Bankruptcy Attorney in California
Bankruptcy filings in the (United States~U. S.} are steadily on the rise and the need to find a reputable bankruptcy lawyers is in demand now more than ever. Nationwide bankruptcy filings last year topped 1.4 million, icreasing from 1.7 million in 2008 according to the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts. At this speed citizens may experience the amount of bankruptcy filing top 2 million in 2010 and the amount of bankruptcy attorneys and law firms offering bankruptcy rise as well to provide for the people filing personal bankruptcy. The web is packed with bankruptcy attorneys and bankruptcy law firms advertising things like “ $100.00 get’s you started” and “free consultation” or “bankruptcy as low as” etc., but beware of bankruptcy attorneys! When it comes to advertisements that stateadvertising “$100.00 get’s you started”, what do you really conceive getting for $100.00? You’re right, NADA! Also, if they offer you a free consultation demand that it’s with the bankruptcy attorney that’s actually going to file your bankruptcy. The most common type of bankruptcy is chapter 7, but since the enactment of the “means test” in 2005 filing chapter 7 bankruptcies is more grave nowadays and more consumers must now file chapter 13. While a chapter 7 allows someone filing bankruptcy to completely eliminate their debt a chapter 13 is a repayment plan, typically lasting 5 years. A problem with bankruptcy is that it’s not an accurate science and large bankruptcy law offices, as in Legal Helpers have been recieving a lot of complaints from consumers attempting to get a discounted price when filing bankruptcy. The entire business pattern of these law firms is to get a $100.00 downpayment so the consumer won’t go else where 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 lawyer 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 answer. Repugnant stories about these large bankruptcy law offices are everywhere, 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 country varies from $1200.00 to $4,000 depending 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 the cheapest bankruptcy lawyer on the web you might end up with a larger problem than the reason you’re filing bankruptcy. Usually when someone accepts they are going bankrupt is when they start to scout out a bankruptcy lawyer and price is their first priority. Expect to pay a fair and reasonable price for a bankruptcy attorney and don’t think cheaper is better, or $100.00 get’s you anything but a concern. Most honest bankruptcy attorneys will allow you to make installments and then file your bankruptcy when you are fully paid up. Bankruptcy law offices like Zhou & Chini are all over the internet and typically will not talk about their fees to file bankruptcy until they see the complexity of your file. While a uncomplicated 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 attorney or even consider a free bankruptcy consultation you should ask your bankruptcy attorney 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 case dismissed and lose out all together. While you can file a simple chapter 7 with a paralegal, you will probably get better results with a bankruptcy lawyer that provides you a personalized service and properly explicate the path to bankruptcy. If you are 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 more than likely is. To speak directly with a bankruptcy lawyer or just to get more bankruptcy info click on: www.BankruptcyAttorneyinCalifornia.com