Consumer Bankruptcy Journal Fall 2015 | Page 51

7 THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW new law, debtor education providers are exempt from having to file Form B23. However, Attorneys and Clients must still file that form if they wish to do the filing. BE Adviser, LLC (www.beadviser.com) provides the filing service free of charge to Attorneys in all jurisdictions. 4. If your course provider has an Attorney Login system, use it! Attorney Login systems make it easier for Attorneys and their staff to download copies of client certificates, and they also allow the provider to more easily verify the Attorney’s information in their database to ensure certificates get routed to the proper place. They also will save your office time in the long run, as they cut down on the number of phone calls or e-mails your firm will need to place to the agency. They are also typically available 24/7, so you can obtain documents even if the agency is currently closed. 5. Beware of Agencies offering you an “exclusive rate”, below their normal advertised rate, for just your clients. Agencies have been charging different Attorneys different rates in order to capture business they otherwise would not be able to capture. This allows them to compete at different price points for the same exact service. Besides being dishonest and unfair to your clients, these agencies often may be relying on clients forgetting to use the discount code and being charged the full price. Stick with an agency that offers the same pricing to everyone. 6. Pick a reputable provider. Do they have a well-designed web site? Is it simple and easy to navigate? Do they have a contact page with a phone number clients can call if they need help? Do they have a booth at the NACBA conference? Your referral of a provider reflects upon your own law National Association of Consumer Bankruptcy Attorneys Winter 2015 firm. You also have an ethical duty to refer your clients to provider that will not compromise your client’s private information. Always make sure the provider has a web site that starts with https instead of http. The “s” designates that the web site transmits information securely. *CC Advising, Inc. (www.ccadvising. com) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit entity and provides Credit Counseling, and BE Adviser, LLC (www. beadviser.com), is a completely separate for-profit entity which provides Debtor Education. Both agencies collaborated on preparing this article. CONSUMER BANKRUPTCY JOURNAL 51