Bankruptcy lawyer: How to find a good one

If you face a bankruptcy process, you know how hard it is to complete all the bureaucratic procedures behind your case.

Nobody wants to go bankrupt, but sometimes, we can’t control the things that happen in our lives.

If this is your case, stop worrying; an attorney for bankruptcy will be the best alternative to solve this issue.

Still, we at Safe Loan understand the enormous sense of relief that people get once their bankruptcy case is finally over.

We know it’s frustrating and complicated for you, but today, after reading this blog post, you will comprehend:

• What is a bankruptcy attorney?
• How can they help you?
• Qualities of a good attorney for bankruptcy.

First of all, it is fundamental to comprehend what bankruptcy is before moving on. Basically, bankruptcy is a legal process designed to help businesses and individuals to eliminate all or part of their debt.

Federal courts can even help individuals to repay portions of what they owe. In short, bankruptcy will help you relieve debt, but it’s not as easy as it sounds.

In fact, it is commonly known that bankruptcy processes are long and complex. That’s why the average individual is not equipped to go through the whole process alone: they need a bankruptcy lawyer.

There are some requirements that must be completed if you want to file for bankruptcy.

Foremost, it’s utterly crucial to demonstrate that you can not repay your debts.

Yes. Although, if everything goes right, your debt will be totally or partially eliminated, bankruptcy will have a severe impact on your credit score.

We are not talking about a short-term impact, your credit report will be affected from 7 to 10 years. This means that you won’t be able to open a credit card account or get approved for loans in the future.

Before telling you more about bankruptcy attorneys, it’s essential to know the main two types of bankruptcy:

• • Chapter 7 bankruptcy: this is the most common bankruptcy type. The federal court will supervise the sale of your assets, which will be used to pay your creditors. As a consequence, you will likely lose the property.
  • Chapter 13 bankruptcy: in this case, your attorney will help you negotiate repayment plans where the debt is going to be discharged afterward. Of course, this type of bankruptcy will also affect your credit score, but it’s a most favorable option for most people.

Hiring a bankruptcy attorney is one of the best decisions you can make if you finally decide to move on with this process.

Keep in mind that handling a bankruptcy case requires lots of expertise and knowledge. In fact, it’s challenging to find people that completed the process without the help of a lawyer.

A bankruptcy attorney will help you decide if you really need to file bankruptcy in the first place. Sometimes, people need guidance before making a big decision like this.

Besides, the lawyer will tell you what sort of bankruptcy is the best to opt for (Chapter 7 and Chapter 13 as aforementioned).

On top of that, there are tax consequences that you must face, so it’s better to hire a professional to handle this.

Finally, they will tell you if you should continue making payments to creditors or not. As you can see, all of this knowledge only can be provided by real professionals in their field.

Now that you know what an attorney for bankruptcy is, it is now time to comprehend how to find the right one.

It is impossible to fill bankruptcy (under Chapter 13 or Chapter 7) without fully understanding legal issues. Do not commit this mistake, misunderstanding the law will negatively affect you in the future.

It is better to be safe than sorry. Even the judicial system advises it, so try not to ignore these signals and follow these tips to find the perfect lawyer for your case.

Always look for specialists

As we all know, lawyers practice in multiple areas. This creates the need to only look for someone specialized in bankruptcy law.

It is not recommended to hire attorneys that “know a little bit of everything.” The detailed aspects of bankruptcy are complex to manage, so the best thing to do is look for someone up to date with the latest legal developments in this area of practice.

You can start looking in associations such as the National Association of Consumer Bankruptcy Attorneys.

Consider local expertise

So, now that you comprehend the importance of hiring someone familiar with bankruptcy laws, it is time to filter your search a little more.

The attorney you hire should completely comprehend the local laws of the court where your bankruptcy case will take place.

Keep in mind that bankruptcy procedures vary from state to state and even from locality to locality.

Hence, you must look for lawyers with demonstrable experience in your filing locality. This is a fantastic way to ensure a good and efficient bankruptcy process.

Avoid bankruptcy mills

First of all, what’s a bankruptcy mill? Basically, bankruptcy mills handle hundreds of bankruptcy cases without focusing on the specific needs of each client.

This is a line of approach that should always be avoided. Consider that bankruptcy is so complex that having unqualified attorneys doing all the paperwork for you might result in a disaster.

It’s fundamental to always ask about an attorney’s level of experience. In that scenario, what matters the most is the number of bankruptcy cases handled by the professional.

 

We hope this information we just shared helps you through your future bankruptcy process.

Needless to say, the best decision you can make is hiring a bankruptcy lawyer that you can actually feel comfortable with.

Keep in mind that the person who will represent your case at the end of the day must have your entire trust during the process.