Best Consumer Protection Lawyers in Cleveland, OH

Cars and other vehicles that are financed are subject to repossession if you fall behind on your payments. If you are current with your payments and you do file a chapter 7 petition, you should be able to retain your vehicle while continuing to make the regular payments. If you have fallen behind and your vehicle is repossessed, chapter 13 will force the creditor to return the vehicle to you. Chapter 13 can also reduce the balance, interest rate and monthly payment on your vehicle.

Both wage garnishments and garnishments other than personal earnings (bank attachments) will be stopped immediately upon the filing of a chapter 7 or chapter 13 bankruptcy. The automatic stay forces creditors to immediately stop collection activity once your bankruptcy case number is issued by the court.

There is generally one appearance required at the bankruptcy court. However, you do not see a judge but meet with a chapter 7 or chapter 13 trustee. This person is appointed to review your case to make sure that the information in your bankruptcy petition/paperwork is accurate. It is also the job of the bankruptcy trustee to recover assets for creditors. However, most cases are no assets cases as most property is exempt, which means that the court cannot take the property from you when you file bankruptcy.

The filing of the bankruptcy or chapter 13 petition immediately puts a halt to creditors contacting you at night, suing you, garnishing your wages, attaching bank accounts, putting a lien on your property, foreclosing and repossessing your vehicles. It is important to meet with the attorneys at Lee Kravitz Law Offices, who are knowledgeable, compassionate and willing to give you advice regarding your options.

Many clients when considering bankruptcy instead choose to enter into debt repayment plans. Although some plans are legitimate, many will charge you exorbitant fees up front and not begin negotiating with your creditors until they have accumulated thousands of dollars. In the meantime, you can be sued by creditors who can then obtain a judgment and garnish your wages while you are paying the debt consolidation agency. You need to be very careful about working with out-of-state agencies. If your finances have reached the point where you are already behind with your payments to creditors, paying debts to a debt consolidation agency who in turn may not send money to your creditors for months will serve only to worsen your situation. Therefore, it is imperative that you consider all of your options first before getting into a debt repayment program, since it simply may not help you resolve your debt issues and provides you with a fresh start that you can obtain through the bankruptcy process. Please contact Lee Kravitz Law Offices by phone or email to schedule an initial consultation regarding asset protection and debt relief provided through a chapter 7 or chapter 13 proceeding.