File Bankruptcy
Bankruptcy filings in the (United States~U. S.} are steadily on the rise and the desire for knowledgeable bankruptcy attorneys is in demand now more than ever. National bankruptcy filings in the last year topped 1.4 million, icreasing from 1.7 million in 2008 according to the Administrative Office of the United States Courts. With this speed we may experience the number of bankruptcy filing top 2 million in 2010 and the number of bankruptcy lawyers and law offices offering bankruptcy increase as well to accommodate people filing personal bankruptcy. The internet is filled with bankruptcy attorneys and bankruptcy law offices with marketing slogans like “ $100.00 get’s you started” and “free consultation” or “bankruptcy as low as” etc., but beware of bankruptcy lawyers! When you see advertisements that proclaimadvertising “$100.00 get’s you started”, what do you really think you get for $100.00? You’re right, NOTHING! Also, if you are offered a free consultation make sure it’s with the bankruptcy lawyer that’s actually going to file your bankruptcy. The most common type of bankruptcy is chapter 7, but since the utilization of the “means test” in 2005 filing chapter 7 bankruptcies is more tough now and more homeowners must now file chapter 13. While a chapter 7 allows someone filing bankruptcy to completely wipe out their debt a chapter 13 is a repayment plan, typically lasting 5 years. The problem with bankruptcy is that it’s not an accurate science and large bankruptcy law firms, for example Legal Helpers are recieving a lot of complaints from consumers attempting to get a discounted price when filing bankruptcy. The entire business model of these firms is to get a $100.00 commitment so the consumer will not go anywhere else to hire an attorney. ”It’s ridiculous, what do you think a bankruptcy attorney is really going to do for you for $100.00” says James D. Zhou, bankruptcy attorney in California and senior partner with the Law Offices of Zhou & Chini. Zhou goes on to say, “bankruptcy is complicated and consumers should consider paying a reasonable fee to a bankruptcy attorney to get a good resolution. Repulsive stories about these mega bankruptcy firms are abundant, these firms should consider being upfront and honest with their clients and tell them $100.00 is just to get them to commit to file bankruptcy with their office. Bankruptcy lawyers should typically accept payment plans but none we know of will file your bankruptcy petition unless you are paid in full”.
While the price for filing a chapter 7 throughout the land may range from $1200.00 to $4,000 dependant on the county someone lives in and the complexity of the bankruptcy, the medium cost for a chapter 7 in California is about $2500.00 and $4,000 for a chapter 13 bankruptcy. If you try to find a bargain basement bankruptcy lawyer on the web you may end up with a larger problem than the reason you are filing bankruptcy. Normally when someone feels they are going bankrupt is when they start their search for a bankruptcy attorney and cost is the first thing they look at. Expect to pay a fair and reasonable price for a bankruptcy lawyer and don’t think bargain basement is better, or $100.00 get’s you anything but a trouble. Most honest bankruptcy lawyers will allow you to make payments and then file your bankruptcy when you are paid in full. Bankruptcy law offices like Zhou & Chini are all over the internet and typically will not discuss their fees to file bankruptcy until they see the complexity of your case. While a simple chapter 7 may not involve reaffirmation of debt or motions to avoid a lien it may only cost you $1500.00 in Riverside County but as much as $2,500 in Orange County or Los Angeles County. When you hire a bankruptcy lawyer or even consider a free bankruptcy consultation you should ask your bankruptcy lawyer if he or she will be doing the actual bankruptcy filing or a paralegal. It might be worth a little more to make sure your file is handled in good order so you don’t get your bankruptcy case dismissed and lose out all together. While you can file a simple chapter 7 with a paralegal, you will potentially get better results with a bankruptcy attorney that provides you a personalized service and properly explicate the path to bankruptcy. If you’re a California resident and need to file bankruptcy chapter 7 or chapter 13 remember this article, and remember if it sounds too good to be true it probably is. To speak directly with a bankruptcy attorney or just to get more bankruptcy information visit www.BankruptcyAttorneyinCalifornia.com
Filed Under: Blog Buddies
