Is a Bankruptcy Attorney Worth It?

If you're thinking of absolving your debt, you've probably run across advice that says you should hire a bankruptcy attorney. If you're in the position where you don't have enough money to pay your bills, it makes sense to question whether or not it's worth the extra expense to hire a lawyer. After all, you're doing everything in your power to get out of debt. Is this really the best time to be spending more money that you don't have? It's a common question and one that doesn't have an easy answer. The law states that you don't need legal representation to file. Then again, that doesn't mean forgoing representation the wisest course of action.

To better understand the decision, you need to know what a bankruptcy attorney will do for you. First of all, don't underestimate the amount of paperwork that goes into filing for Chapter 7 or Chapter 13. It is extensive, and a lawyer will take care of it for you. But that makes a lawyer sound like an overpaid secretary. What you must know is that this paperwork is not only extensive, but complicated. If you think filing your taxes is a headache, you haven't seen anything yet. But more importantly, you'll have to ensure that everything you write is completely accurate or you could risk being rejected.

This is where the rubber really meets the road. Yes, it may seem like a contradiction to spend more money hiring a bankruptcy attorney when you are doing all you can to get out of debt. But that's just the thing. If a good lawyer can help your filing go through more smoothly and put you at the end of the process much more quickly, you will be out of debt (or at least largely on your way to paying it back) before you know it. If you choose to go it alone, it could take months or years for your filing to successfully go through, if it ever does. Think about the money you'll be wasting in the meantime, trying fruitlessly to keep your head above water. Some reasonable attorney fees suddenly don't seem so bad.

Perhaps the most important reason to hire a lawyer is to find out exactly where you stand. Reading articles and asking people who are not legal professionals is not going to give you the answers you need. You need someone to become intimately familiar with your financial situation. You need someone who can take that information, recommend the best course of action, and help you follow through. If you're serious about getting out of debt, hiring a bankruptcy attorney is the best move you can make.