Newbie - first meeting with lawyer

[sunshineMN]

I'm very glad I found this forum -- It has put me a little more at ease, but I'm still stressed beyond belief at our situation.

We are over 100,000 in CC debt and enrolled in a debt settlement program back in May. I am very disappointed in the program and am getting out of it -- I obviously didn't do enough research on the whole debt settlement process, and could just kick myself for not considering BK instead.

Anyway, we are meeting with a lawyer tomorrow morning for the very first time. I'm very nervous about what the outcome is going to be. We know we don't qualify for a 7, but 13 should be an easy option for us.

Where I'm concerned is that I've been paying the debt settlement company close to $800 a month up until last month. And I have one CC acct that I have a settlement offer on -- made one payment of $600 and I have two payments of $1920 due this month and next.

I'm so afraid that the lawyer is going to tell us that we need to wait to file due to these issues.

I'm also a little nervous about our vehicles as they are both paid off. My car is working...for now, but could need some serious repairs in the next few years.

There is just so much running through my mind -- some reassurance and insight would be comforting!

[klandsb]

Hi there. I was involved with a Debt Settlement Company for 8 mths. WHen I think of my money that they have as profit it makes me sick ... I have a complaint filed with the Attorney Generals Office & also BBB. Who knows, they have been filed (the compaints)for about 6 mths with just back and forth accusations & bullcrap... I was hoping to recover some of my money but its been a real battle.. I live in PA and the Attorney Generals Office is telling me they just dont get alot of complaints about Debt Settlement Companies.... Amazing to me but I really think people just dont know who to complain too...
Anyway, best of luck with the appt today... Let me know how it goes..

[sunshineMN]

Well, the meeting with the lawyer went better than I had thought it would!!! For a short time, we thought that I could file alone since everything is in my name and none in my husbands....but, we found out that one cc that he is an authorized signer on had reported on his credit report. So, we now have to file together. Which...is not bad news for us as we assumed we'd both have to file anyways.

The even better part was that what the lawyer came up with for both the federal calculated monthly payment (for 13) AND what he came up with were both well under the amount we thought we'd have to be paying every month.


So, now we are just going over all the papers that the lawyer gave us...we'll do our credit counseling....and get into filing for 13. Oh, and there's the difficult task of having to call two creditors (that I had initially agreed to make payments to) and ask them to put a stop to the withdrawal payments. Guess I'll just tell them that something came up and that I don't have the funds available.

But, other than that, we're feeling a bit better about our situation. I think I might sleep through the night tonight!!!

[debtinohio]

Hopefully they cancel those ACH transactions from your account.

Also, if those accounts are at a bank to which you owe ANY money to - close them.

You could talk to your attorney about purchasing a new car - it's somewhat common before a 13 filing as long as you can qualify for a loan right now.