Chapter 7 Bankruptcy

Our fees are kept low since we are efficient. Fees range depending on the complexity of one’s case but range from approximately $1,500 and up. We are happy to consult with you over the phone to go over your case and give you a more precise quote. Given recent abuses by certain clients, we now reserve the right to change the attorney fees if after agreeing to a certain fee, it is later discovered that the facts of your case are materially different than what was initially disclosed by you. For example, if you say you owe five creditors a total of $20,000 and it is later discovered that you actually owe 20 creditors $100,000, we reserve the right to change the price we agreed upon since your case complexity is different than what you initially asserted.

Easier than you think – with us. Unlike other firms that demand a pile of money upfront before they’ll even analyze your case (you’d be surprised how many will take your money before even seeing if you qualify for bankruptcy) we ask for no money for your consultation.  Our initial consultation is FREE.  Only AFTER analyzing your case to see if you’re a good candidate for bankruptcy we allow you to pay us in installments, as large or as small as you’d like. Clients typically start with a few hundred dollars to retain us and they pay us over the course of several months or longer depending on their financial situation and urgency of their situation. We do not charge interest or finance charges. Also you will NEVER receive a phone call from us asking for money. From the day you retain us, our price is good for six months.  Please note however we cannot file your case until your entire balance is paid in full due to how bankruptcy laws are structured.

The Federal government charges $335 to file a Chapter 7 bankruptcy. This fee goes to help pay for the trustee assigned to your case, and general court costs.  This is the fee as of 3/19/2020 however it is subject to period increases by the Court.

No, you do not have to stand before a Judge.  However, you DO have to go to a 341A hearing (aka Meeting of Creditors)., and yes, we do go with you to that hearing. This hearing is not the same as Court. It is an administrative hearing in which an interim trustee (typically another private attorney) interviews you and asks you questions about your paperwork. Their primary job is to look for assets that can be liquidated for the benefit of creditors. Our job is to properly exempt and protect your assets.  We will fully prepare you for that interview so there are no surprises.

There is no debt limit in Chapter 7 cases. If you have $10,000 in credit card debt or $1.5 million in mortgage balances from old investment properties, it can be discharged. Chapter 13 however does have debt limits.

There is no debt limit in Chapter 7 cases. If you have $10,000 in credit card debt or $1.5 million in mortgage balances from old investment properties, it can be discharged. Chapter 13 however does have debt limits.

Unfortunately, no. Based on the way bankruptcy laws are structured, we require all fees to be paid in full before we can file your case otherwise the debt that you owed to us would also get wiped-out in the same bankruptcy that we filed for you! We DO offer flexible payments plans to make it very easy to pay us over time in installments. Call for more details.

No. There is a misconception amongst some people that bankruptcy means the Court takes everything you have and you will be left on the street shirtless. This could not be further from the truth, especially in California where the exemption laws allow you to actually keep quite a bit in terms of possessions. Most people filing bankruptcy do not have assets beyond the exemption amounts. It is our job to apply the proper laws to ensure that you keep everything you have and if there is something we feel may be subject to liquidation, we will let you know in advance and provide you with options. Most people keep everything they have.

Yes. If you’d like to let your car go since the payments are too high, you can surrender it and you will not be obligated for the balance after the bankruptcy. Note however, if your payment is overly high, some trustees may object to you keeping a car with such a high payment anyway.

Once your case is filed you will have your 341 hearing approximately a month later. From date of filing to discharge can range from 4 to 6 months although recently our clients have been receiving their discharges closer to the 4 month mark if not even earlier.

You may file a Chapter 7 once every eight years. You may however file a Chapter 13 sooner if you are getting garnished or have issues with your home that you’d like to save.

No – quite the opposite! In most cases, our clients’ FICO scores increase significantly. Often we by the time someone comes to us their score may be hurting. We have seen people’s scores increase from as low as 480 all the way up to 620 in just one year BECAUSE they filed bankruptcy. It may sound counter-intuitive, but in the vast majority of cases, bankruptcy actually improves your score.

A bankruptcy will remain on your credit report for seven to ten years. Do not let this scare you however as it will not hinder you from getting new cards, cars, and even home loans (home loans will have to wait for a couple of years).

You should not get fired from your job if you file for bankruptcy.  Additionally, there are certain Federal laws which prohibit employers from discriminating against you based on filing bankruptcy.

Not necessarily (how do you like that for a standard lawyer answer?) If much time has passed (perhaps several months), you may need to re-file the case again assuming no bar has been places on you. Otherwise, there are measures we can take to attempt to have your case salvaged and your course filed.

Not necessarily (how do you like that for a standard lawyer answer?) If much time has passed (perhaps several months), you may need to re-file the case again assuming no bar has been places on you. Otherwise, there are measures we can take to attempt to have your case salvaged and your course filed.

No. We do not fix other company’s work as in many instances it takes more time to fix other people’s mistakes than do it from the start. If your case was dismissed we will be happy to prepare it from scratch and re-file your paperwork properly. Additionally, if you have prepared and filed your own case, we cannot fix any errors for you.

If you do not show up to your hearing without notifying the Trustee in advance and requesting a “continuance” (a continuance is where they Trustee agrees to change the date of your hearing), then the Trustee may automatically continue your case to a new date or in some cases simply dismiss your case.

From the day we file your case, it is about four to six months until you will receive your bankruptcy discharge (meaning your debts will be officially eliminated), and your case will close shortly thereafter. We have noticed that things have begun moving much faster this year and many of our clients have been seeing their cases finish within only three months of filing!

If you do not show up to your hearing without notifying the Trustee in advance and requesting a “continuance” (a continuance is where they Trustee agrees to change the date of your hearing), then the Trustee may automatically continue your case to a new date or in some cases simply dismiss your case.