Most bankruptcy lawyers will give you a FREE consultation on your first visit. Let’s look at the primary questions you should ask.

You must first find out if you even qualify for bankruptcy. There are two types, Chapter 7 and Chapter 13. Chapter 7 is a full discharge and Chapter 13 is a payment plan. Any person, partnership or corporation can file for Chapter 7 but only individuals can file for Chapter 13. Also, in order to qualify for Chapter 7 you need to pass what is called the “means test” which is an income vs. expense calculation. Likewise, in order to qualify for Chapter 13 you need to have a steady income.

Cars, houses, retirement plans all come under scrutiny when you file for bankruptcy. You need to know the things you can keep so there are no surprises later in the process.

You know your credit will be damaged, for a while anyway. In case you had plans in the future that required a credit check, this is good to know before you make your final decision. Bad credit can affect car insurance and things like that too; you need to know what’s ahead.

Again, you don’t want any surprises in the middle of the process, make sure the fee agreement you sign has everything stated clearly.

Will your lawyer attend the trustee meeting with you? Will he send an associate? Just get the feel for the steps you have to go through so it won’t be too stressful as the process goes along. Some people get very tense going in front of a bankruptcy judge, having your attorney there helps a lot.

By asking these questions (which you already have some of the answers to) you can get a feel for the attorney too. You should hire an attorney and one you feel comfortable with. Vivix Credit Solutions offers a free in-office consultation where one of their financial experts will review your information and help you decide what course of action is needed and can assist you with help in finding the right attorney for your situation.