hardest part for many people is simply getting started.

Once you log in and begin, you will find that it is a relatively straightforward process.

My Office Pays for Both Courses

When you hire my office to handle your bankruptcy, the cost of both required courses is paid by my office as part of the services we provide.

You do not have to go searching the internet for a course provider or try to determine whether a particular company is approved to provide the course.

My office uses myHorizon for the second course.

After your bankruptcy case has been filed, we will provide you with the information you need, including your Access Code.

You can then complete the course online or by telephone.

How to Take the Second Course Online

If you are taking the course online, the process is straightforward.

Step 1

Go to:

www.myhorizontoday.com/secondcourse

Enter the Access Code provided to you by my office.

Step 2

Complete your registration, or log into your existing account if you have one.

Step 3

Select “Proceed to Course” and follow the instructions to complete the course.

That’s it.

You can complete the course from your computer at a time that is convenient for you.

You Can Also Take the Course by Phone

If you would rather complete the course by telephone, that is also an option.

Call:

1-877-213-6519

The telephone service is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, in English and Spanish.

When prompted, enter the Access Code provided by my office.

After listening to the required disclosures, you will receive a unique Order Number. Write that number down because you will need it during the remainder of the course.

After you complete the course, you will take a brief quiz and then re-enter the last four digits of your Social Security number and your Bankruptcy Case Number to verify your attendance.

Again, don’t let the word “quiz” scare you. This is not something you need to study for or worry about passing. The important thing is that you complete the course and follow the instructions.

When Does the Second Course Have to Be Completed?

This is the part I really want my clients to pay attention to.

The second course must be completed after your bankruptcy case is filed and before your bankruptcy discharge is entered.

In my Chapter 7 cases, the bankruptcy clerk will generally close the case approximately 60 to 70 days after the Meeting of Creditors (your bankruptcy hearing) if everything else has been completed and there is nothing preventing the case from being closed.

You should not wait until that deadline.

Get the second course done early.

If the course has not been completed by the time your case is ready to be closed, your case can be closed without a discharge being entered.

That creates an entirely unnecessary problem.

Once a case has been closed without a discharge, it generally becomes necessary to file a motion or other appropriate paperwork to reopen the bankruptcy case so that the required certificate can be filed and the discharge can be requested.

That means an additional court filing fee will be required to reopen the case, and there may also be additional attorney fees for the work necessary to reopen the case and complete the bankruptcy process.

Think about that for a moment.

You have already gone through the process of filing bankruptcy, attended your Meeting of Creditors, and are very close to receiving your discharge. You don’t want to have your case closed without a discharge simply because you did not spend a little time completing a course that is easy to take.

Don’t let this happen to you.

My advice is simple: take the second course as soon as you reasonably can after your bankruptcy case is filed.

Once it is completed, you can put it behind you.

What If You Have Trouble Taking the Course?

Occasionally, a client will have difficulty getting started, logging into the system, entering the Access Code, or completing the course.

If you have a technical problem with the course, contact the course provider directly.

My office uses myHorizon, and its customer service department can be reached at:

888-410-6988

Their current customer-service hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time.

You can also contact myHorizon through its customer-service department if you are having trouble accessing or completing the course.

If you are having a legal or bankruptcy-case question, of course, contact my office. But if the problem is that the website will not let you log in, your Access Code isn’t working, or you are having a technical problem with the course itself, myHorizon is the company that can troubleshoot that problem for you.

What Happens If You Don’t Complete It?

This is why I emphasize getting the course done early.

Completing the second course is a requirement for receiving your bankruptcy discharge.

If you do not complete the course, you can have a problem obtaining your discharge.

The Bankruptcy Court does not simply overlook the requirement because you forgot to take the course. If your case is closed before the required certificate is filed, you may have to incur the additional expense of reopening the case and completing the necessary paperwork.

And remember, the discharge is the reason most people file Chapter 7 bankruptcy in the first place.

It is the order that eliminates qualifying debts and gives you the fresh financial start that you were seeking when you filed bankruptcy.

So don’t let something as simple as failing to complete the second course interfere with your discharge.

My Advice: Get It Done Early

After more than 30 years of practicing bankruptcy law and helping thousands of people through the bankruptcy process, I have seen clients worry about all sorts of things that ultimately turn out to be very simple.

The second bankruptcy course is one of them.

There is nothing to fear.

You don’t need to study for it. You don’t need to hire anyone to help you take it. You don’t need to worry about passing a difficult examination.

You simply need to complete it.

Once your bankruptcy case has been filed, my office will provide you with the information and Access Code you need. Take a little time, log in or call, complete the course, and make sure your certificate of completion is properly issued.

Don’t wait until the last minute.

Get it done early, make sure the certificate is filed in your bankruptcy case, and then check another important item off your bankruptcy “to-do” list.

The goal of bankruptcy is to get you through the process and to your fresh financial start. Completing the second course is simply one of the final steps along the way