Montevallo Bankruptcy Attorney

When you set up an initial consultation to speak with our Montevallo bankruptcy attorney over the phone or in person in our office.  If you decide to do a phone consultation, one of our Birmingham bankruptcy attorneys can usually talk to you the same day and briefly go over your financial situation in general. 

In order to actually file your bankruptcy, our bankruptcy attorney in Alabaster will need certain documentation depending on your particular situation.  We will almost always need your last two years tax returns, your last six months of pay stubs, and a list of your creditors.  After going over your situation and determining whether bankruptcy is the right option for you, we can discuss moving forward to get you some much needed debt relief.

You will usually be either filing a Chapter 7 or Chapter 13 bankruptcy.  A Chapter 13 bankruptcy is basically a payment plan that is administered through the Bankruptcy Court, where you pay your creditors off over time allowing you to get caught up on certain important bills such as your mortgage.  However, when most people think a bankruptcy, they are thinking of Chapter 7 bankruptcy, which is a much quicker type than a Chapter 13 bankruptcy.

Filing a Chapter 7 with our local Helena bankruptcy lawyer can eliminate much, if not all, of your unsecured debts in a very short amount of time.  However, not everyone can qualify to file a Chapter 7. There are certain income-based tests that must be performed in order to determine if you qualify and your last six months of pay stubs or other proof of income for the last six months is required in order for our bankruptcy lawyer in Montevallo to make this determination.

Once your bankruptcy case is filed, whether a Chapter 7 or 13, you will have to go to something called a Meeting of the Creditors or 341 Hearing.  No creditors usually show up for this meeting and it is meant as an opportunity for the Trustee in your case to ask you a few questions under oath.  One of our Montevallo bankruptcy lawyers will be there with you for this meeting, and it usually consists of a few simple questions.

If you live in Montevallo or the surrounding areas of Alabaster, Columbiana, Saginaw (or anywhere else in Shelby County) then this meeting will likely be at the Federal Courthouse in downtown Birmingham.  The United States Courts are divided into divisions and districts, with Shelby County being located in the Northern District of Alabama, Southern Division.

Our Birmingham bankruptcy lawyers are currently charging $850 in attorney’s fees for simple, no asset Chapter 7 bankruptcy cases throughout Alabama.  However, there is always a filing fee that the court charges. There is also a small fee for pulling your credit report and there are two courses that you must complete and pay their fees. Therefore, to file a Chapter 7 bankruptcy with our law firm, the combined costs, including attorney fees, filing fees, and all additional fees, will usually be approximately $1450 total.

Although a Chapter 7 bankruptcy can be beneficial to you in potentially discharging your unsecured debts, sometimes another type of bankruptcy in Montevallo called a Chapter 13 would be preferable.  A Chapter 13 case is much less expensive to get filed, since most of the Clanton bankruptcy attorney fees get paid in the five year payment plan, so there are less cost up front.  When you call our bankruptcy lawyers in Montevallo and set up a consultation, we will go over your situation with you and help you figure out which type of bankruptcy is the best option for you.

The Harris Firm regularly files bankruptcy cases in the Shelby County area and are familiar with the local requirements in the U.S. Courts there.  If you need some financial relief then give our Montevallo bankruptcy attorney a call today for a consultation over the phone.