How Our Firm Can Help
If you are considering filing for bankruptcy in Kansas, we strongly recommend that you speak to an attorney about your various legal options. At Watton Law Group, our team can help you clearly and fully understand your rights, as well as the potential avenues of debt relief available to you.
Our Kansas bankruptcy lawyers assist clients with an array of related issues, including but not limited to:
What Questions Should I Ask A Bankruptcy Lawyer
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Not sure what to ask a bankruptcy lawyer? Here are a few sample questions to get you started:
- How long have you been in practice?
- How many bankruptcy cases have you handled?
- How much does a bankruptcy filing cost? How much of that cost is attorney fees vs. filing fees?
- Where is your office in Springfield located?
- What are the next steps?
See If Youre Eligible
If you think you may qualify for free legal aid help, you should call your local legal aid organization rather than guess whether you qualify for free help or not.
Most legal aid organizations require you to beincome eligible. This means that they can only assist you if you make less than a certain amount of money.
Although it varies, most legal aids help people below 200% of the poverty line or below 125% of the poverty line.
- At 200%, that is about $24,280 for an individual or $50,200 for a family of four.
- At 125%, that is about $15,175/year for an individual and $31,375/year for a family of four.
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Exceptions To The Legal Aid Requirements
Itâs possible that you can be eligible to get help from legal aid even if you donât meet any of the above requirements.
This usually happens if youâre amember of a certain group of people. For example, legal aid often have specific services for militaryveterans, senior citizens, or if you are living with certain medical conditions.
The best way to find out whether you can get help is to just call and speak to someone directly.
Things To Keep In Mind When Considering Legal Aid
Getting help from a legal aid organization is a great option if you need guidance but canât afford an attorney.
That said, there are some things that might impact your experience with legal aid.
Itâs important to keep in mind that, although they offer assistance for a variety of legal needs, many legal aid organizations donât do bankruptcy. And, if they do, there might be a waiting list to receive assistance.
Because legal aid organizations offer face-to-face contact with a lawyer, it takes longer for them to help each client. Because of this, itâs important to know what your timeline looks like and how long you are able to wait before getting relief.
Even if legal aid does offer bankruptcy assistance, as we mentioned above, you would still need to qualify for help based on the criteria mentioned above.
These limits in legal aidâs ability to provide service to people in need sometimes complicates things if you need straightforward bankruptcy help.
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Bankruptcy Lawyers In Springfield Missouri Can Help You
If you’re experiencing severe financial difficulties, bankruptcy can provide a path to debt relief and help you get a fresh start. Whether you are just starting to consider bankruptcy or have already filed, getting a bankruptcy lawyer involved can help you maximize the benefits afforded to you by the United States Bankruptcy Code. We’ve assembled a list of trusted local lawyers that you can use to find the right Springfield bankruptcy attorney to help you stop wage garnishment, prevent creditor harassment, get debt relief, and protect your property.
Contact Our Springfield Chapter 7 Bankruptcy Lawyers Today
Licata Bankruptcy Firm PC believes in personalized service to accurately prepare your bankruptcy case. You will personally meet with us in our office where we will fill out all your paperwork, so that when you leave our office your case is ready to file. This will ensure you have a full understanding of the paperwork being prepared and the accuracy and efficiency of the filing process is intact. Debtors bring their required paperwork to the filing appointment and we do all the work. Our firm is dedicated to ensuring the bankruptcy process is as seamless and pleasant as possible.
To see if Chapter 7 is right for you, contact today. Our Skilled Chapter 7 attorneys in Springfield can answer all of your questions.
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When To File For Bankruptcy
Many people are unsure whether they should file for bankruptcy. Unfortunately, the question of when to file for bankruptcyor even whether this is the right option for youdoesnt have one clear answer. There are many pros and cons when it comes to filing for bankruptcy, as well as many factors to consider when determining which type of bankruptcy is most beneficial for your situation.
That being said, you may wish to consider filing for bankruptcy if you are dealing with any of the following:
- Significant debts and insufficient income/assets
- An inability to make minimum monthly payments
- The threat of home foreclosure
- Lawsuits on your debts
- Wage garnishment or property repossession
Filing for bankruptcy offers several important advantages. First, it puts an immediate and automatic stay against creditors. This means that, as soon as you file for bankruptcy, creditors cannot engage in any debt collection activities until your case is resolved or the stay is lifted by the court. A stay prevents your creditors from contacting you or moving forward with foreclosures, repossessions, wage garnishments, or lawsuits .
How Do I Determine If The Bankruptcy Lawyer In Springfield Is Reliable
One of the most important attributes we look for in a bankruptcy lawyer in Springfield is whether they are reliable. The reason for this is that there are certain deadlines that have to take place, and you need someone who will meet those deadlines.
Some of the ways that you can determine this is potentially through rating and reviews because that gives you insight into other clients experiences. There are biased review sources out there, so our favorite review sites are Google ratings and reviews and Yelp ratings and reviews.
