Bankruptcy may seem difficult and troublesome for some people. We are here to ease your fears and to provide the guidance necessary. If you are feeling financially burdened and are unable to pay all of your bills, Access is here to help. We will walk you through steps to determine whether or not bankruptcy is the right option for you and then guide you through the entire process. If bankruptcy is not right for you, we can also help you work with creditors to pay your debts and get your financial situation under control.
DO YOU NEED TO FILE BANKRUPTCY?
Although people do not want to go bankrupt, it is often a responsible and good decision. Bankruptcy is not failure. This legal option is here for a reason: to help protect you from complete financial devastation and get you back on track. By filing, you can stop collections or foreclosures and prevent garnishments on your very next paycheck. (Often, people can keep their houses and cars during the entire process!) There are downsides to filing bankruptcy (like higher interests rates if you seek loans in the future.) One of our attorneys can help you understand those effects and weigh your options. Let us help you through this difficult process. Contact us to set up an appointment to hear more about bankruptcy and to figure out whether you are eligible.* We can help you move forward in filing for bankruptcy, arranging credit counseling if necessary, and getting you (and your family) onto a new path with a fresh start.
*Initial consultation is $80.
DEALING WITH CREDITORS
As soon as you retain one of our attorneys to represent you in filing for bankruptcy, you can tell your creditors that you have an attorney to help you with your financial problems. Then you can have the creditors contact us instead of you. This is your first step toward financial empowerment.
Also, as soon as a bankruptcy is filed, something called an “automatic stay” comes into play and will put your debts and creditors (even banks that are foreclosing on your home) on hold while the court figures out your financial situation through the help of bankruptcy law.
WHAT TO GATHER BEFORE YOUR FIRST MEETING
You will need a credit report, your last six (6) months of pay stubs, and any bills that brought you to us. Additionally, we will have you fill out a debtor questionnaire that will help you sort out your needs, and help us give you the best advice possible.
Despite the intimidating length of the questionnaire and detailed questions, this document is used to help save you money. As soon as you schedule your first consultation, you will receive this in the mail or via email. It does not need to be perfect, but your best efforts to fill this out at home will surely save you money in the long run. So, grab a cup of coffee, your bills and a pen, and spend the necessary time on this document.
We are a debt relief agency – we help people file for bankruptcy relief under the bankruptcy code.
What is a Debtor?
A debtor is someone who owes money to someone else. Generally it is not a crime to fail to pay a debt, although failure to pay some court-ordered debts such as child support may lead to criminal charges. If you have failed to pay a debt, that means you have broken a contract or agreement between you and a creditor. If you owe money, the creditor may assign the debt to a debt collector which is either a collection agency or an attorney. If you have found yourself in a situation where you are unable to pay your creditors, contact us to see if we can help!
Please contact us if you need help dealing with a creditor or a collection agency.
What is a Creditor?
A creditor is a party (e.g. person, organization, company, or government) that is entitled to either payment or services by another party (the “debtor”). The creditor can be a person, organization or institution to whom money is owed. A creditor, in general, has provided some property or service to the debtor under the assumption that the debtor will give something in return (rights to property or general money payments).
If you are a creditor and need help retrieving a debt owed to you, please contact us.