Filing for bankruptcy is a big decision. You are probably nervous and overwhelmed about this step in your life. For this reason, you should not go through this alone! Hiring a bankruptcy lawyer will take a lot of the stress and guesswork out of this process. However, you might be hesitating to hire a lawyer because you are not sure how you will afford it. If you’re filing for bankruptcy, it means that money is tight. You don’t have thousands of dollars to spend on lawyer fees. Even if you think that there is no way that you will be able to afford a bankruptcy attorney, you might be able to. Use these tips for finding an affordable bankruptcy attorney and paying the lawyer fees.
- Finding the right lawyer. The first piece of advice that I can give you about affording a bankruptcy lawyer is finding an affordable bankruptcy lawyer. You don’t have to hire an attorney that charges astronomical fees. Find the right lawyer for you at the right price. Many lawyers are willing to work with you to make sure that you can afford their services. I am always happy to set up a payment plan with you if you are worried about affording my services.
- Stop putting money toward dischargeable debt. If you’re filing for bankruptcy, certain debt will be discharged. For this reason, it’s futile to continue putting money toward your credit card or medical debt. Any debt that will be discharged in bankruptcy should be left alone at this point. You can put that money toward other things, such as paying your bills or paying your bankruptcy lawyer.
- Stop paying your mortgage. If you are sure that you are going to surrender your home when you file for bankruptcy, you might consider stopping your mortgage payments. This is a suggestion only for those that know they cannot afford to keep their homes and are willing to give their homes up in bankruptcy. Mortgage payment money can go toward lawyer fees if you feel that your money will be better spent preparing for your bankruptcy.
- Cut out an unnecessary expense. For a short period of time, you can cut out a luxury that you pay for. Maybe you spend $20 a week on Starbucks macchiatos or fast food snacks. Cutting this out for just 3 months will result in almost $250 in savings. Finding small things like this to cut out – your Netflix account, name brand foods and clothing, etc. – can result in hundreds or even thousands of dollars that you can put toward a bankruptcy attorney.
- Using your tax refund. Tax refunds can be a substantial amount of money. If you know that you want to file for bankruptcy, you can put this money toward the bankruptcy itself. Use your tax refund for filing fees and lawyer fees so that you can go through the bankruptcy process as quickly and easily as possible.
There are many ways that you can find the money for a bankruptcy lawyer if hiring one is important to you. To discuss your situation and a payment plan with me, contact me here.