Law Offices of Joseph G. Pleva

According to the United States Supreme Court, the purpose of Bankruptcy Court is “as being of public as well as private interest, in that it gives to the honest but unfortunate debtor . . . a new opportunity in life and a clear field for future effort, unhampered by the pressure and discouragement of pre-existing debt.”

Chapter 13 Bankruptcy

One of the most common questions people ask us is, “How much does bankruptcy cost?” Regarding representing a client in a Chapter 7 in Huntsville, bankruptcy attorneys usually charge a one-time flat fee for representation. The amount of the fee is based on the complexity of the case. At the Law Offices of Joseph G. Pleva, we offer a free initial consultation to anyone who’s interested. During your free consultation, we determine what a prospective client’s situation is, how we can best help them, and what the fee will be.

As long as you don’t have too much equity in your home and your mortgage is current, you can keep your home when filing for Chapter 7. However, if you do have a significant amount of equity in your home or are facing foreclosure, you may want to consider filing for Chapter 13. It’s very important to be eligible to exempt all your home equity when filing Chapter 7.

Most people filing for bankruptcy do not have great credit scores to begin with.  Their debt to income ratio shows that they are not creditworthy .  Many creditors see them as high risk and require high-interest rates if they offer any financing at all.  Filing for relief under the bankruptcy code with the counsel of a bankruptcy attorney will prevent your credit from getting worse.

If you have cosigners that helped you get credit for your bankruptcy debt, it’s important to consider how this will affect not only you, but them as well. Whether or not cosigners are protected during bankruptcy depends on the type of bankruptcy. If you would like to know more details about when cosigners would be protected and when they would not be, you should consult an experienced bankruptcy attorney.

If you go into bankruptcy alone, many unexpected problems can occur that otherwise wouldn’t. Having an experienced attorney who specializes in Consumer Bankruptcy matter on your side can help you prevent going into an important life event unprepared. Attorneys usually have years of experience and hundreds, if not thousands, of cases under their belt. This experience is something our Huntsville office is known for and translates to providing you with the best possible outcome on your case. Another advantage to hiring an experienced bankruptcy attorney is that they usually know and are familiar with the bankruptcy trustees and judge appointed to your case, how certain creditors are likely to respond to your filing, etc. This can be a complicated system to navigate, and it’s highly advisable that you go into it with professional representation, regardless of which attorney you choose.

While filing for Chapter 7 or Chapter 13 bankruptcy in north Alabama may not be something you ever looked forward to, it’s important to understand that it’s not a bad thing. The court has referred to people who file for bankruptcy as “honest and unfortunate” debtors. This is an appropriate way to describe most people who file. Many good, honest, and hardworking people will find themselves in a situation at some point in their lives that compels them to take this step.