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When I created Atlas Law Firm, I wanted to be completely transparent about our rates. I think there is a lot of skepticism on what lawyers charge.

Before you actually file, you need to educate yourself on bankruptcy, and the best way to do that is to meet with an experienced bankruptcy attorney. Many bankruptcy attorneys provide free consultations.

Once your case is filed, your creditors have the opportunity to object to you getting rid of (aka “discharging”) their debt. The creditor must have sufficient legal grounds to make this objection.

Homeowners whose homes are over-burdened with mortgage debt beceause of the real estate bubble have recently been given a powerful tool to help them stay in their homes. In Fisette v. Keller the 8th Circuit Bankruptcy Appellate Panel ruled that people who file for Chapter 13 protection can remove a wholly unsecured second mortgage on their home in bankruptcy.

A trustee can object to a discharge if there’s been some amount of fraud in the bankruptcy case. When you’re filing for bankruptcy, you are asking for equitable relief and under the law.

The 341 meeting of creditors refers to Title 11, Section 341 of the Bankruptcy Code. That is the section that authorizes a mandatory meeting for anyone who is filing for bankruptcy protection with the trustee assigned to their case.

There are a few dangers by waiting too long to file for a bankruptcy. Most people do not think about bankruptcy until they get into a situation where things do not look good financially.

There are 2 things you must do after your case is filed: (1) attend the meeting of creditors (aka the 341 hearing); and (2) complete a debtor’s education course via phone within 75 days from the date your case was filed. The 341 hearing is sometimes referred to as the meeting of creditors because your creditors can attend the meeting and ask you questions about the information contained in your petition.

A reaffirmation is an official way to “reobligate” yourself on the loan. This involves the lender sending us a reaffirmation contract to be signed by you.

The main approach in the free consultation is I want to make sure that I give the person I am meeting with enough information that they can make an informed choice on how they want to resolve their debt situation