Question suggestions?

[PyroGuy]

Meeting with 2 atty's soon, are there some basic questions I should be asking them other than the obvious? Fees, retainers, etc?

Thanks in advance!!

[Amadan]

Educate yourself first. This forum is a good place to start. You should probably also take an online Means Test to see what ballpark you are in (7 or 13). Its hard to say without knowing particulars. We were a tough case, over the median and no hope for a 7, but no DMI to fund a 13 when I was working it up myself.

I shopped 3 lawyers with free consults. The first one charged me to do a means test ($150) and they did a horrible incorrect job on it. They had me pegged at a 100% payback and were very matter-of-fact about it. I would almost swear they were working for the cc companies! I took that info that they did and found the forms online and when I re-took it myself I came up with negative DMI each time, but couldnt pass for a 7. Rather gut wrenching to be somewhere between a 7 and 13, really made me feel hopeless.

Basically you need to be a prepared as possible if you are meeting your potential attorney. If you have your income tax returns and 6months paychecks when you show up you will probably get more out of your free consult (at least I did). If you have a realistic budget written down of all your expenses that can help too. The lawyer I ended up using asked far more questions than I did, which I found educational. It showed me what I needed to focus on. By the end of the free consults (he gave us a second consult no charge since my wife couldnt make the first meeting) we had already spent about 2hrs together working on the plan. I dont know if it helped that I had done alot of the footwork first or not, but it worked out in the end (of course its just the beginning).