A bankruptcy lawyer is needed because he or she will know more about the laws than you, will know more about eligibility, more about fees, more about keeping your home from foreclosure, how to stop creditor harassment, and many other things.
We start the discussion with bankruptcy because it is often the first option that consumers consider. Bankruptcy is expensive and has long-lasting effects. There are pros and cons to bankruptcy. If you pass the means test for Chapter 7, you can wipe out all your unsecured debts. This is the major benefit. The biggest drawback is the effect on your credit. If you are overwhelmed with credit card debt, then there are alternatives that may give you better results than bankruptcy.
When choosing a bankruptcy lawyer it is important that you feel comfortable working with him or her. Filing bankruptcy is a very emotional and life changing experience. Therefore, you will want a lawyer that understands what you are going through. An experienced bankruptcy lawyer will know exactly how to handle any of your concerns or fears. One of the best ways to get a feel for your lawyer is to interview him or her. Be sure to ask plenty of questions so that you have a complete understanding where he or she stands on certain matters. Also, be sure to ask what their success rate is and if he or she has handled cases similar to yours before.
The good news about bankruptcy is that it will keep your creditors from hounding you about the money you owe. You cannot have any property repossessed nor can your creditors contact you via e-mail, phone, or any other means. Any foreclosure proceedings on your house will be immediately halted. Also, any pending lawsuits or legal actions that garnish your wages-such as child support and paternity suits-will be temporarily suspended. A good Bankruptcy lawyer will be able to guide you through this process and help you end up in the best financial position.
It might seem counterproductive to spend money when you are trying to rid yourself of debt. However, the money you spend could end up saving you a lot more in the future. Utilizing the services of this professional will help you discharge as much debt as possible as well as save your property. If you file on your own and make a mistake, you could be out thousands of dollars.
Bankruptcy takes time. You may find a year later after starting proceedings you are just going to court and in another six months or less you will have the courts ruling. During this time, you can ask your lawyer about any information that may come up. If you are trying to work with a few creditors, a lawyer can help you if the collection agencies are harassing you by fielding calls.
Something else you can do is get a part-time or temporary job. Depending on how much your lawyers that speak spanish near me will cost, you may only have to work the extra job for a couple of months. Some of the places you may want to look into are retail stores or maybe restaurants. That’s because they will probably have a great need for part-time help.
Using an attorney also takes much of the stress off of you as you file. You simply give your information to the attorney, and he or she will handle all of the busy work and forms. Forms that may be confusing to you are something the attorney sees every day, and will easily know how to maneuver through.