When you are Facing Bankruptcy, You Need to be Completely Honest with your Lawyer – No Matter How Embarrassing
Your lawyer is a professional. When you work with a bankruptcy lawyer, you trust that lawyer to help you reduce your debt by advising you through each step of the bankruptcy process. Each bankruptcy case is unique, and a strategy that helps one individual get out of debt will not necessarily help somebody else. Because each bankruptcy case requires such specialized attention, clients need to be completely transparent with their lawyers to ensure that they receive effective, customized bankruptcy strategies.
It can be embarrassing to discuss certain details of your financial or personal life with your lawyer. Although you might be tempted to conceal certain facts, this can actually harm your case. Be honest with your lawyer at all times. This is the only way to equip him or her to handle your case effectively.
Every Fact is Relevant to your Case
When your lawyer asks a question about your spending or saving habits or your credit history that seems invasive, do not be offended. Every answer you give your lawyer will help him or her develop your bankruptcy strategy. For example, your income and level of disposable income determine if you qualify for Chapter 7 bankruptcy or not. You might have debts that you did not realize you could discharge through bankruptcy.
If you are Not Honest, your Case May be Dismissed
If your lawyer finds out you were not honest with him or her about your case, he or she may opt to stop working with you. Even if your lawyer does not realize this and files your bankruptcy claim based on the substandard or fraudulent information you provided, the court will dismiss the case if it determines that you were not honest.
Bankruptcy Might Not Be your Only Option
During your initial conversation with a lawyer, your lawyer might determine that there are other options you can pursue instead of bankruptcy. For example, you might be able to renegotiate the terms of your mortgage or consolidate your debts into one lower-interest payment. Ask specifically about these options and be prepared to answer your lawyer’s questions honestly
Even if bankruptcy is the right option for you, your lawyer needs to be able to determine the Chapter for which you qualify and walk you through its process.
Work with an Experienced Orlando Bankruptcy Lawyer
At Goodblatt · Leo, we will not judge you. No matter how badly you think you managed your finances to end up facing personal bankruptcy, there will always be cases more extreme than yours. As experienced bankruptcy lawyers, it is not our job to judge or compare clients’ cases. Rather, it is our job to help our clients understand the bankruptcy process and what they can face through it. If you choose to file for bankruptcy, we will be there to advise and guide you through the process until your case is closed.
Resource:
uscourts.gov/services-forms/bankruptcy