We like to sort from the lowest review descending so that you can really get a sense of whether this individual is reliable. See the image before of Ascend Bankruptcy Helps Google reviews , with the lowest rating descending.
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Do Most Bankruptcy Attorneys Offer Payment Plans In Springfield
Yes, many bankruptcy lawyers take a payment plan, and I would estimate that would be no different in Springfield. A Chapter 13 bankruptcy is already a payment plan bankruptcy, so many Chapter 13 bankruptcy lawyers will take a payment upfront and then include the rest in the plan.
In a Chapter 7 bankruptcy, many lawyers will take payment plans, but the total attorney fee often has to be paid before filing. If an bankruptcy lawyer in Springfield will only take all of the money upfront for a Chapter 7 bankruptcy and not provide payment plans, you may be able to find one that does take payment plans.
Just to confirm, you may always want to check which type of bankruptcy you are filing. Some bankruptcy lawyers may offer payments plans or $0 Chapter 13 options, but those may be much more expensive in the long run than doing a payment plan upfront on a Chapter 7 bankruptcy.
Debt Relief & Reorganization
Filing Chapter 13 bankruptcy allows you to keep your assets as long as you can afford them. Instead of selling off your property to pay back your debt, Chapter 13 requires you to follow a repayment plan approved by a bankruptcy court.
Many repayment plans let you pay back significantly less than what you owe. You will have to pay certain debts, like child support, in full. Repayment plans typically last three to five years. When the plan ends, the rest of your debt is canceled.
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What Do You Need To File
Before you file for Chapter 13, you will need to go through credit counseling. Once you decide to move forward, you will need to collect information on the following:
- Your creditors and their addresses
- Your income for the last 6 months
- Any property/assets you claim
- Your monthly living expenses
You will also need your most recent federal tax return and a statement of any unpaid taxes. When you file for Chapter 13, you will have to pay a filing fee to your local court. You cant file for Chapter 13 bankruptcy if you have already petitioned for bankruptcy in the last 180 days.
Top Bankruptcy Lawyers Serving Springfield
You are looking for a bankruptcy attorney in Springfield, Missouri and probably want to find the best attorney for the most reasonable price.
When filing bankruptcy in Springfield, there here are 5 attributes that we look for in bankruptcy attorneys, which are 1) Rate 2) Reviews 3) Relevance 4) Reliability, and 5) Referral. We also care about bankruptcy attorneys who offer free consultations and payment plans. See the table below for bankruptcy lawyers servicing Springfield. Please note the following information is an estimate. Update the zip code if youd like to refresh the list.
Fill out your information for the local attorney. Please note that the attorney selected may not be the one which contacts you.
Springfield has a estimated population of 167882. What we found is that folks in bigger cities such as Kansas City or Saint Louis like to often have bankruptcy lawyers who are close by. In smaller towns with a population under 20,000, some individuals actually like to hire bankruptcy lawyers far away because of potential angst about other individuals finding out about the bankruptcy hiring.
This is why we built the zip code updater, so you can update the zip code to where youd like to hire a bankruptcy attorney, which potentially might not be in Springfield.
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What Is Legal Aid
Navigating the legal system can be frustrating and complicated, especially if youâve never done it before.
Legal aid organizations help low-income people get the legal help they need but often canât afford.
These organizations are typically funded by grants from philanthropists, like theKresge Foundation, and government agencies such as theLegal Services Corporation.
Legal aid organizations and are in place to address a variety of legal problems under one roof. These often include: tenant-landlord issues, debt collection lawsuits, domestic abuse cases, immigration, etc.
If your local legal aid organization canât help you with your specific bankruptcy issue, they can probably refer you to another organization or service in the Springfield, MOarea that can.
Itâs not uncommon for these organizations to have waiting lists, but sometimes they do not. When you do reach out, you may be put on hold or need to give them a couple of calls.
Keep in mind that the time you put into figuring out if you qualify may save you thousands of dollars.
If youâre wondering whether your local legal aid organization will take your case, the best thing you can do is give them a call and ask.
Below are some of the guidelines that legal aids use to see if youâre eligible.
How Do Lawyers Get Paid If They Lose A Case
Lawyers typically charge for their time regardless of whether they win a case. Sometimes, the losing party is ordered to pay the other partys lawyer fees on top of their own. Some lawyers also work on contingency, meaning they will take a percentage of the awarded amount only if they successfully win the case.
Before hiring a lawyer, make sure you understand their fee structure.
You never pay to use Thumbtack: Get cost estimates, contact pros, and even book the joball for no cost.
