Essential Questions to Ask Your Bankruptcy Attorney

1. Essential Questions to Ask Your Bankruptcy Attorney Summary: Filing for bankruptcy is a difficult process. It is very demanding not only physically but emotionally as well. Thus, it is important to have the right attorney to guide you from start to finish. However, searching for the right attorney is in itself difficult and intimidating. To help you out, here are some questions you need to ask. Make sure all your questions and concerns are addressed. Body: If you are thinking about filing for bankruptcy, there are many factors that need to be considered. During this very difficult time, it is critical that you hire an experienced Baltimore bankruptcy attorney who can guide you all throughout the process. Fortunately, most attorneys offer a free initial consultation which gives you the opportunity to meet with a number of attorneys in person. That way you can determine who you feel most comfortable working with. When meeting with each attorney, you want to find out who is the most qualified among them and also one you are at ease with. He needs to let you know what to expect and whether your decision to file for bankruptcy is the best option. Below are a few questions that you can ask the attorney during your initial consultation: 1. Should I file for bankruptcy? Your chosen Baltimore bankruptcy lawyer or attorney should be able to explain both Chapter 7 and Chapter 13 bankruptcies and offer you some recommendations and options based on your situation. The recommendations should also be backed up with why or why you should not file for bankruptcy. That way it can give you a solid overall picture of what options you have in store before proceeding with the next step. 2. What are the advantages of filing for bankruptcy? Depending on your situation, the attorney should give you a clear and full detailed explanation of the benefits and how they would vary depending on whether you choose to file for a Chapter 7 or Chapter 13 bankruptcy. 3. What are the disadvantages of filing for bankruptcy? Just because you are filing for bankruptcy does not mean that you will be clear from your debts and everything will all be good. The attorney should also let you know about the consequences of filing for bankruptcy.

2. 4. What information is needed to start the process? To avoid a dismissed bankruptcy case, you want to make sure you have all of your financials and paperwork in order. Your attorney will provide you with a detailed list of all the information required for your case. 5. Who will come with me to court? Going to court can be nerve-wrecking for a bankruptcy filer. For this reason, you will want your attorney who has been handling your case right by your side, so it is important that you ask the question up front. There might be a chance that an attorney from the same firm could go with you to court, but you want to make sure that he/she has been briefed on your case and will serve as a good representative for your primary attorney. If there would be such an arrangement, the attorney should discuss this with you in advance. 6. How much of your practice is devoted to bankruptcy cases? When you walk into a bankruptcy attorney’s office, you automatically assume that their specialty practice is on bankruptcy cases only; however, it is not always the case. Some attorneys who practice bankruptcy law also practice divorce or personal injury law. Ideally, you would want to work with someone who devotes most of his practice on bankruptcy law and has been doing it for at least three years. 7. How do I keep in touch with you? Some attorneys are more accessible by phone while others are better off by email. During this very difficult process, the last thing you want is to have an attorney whom you cannot contact or will not return any of your messages in a timely fashion. If you feel more comfortable speaking with your attorney over the phone, but replies to you via email, that attorney might not be the best choice for you. Set the stage for the kind of correspondence you both can have so that you will be at ease and not have another source of stress. 8. How much is the fee? The average cost when filing for Chapter 7 bankruptcy protection is usually around $1,500 according to the National Bureau of Economic Research. That should be able to cover the federal filing fee and the attorney fees. However, it is always best to ask the attorney. When hiring a Baltimore bankruptcy attorney, it is important to do your research and ask the right questions in order to have the best one to represent you through such a difficult

3. process. Your attorney should not be hesitant in answering your questions and concerns. During the entire process, you certainly want to feel comfortable with the attorney handling your case.