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Our local Alabaster bankruptcy lawyer is currently charging $850 for attorney fees in most Chapter 7 bankruptcy filings in Shelby County, Alabama. If you are considering a bankruptcy but have questions you would like to ask an attorney, then give us a call today and ask to speak to Attorney Steven A. Harris over the phone. He can usually speak to you the same day you call and answer most questions over the phone.

Filing for Bankruptcy in Alabaster

Many people find themselves in difficult financial situations due to high medical bills, divorce, or any number of life altering events. The United States Bankruptcy Code allows individuals to obtain some debt relief and in many cases is the only option other than paying the debts in full.

Deciding whether to file bankruptcy or not depends on your particular situation. If you only have a few thousand dollars of credit card debt, then you might want to just settle that amount outside of bankruptcy, by calling and offering them a lump sum amount of less than what you owe. If the loan is delinquent, then a collection agency will usually take much less than the full amount to settle a debt.

If you are behind on your mortgage and cannot work things out with the mortgage company, then bankruptcy might allow you to keep your home and avoid losing it in a foreclosure sale. If you owe money on a car loan or mortgage and want to walk away from the property, you might be able to get rid of the entire indebtedness.

In a case such as this, you can file a Chapter 7 bankruptcy and get rid of all the debt on your car loan or mortgage and the creditor can only get what they can sell the property for. They cannot come after you for the difference in what they sell it for and what you owe. That amount can be discharged or eliminated in a Chapter 7 bankruptcy.

When most or all of your debts are credit cards, medical bills, old tax debts, or personal loans you can get rid of all of the debt in a Chapter 7 bankruptcy. If you cannot qualify for Chapter 7 then you can usually structure an affordable payment in a Chapter 13 if necessary.

Types of Bankruptcy to File in Shelby County

If settling your debts outside of bankruptcy is not an option, then deciding which type of case to file is very important. If you have a large amount of equity in your home or other property, then you may not want to file a Chapter 7 bankruptcy in Alabaster, Alabama. If you and your spouse have too high a monthly household income, then you might not be able to qualify to file a Chapter 7 bankruptcy in Shelby County, Alabama.

There are other considerations such as keeping a home that is in foreclosure. If you are delinquent on a mortgage or car loan, then Chapter 7 bankruptcy will usually not help keep the property, while a Chapter 13 may help you do so. Usually, if you do not have a lot of equity in your house, vehicles, or other property and your household income is low, you should be able to file Chapter 7 and get rid of your debts fairly quick and easy.

You should definitely consult with a local Alabaster bankruptcy lawyer when making the decision about which type of bankruptcy to file, if any. Our local bankruptcy attorney in Alabaster will be happy to speak to you today and go over your options over the phone or in person. We have an office in downtown Alabaster on First Street North near the Alabaster Municipal Annex. Give us a call today to speak with a local bankruptcy attorney.

Bankruptcy Attorney in Alabaster

When a bankruptcy is filed, there is a hearing called a Meeting of the Creditors or 341 Hearing that is usually set for a month or so later. If you live in Alabaster or the surrounding areas of Pelham, Calera, Helena, Chelsea, or Hoover then your case will most likely be filed in the U.S. District Court in Northern District of Alabama. If you live anywhere in Shelby County, then your hearing will most likely be held at the federal courthouse in downtown Birmingham.

Our Alabaster bankruptcy lawyer will be with you at this hearing. There is no judge, only a person called a Trustee that will ask you some questions about your property or your financial situation in general. In a Chapter 7, you will get something called a discharge about sixty days after your hearing. In a Chapter 13, the case can stay open for years while you make your monthly payments.

Our local Alabaster bankruptcy attorney is a member of the Shelby County Bar Association and the Central Alabama Better Business Bureau. If you are considering filing for debt relief, then let our Alabaster bankruptcy lawyer answer your questions today and help you make the best decision for you and your family.