Hiring a Chapter 13 Lawyer: Three Areas of Security

If you're thinking of filing for bankruptcy without a Chapter 13 lawyer, there are several reasons why you should reconsider your stance. While there are Web programs, books, and software packages designed to help the average person file on their own, the potential for risk is too high. There is nothing in the law that prevents an individual from doing their own filing, but that doesn't mean it's a good idea. There is nothing preventing a defendant from acting as his own attorney at a criminal trial, either, but it's one of the worst decisions a person can make. Here are three areas of security you'll be privy to if you choose to hire an attorney.

Avoid Harassment

Anyone in debt knows how persistent credit collections can be. They will call you at home, they will call you at work, they will send you letters in the mail. While one might opine that someone owed money has the right to try and get that money back, it can put the debtor in misery. Filing for bankruptcy can put a stay on this harassment, but hiring a Chapter 13 lawyer may be able to stop the calls in the meantime. If the collections department gets a call from an attorney, they may be unwilling to push the issue. While there is no guarantee, a good attorney will do what he can to get the harassment to stop immediately.

The Security of a Plan

Unless you have endless hours to devote to learning the ins and outs of bankruptcy, you're probably going to face a great deal of uncertainty moving forward. Hiring a Chapter 13 lawyer can protect you from this uncertainty and, together, you can devise a good plan for moving forward. With their experience, they will be able to recommend to you a plan that will help you keep as many assets as possible while still discharging whatever debt you can.

The Blanket of Knowledge

When you try to file on your own, you're going to be constantly trying to keep up with the law. You can do your own research, but this is going to be more time consuming than you probably imagined. Meanwhile, you could be focusing on more important things, such as making a financial plan for your life after bankruptcy. A Chapter 13 lawyer can handle the difficult waters of the court system while you concentrate on getting your life back together.