Invest in the services of a qualified bankruptcy attorney to get the biggest benefit from your filing.
People considering bankruptcy are already in dire financial straits. So it is entirely reasonable that they would look for ways to save money on their bankruptcy filing. Drafting your own bankruptcy petition is free, and hiring a bankruptcy petition preparer for a couple hundred dollars is the next cheapest option.
But ask yourself:
Is it worth risking prosecution for perjury or bankruptcy fraud just to save a few bucks? This is exactly what might happen if a low-cost, subpar preparer makes an error on your bankruptcy petition that is so glaring the court can’t believe it was unintentional.
What is a Bankruptcy Petition Preparer?
A bankruptcy petition preparer is basically a glorified typist. Becoming a preparer requires no special skill, training, or certification. Many preparers have purchased special software to help them generate the forms you need to file for different types of bankruptcy, but even this is not required.
Bankruptcy petition preparers are not qualified to provide any kind of legal advice or assistance beyond filling out your forms with the information you provide. Their services should only be used by individuals who have done their own research into California bankruptcy law and feel 100 percent confident that they understand which type of bankruptcy will provide the best relief and how to list their debts, assets, and property.
Benefits of Working with a Bankruptcy Attorney
Bankruptcy attorneys have spent years studying the law and learning every detail of the bankruptcy process. This equips them to provide expert guidance every step of the way. Your bankruptcy attorney can:
- Review your case and advise you on the benefits of Chapter 7 or Chapter 13 bankruptcy in your unique situation
- Ensure your California Means Test for Chapter 7 Bankruptcy is done correctly
- Educate you on the two California Exemption Systems and help you pick the one that will provide the best protection against having your personal property liquidated in the bankruptcy
- Ensure you list all qualifying debts and assets in your bankruptcy petition
- Help you avoid errors such as filing your petition too soon after: filing a previous bankruptcy petition, making a big purchase on a credit card, or transferring money or property to a family member.
- Draft and file your bankruptcy petition for you
You Can Afford a Bankruptcy Attorney
When you consider all the additional services you get from a bankruptcy attorney as opposed to a bankruptcy petition filer, you can see it is well worth the investment in a higher fee. In fact, you may even come out ahead financially if your bankruptcy attorney is able to help you protect assets you didn’t know could be exempted.
At California Bankruptcy Relief, we offer fair and affordable fee structures and we will do everything in our power to get you the level of representation you need at a price you can afford.
