Friday, June 19, 2009

Questions to Ask Your Bankruptcy Attorney

By David Williams

Filing for bankruptcy is one of the most difficult decisions you can make. But by hiring a knowledge bankruptcy attorney, you can make the emotionally wrenching process of declaring bankruptcy at least a little less stressful.

But before you hire a bankruptcy attorney, you need to ask the right questions. It?s all part of the research you need to conduct before hiring a professional to take you through the difficult process of filing for bankruptcy.

First, make sure that whatever attorney you hire devotes a significant amount of his or her caseload to bankruptcy filings. The laws governing bankruptcy filings are constantly evolving. You want to work with an attorney who is as current as possible when it comes to these always shifting laws.

Next, ask attorneys whether they will appear in court with you during the bankruptcy process. Often, you will only have to attend one court hearing. But you?ll want your attorney by your side, not a paralegal. Make sure your attorney does plan on appearing in court with you.

Any attorney you interview should also be able to tell you if filing for bankruptcy might not be the best option for you. Ask attorneys to review the specifics of your case to determine if you have other choices. Remember, filing for bankruptcy should be used as a last resort. A skilled bankruptcy attorney will be able to tell you when bankruptcy isn?t the best option.

If you do decide that filing for bankruptcy is the best option, you should then ask attorneys what information they?ll need from you to get the process started. You will need what seems like a mountain of paperwork. A skilled bankruptcy attorney will help you get started on organizing all the necessary documents.

Next, make sure any bankruptcy attorney that you are considering working with uses a written fee agreement. This agreement will spell out exactly what the attorney will do and how much the attorney will charge. It?s a good way to avoid problems down the road, and is a must for reputable attorneys.

Finally, after asking these other important questions, it?s time to ask what bankruptcy attorneys charge. For most people, especially those facing bankruptcy, the temptation is to ask this question first, and to give the answer to it more weight.

Remember, you do get what you pay for. Often, the cheapest bankruptcy attorney isn?t the best one for you. You want a knowledgeable, skilled and ethical bankruptcy attorney. These often don?t come cheap. Ask the right questions, though, and you?ll find the right attorney. - 23210

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