Saving up for an attorney...

[JEM]

Ugh. This is really eating at me today. It appears as though all the attorneys around here seem to charge about $2800 plus the counseling courses on top of that. (For Ch 7)

I really figured we'd be looking closer to the $1500 range.

Saving up almost $3000 is taking longer than I thought.

I know in theory not paying CC's seems like you'd have extra every month. And we would, EXCEPT we were stupid and got almost a month behind on our mortgage, which we plan to keep-- So I need to get us current on that. So it's almost like paying 2 mortgages in one month to get back to square one. Plus we got behind on our utils, which we don't want to include, and behind on our water bill. So I've been trying to get us caught up on those. I wish we would have let the CC's go sooner and not gotten behind on the important stuff.

I feel like we're running out of time and we're going to have to file soon. Which, other than my being fearful of being sued, there isn't any indication that that is on the horizon. Yet.

We stopped paying a few in Nov. And the rest in Dec.

We had hoped to file by June 1st, but I don't know if that'll happen.

[MSbklawyer]

Wow, where are you, JEM? Is that for a 7 or a 13?

[JEM]

For a Ch 7. (I forgot to add that in)

We are in San Antonio.

I just don't get it. I have been to 3 attorney's so far and called one.

$2900
$2400 plus counseling courses taken at their office totalling $100
$2800
$2700

I'm getting frustrated in interviewing attorneys at this point because the cost seems so outrageous for a CH. 7.

I want a GOOD attorney...but I'm not sure I can come up with $3000 in the next couple of months. Probably $2000, but that last $1000 is going to be killer.

[MSbklawyer]

For a Ch 7. (I forgot to add that in)

We are in San Antonio.

I just don't get it. I have been to 3 attorney's so far and called one.

$2900
$2400 plus counseling courses taken at their office totalling $100
$2800
$2700

I'm getting frustrated in interviewing attorneys at this point because the cost seems so outrageous for a CH. 7.

I want a GOOD attorney...but I'm not sure I can come up with $3000 in the next couple of months. Probably $2000, but that last $1000 is going to be killer.

Dang, I wish I could get that. The rates around here are about 13 - 15 hundred for the attorney fee. Then the filing fee and the counseling add up to about 450. So that's 1750 to 1950. I guess I need to take all the other bankruptcy lawyers around here out for a beer and suggest we violate some antitrust laws.

[JEM]

We may have to put it off even longer. Possibly until July or August at this point.

It just seems way higher than most on here are being charged.

I figured since San Antonio wasn't really a high cost of living city, that a Ch7 would probably be in line with other areas too. I guess one has nothing to do with the other.

It's really stressing me out. I feel like I'm back to feeling like I was when I was stressing about how to pay all the CC's.

[nodollarsnomo]

Hi JEM I'm in north Texas and that is about the rate around here also. I stopped paying my cc's a year ago and nothing has happened so far, so I think you would be fine waiting until the summer to file.

[haylo]

I found an article that might help you out some. Here is the persons bankruptcy question:

"I need to hire an attorney to help me file for Chapter 7 Bankruptcy because I can no longer handle my current bills. Unfortunately, I cannot afford the legal cost of bankruptcy to hire a lawyer. Is it possible for me to consider filing bankruptcy for free? What are options on how to claim bankruptcy?"

The answer is on this page:
"First, consider working with a reputable debt management group; they can sometimes propose a plan to all of your creditors that will let you pay off what you owe in monthly payments – at much lower interest rates. This approach may cause less damage to your credit than actually filing for bankruptcy.

Second, you can file the bankruptcy forms yourself and either pay the $299 filing fee or ask the court if you can pay it out in several installments. (You can also ask the court to waive the fee altogether). You can download all the forms you will need to fill out at your local bankruptcy court’s Web site. ( All U.S. Bankruptcy Courts Just darken the circle by “Bankruptcy Court,” enter your zip code and hit “search”). You can also obtain the forms at the federal government’s Web site). It’s a tedious process, but it can be done.

Third, some private attorneys will offer you a discount on their fees if your circumstances are extremely negative. If you take this route, be sure to get a written contract spelling out what you must pay and when.

Finally, consider calling your local county bar association and ask who might be able to help you, free of charge. There are both government and private attorneys who will sometimes take on such cases, if you meet certain guidelines for free or pro bono representation."

http://www.bankruptcylawfirms.com/legal-advice/cost-for-lawyer-ch7-bankruptcy

Here are more resources to help you file for bankruptcy:
Filing Online

http://www.filingforbankruptcyonline.com/resources/bankruptcy/filing-for-bankruptcy/online.htm

Filing Bankruptcy Yourself

http://www.filingforbankruptcyonline.com/doityourself.html

[ryan]

wow. thats a a lot more than my area. I find many charge $700-$750 here for a chapter 7 plus the federal fees. The higher ones are up to $1500 plus costs.