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What Our Clients Say
I absolutely recommend Ken Reynolds. He was so kind and listened without judgment. His staff…read moreI absolutely recommend Ken Reynolds. He was so kind and listened without judgment. His staff was excellent and very kind. I talked to several attorneys before I met him and he was the only one that didn’t treat me like a woman who was out for revenge. He listened to my concerns and took them very seriously.read less
We were very nervous and embarrassed to be filing for bankruptcy but Jon Gold and…read moreWe were very nervous and embarrassed to be filing for bankruptcy but Jon Gold and Jennifer did a phenomenal job easing that stress. They were very clear in explaining all the steps and held our hand the whole way. We re so thankful to have such caring and wise legal counsel!read less
Jon and Jennifer are WONDERFUL! I highly recommend them. They were patient, understanding, and very…read moreJon and Jennifer are WONDERFUL! I highly recommend them. They were patient, understanding, and very knowledgeable. So thankful for them!read less
- BANKRUPTCY Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit. Aenean commodo ligula eget dolor. Aenean massa. Cum sociis natoque penatibus BANKRUPTCYIf you are struggling with debt, our bankruptcy lawyers at Reynolds and Gold Law are here to help.
Giving you tailored guidance and direction for your financial situation
Who Is It For
Chapter 13 bankruptcy is for individuals with a regular income. To file for Chapter 13 bankruptcy, you must be able to pay back a portion of your debt. There are limitations on the amount of debt you can have to qualify for Chapter 13 bankruptcy. You may not be eligible if your debts exceed the limitations or if youve filed for bankruptcy in the past two to four years.
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How To Prepare For Your Initial Consultation
Prepare for your consultation by writing down notes of your understanding of the case, jot down questions and concerns for the attorney, and gather your documents. Remember that you are trying to get a sense of whether the attorney has your trust and can help you address your legal issues. Questions should include how the attorney intends to resolve your issue, how many years he/she has been practicing law and specifically practicing in your area, as well as how many cases similar to yours the attorney has handled. It can also be helpful to broach the subject of fees so that you understand the likely cost and structure of your representation by a specific attorney and/or legal team.
Why File For Bankruptcy
People wind up filing for bankruptcy for many reasons, often involving outside forces or unforeseen expenses: Medical debt and unexpected health care costs can quickly spiral out of control, credit card debt can accrue due to business expenses or needing to use a credit card during periods of unemployment and low cash flow, investments in the stock market, real estate or other financial vehicles might suffer due to a financial crisis, or a supply chain shutdown can cause debt to cascade in times of pandemic or due to oil price fluctuations. In any of these situations, a bankruptcy attorney can help you find the best course of action.
Read Also: What Are The Alternatives To Bankruptcy
Trusted By Our Clients
“Jordyn Hill was incredibly knowledgeable, friendly and went out of his way with each and every time we had a question. His help will not be forgotten anytime soon and I strongly recommend him personally if you ever need help getting through the tough financial stuff.”
“I was disappointed to have to file bankruptcy at my age, but my lawyer Jordyn worked with me on the payment, and getting in and out court was so timely! High recommend this practice compared to all others!”
“I appreciate the expertise from Ted Tinsman. He handled my case both professionally and considerately.”
“Ted and his staff were amazing, and went above and beyond to assist me in a very difficult process. I worked directly with Jordyn Hill and he was knowledgeable, compassionate and attentive to my specific needs. I would recommend them to anyone. They are affordable, too!”
“Jordyn Hill was my attorney for my bankruptcy, and I couldnt have asked for a better guy. He was sensitive, and understanding. I felt he truly cared about what I was going through. I would recommend Jordyn to anyone looking for a caring, sensitive attorney to help guide them through this journey. Thank you, Jordyn!”
“Mr. Tinsman put me at ease almost instantly and handled a very stressful situation with professionalism and compassion. He was very thorough and understanding. His office staff was also kind and always helpful! I am so thankful to Mr. Tinsman for setting my life back on track so I could move forward.”
Filing For Bankruptcy In Kansas
If you are struggling with debt, know that relief is available. At Watton Law Group, we have been helping clients throughout the state of Kansas find personalized debt relief solutions for more than 25 years. We recognize that no two situations are exactly alike that is why we tailor our legal strategies to each individuals unique needs, concerns, and goals. Our Kansas bankruptcy attorneys work directly with our clients, offering personal attention and compassionate, result-driven representation at every stage of the legal process.
When you choose Watton Law Group, you get:
- A team of award-winning, nationally recognized bankruptcy lawyers
- Direct, reliable access to your attorney and our entire legal team
- Personalized attention and advocacy from start to finish
We leverage extensive resources and access to industry experts to build powerful, innovative strategies for our clients. Throughout the process, you can rely on us to provide the answers and information you need to make empowered decisions about your financial future.
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We Offer Exact Fees No Extra Charges And Payment Plans
In the initial free consultation, you will be quoted anexact fee for representation in the case. The fee quoted covers the entire bankruptcy representation, except for rare circumstances which will be explained if applicable to your case. We donât add additional fees for services such as phone calls, letters, the number of creditors you have, reaffirmation agreements, etc. You will know the exact fee for your case after the free consultation. Also, our firm offers payment plans to allow you to get your case filed as quickly as possible.