How to Find a Good Bankruptcy Attorney

If you’re in need of debt relief, you’ve probably toyed with the idea of reaching out to a bankruptcy attorney to help with your predicament. Getting a fresh start because of going broke will be one of the main reasons for wanting to seek the services of a bankruptcy attorney. It is possible that hiring an attorney will not be the solution for your current financial woes. In this post, we’re going to find it if you need a bankruptcy attorney, the options worth exploring, and what to look out for during the whole process.

Do You Need to Hire a Bankruptcy Attorney?

Before we can go any further, it is important to make it clear that you don’t need an attorney to help with your bankruptcy case. It is possible to handle everything on your own but it is not always a straightforward process. You also don’t need to hire a bankruptcy attorney if you’re running a sole proprietorship.

Is It Recommended To File For Bankruptcy on Your Own?

It could be tempting to go through the process alone in order to save on costs. As much as it is possible, it is often not recommended for a couple of reasons. Paying for the services of a law firm like W. Ron Adams Law could end up saving you money in the long run depending on the nature and circumstances of the case. A good lawyer will provide sound legal advice and there will be no reason to waste money on a paralegal to help in filing the forms. The decision to hire a lawyer will mostly be determined by your individual circumstances.

Do You Need an Attorney For a Chapter 7 Bankruptcy?

It will depend on your financial situation. If you mostly have payday loans, medical bills, credit card loans, and don’t own property, it is possible to file for Chapter 7 on your own. Filing for Chapter 7 will stop any collection efforts from creditors. There are tons of how-to guides on how to file without the help of an attorney.

If you own significant assets such as real estate, you’ll not want to take the risk as it could mean losing the property. Hiring an attorney will make perfect sense under such circumstances.

Do You Need An Attorney For a Chapter 13 Bankruptcy

 Chapter 13 is far more complicated than Chapter 7. It is usually a preferred option for debtors with significant assets. With Chapter 13, you can set up a repayment plan to help in bringing your debts current or avoiding foreclosure in case it is a home. For this type of bankruptcy, it is imperative that you’re getting an experienced attorney to help you out. It will be difficult to circumnavigate the legal complexities. Only 3% of the cases are successful without the help of an attorney. Working with a lawyer will be a no-brainer if you want to keep your property.

Having looked at some of the options when filing for bankruptcy, you’re probably wondering how to get an experienced attorney that will ensure that you’re getting the best possible outcome for the case. There are some tips that will come in handy in the search process and we’re going to highlight some of them:

Personal Referrals

Most good attorneys get their business through personal referrals. It means that clients are satisfied with their services and will be willing to refer them. You can reach out to friends and family that might have gone through the process in the past. They’re likely to know someone that you can trust with your bankruptcy case. The local bar association will also provide reference services in case you can’t get recommendations from people you know.

Read Reviews

Don’t just depend on reviews on the law firm’s website to make a decision. Such reviews can be faked. Ideally, you should check out the reviews on websites such as Yelp and Google Reviews. This will give you a clear picture of the kind of services you can expect from the attorney.

How Much Will The Service Cost?

Don’t go for the cheapest quote when searching for a bankruptcy attorney. An attorney with suspiciously low rates could be having something to hide. You can reach out to multiple attorneys as some of them will provide a free case evaluation. Ask about their rates and the term of payments so everything is clear from the onset. Cutting corners should be the last thing to do when there is a risk of losing your property. In most cases, the attorney will charge a flat fee. There are also additional costs such as credit counseling fees and court fees that you’ll need to be aware of when filing for bankruptcy.

Experience

Getting an experienced attorney is crucial for the success of the case. In order to find out the experience of the lawyer, one of the things you’ll need to figure out is the number of years they’ve been practicing. An attorney with a successful track record of winning cases for clients will provide peace of mind in case you’re unsure of the possible outcome of the bankruptcy case. Experience is something that will obviously come with years on the job. In addition, you should look for an attorney that is licensed in your state as the bankruptcy laws may vary from one jurisdiction to another.

Conclusion

Filing for bankruptcy could be one of the hardest decisions that you ever have to make in your adulthood. In order to start afresh or get a reprieve, working with a bankruptcy attorney will be beneficial in so many ways. You get to be aware of your options even deciding on the type of bankruptcy to go for.

You can also take advantage of the free consultations that they offer in order to find it out if you truly need their services. You also don’t want to make any errors when it comes to filing for bankruptcy should you decide to do it on your own.