Tuscaloosa Bankruptcy Lawyers & Bankruptcy Attorneys

Our bankruptcy attorneys are currently charging flat fees to file most Chapter 7 bankruptcy cases in and around Tuscaloosa County.  If you are drowning in debt, then let our Tuscaloosa bankruptcy lawyers help you get financial relief and counsel you through the bankruptcy process.

Before your initial consultation with our Tuscaloosa bankruptcy lawyer over the phone or in person, we will send a questionnaire for you to fill out and bring with you to the appointment.  For phone consultations, our Tuscaloosa bankruptcy attorneys normally call back the same day and briefly go over your financial situation.  If there is further consulting needed, we can set up an in-person meeting. If you live in Tuscaloosa or the surrounding areas of Northport, Brookwood, Moundville, Vance, Coaling, Cottondale, or Coker then you will likely be filing your bankruptcy in the United States District Court, Northern District of Alabama, Western Division. In a Chapter 7 bankruptcy, you will have a hearing called a Meeting of the Creditors. If you live in the City of Tuscaloosa then your bankruptcy hearing will be in downtown Tuscaloosa.

To properly file your bankruptcy, certain documentation will need to be provided to us, depending on your specific situation.  Usually we will need the last two years tax returns, income information from the last six months (usually in the form of your pay stubs) and a list of your creditors whether in the form of bills that you have or a list that you actually write out for us.  Once we review your situation and determine what is the best option for you, our local bankruptcy lawyer can discuss moving forward with your filing.

The most common filings will be Chapter 7 or Chapter 13 bankruptcy.  A Chapter 13 bankruptcy is essentially a 3-5 year payment plan that is administered through the Bankruptcy Court. The purpose of this is for you to pay your creditors off over time, giving you time to get caught up on bills such as your mortgage or a car payment.  However, when most people think of filing bankruptcy they are thinking of a Chapter 7, which can be much quicker and simpler than a Chapter 13 bankruptcy.

Filing a Chapter 7 bankruptcy can eliminate much, if not all, of your unsecured debts in a very short amount of time.  However, not everyone can qualify to file. There are certain income based tests that must be performed in order to determine if you qualify and your pay stubs or other proof of income for the last six months is generally required in order 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 Tuscaloosa bankruptcy lawyers will be there with you for this meeting, and it usually consists of the Trustee in your case asking a few simple questions.

Our Tuscaloosa bankruptcy lawyers are currently charging flat fees in attorney’s fees for simple, no asset Chapter 7 bankruptcy cases throughout Alabama.  Included in this are Chapter 7 filings, however there may be added costs if there are complex legal issues such as corporate, divorce, or other such issues that would require a significant amount of additional time to handle or are likely to involve hearings. However, there is are other fees as well. To find out how much total it would be to file a Chapter 7 bankruptcy with us give our Tuscaloosa bankruptcy attorneys a call today.

While a Chapter 7 bankruptcy can help by potentially clearing your unsecured debts, a Chapter 13, or different type of bankruptcy, would be preferable.  The Chapter 13 case is more affordable to file, taking care of attorney fees through a five year payment plan with less up front costs. Our Tuscaloosa bankruptcy lawyers will review your situation during the consultation, helping you determine the best options that will work for you.

The Harris Firm regularly files bankruptcy cases in the Tuscaloosa County area and are familiar with the local requirements in the U.S. Courts there.  Our Tuscaloosa bankruptcy lawyer is a member of the Central Alabama Better Business Bureau and the local Birmingham Bar Association, and is usually the attorney that meets with potential clients in our Birmingham office.  If you need some financial relief then give our Tuscaloosa bankruptcy attorneys a call today for a consultation in person or over the phone.