Best Bankruptcy Lawyers in Phoenix, AZ

Bankruptcy is not for everyone. The decision to file for bankruptcy must be informed by a number of different factors, which includes your income/expenses, assets, debts, urgency (such as a pending foreclosure or garnishments) and your ability to repay your debts outside of bankruptcy. An experienced bankruptcy attorney can evaluate your circumstances and help you decide whether bankruptcy is right for you.

A bankruptcy discharge is the end goal of almost all case filings. This is the point in your case where the bankruptcy Judge assigned in your case signs an general Order declaring that your debts are wiped out. Discharges are general in nature so they will not specially dictate which debts were wiped. However, your attorney will explain to you that debts like credit cards, medical, evictions, repossessions, pay day loans, utility bills and other debts are eligible to be discharged. Some common examples of debts that cannot be wiped in a discharge include student loans, domestic support obligations, government fines/penalties and most tax debts.

In virtually every case the debtor will need to appear at a hearing called a section 341 meeting of creditors. Section 341 refers to the section of the bankruptcy code that requires that this hearing take place. At that hearing you will need to present your ID and proof of your Social Security Number. Debtors will be sworn in and asked questions by the trustee while under oath. All creditors are also invited to appear to question the debtor, however creditors rarely show up at this meeting. Other situations may arise in your case requiring your appearance before the Judge or other hearings. However, this is more of the exception rather than the rule.

If you feel confident enough in your own ability to navigate the quagmire of bankruptcy laws, then your main cost will be the Court filing fee. If you want to make certain that your case is handled the right way, then we highly recommend hiring an experienced attorney to file for bankruptcy. Attorney fees run an average of $1700 for a basic Chapter 7 filing. At our firm we strive to make access to legal representation affordable to all. Our fees for a Chapter 7 cases will start at $695, with affordable payment plans available to fit any budget. For full details on the fees and costs at our firm, click here.