If you’re struggling financially, you need to know what support systems are in place to help you recover and get permanent financial stability. For many people each year, that support system comes in the form of bankruptcy. Filing for bankruptcy is a highly effective way to resolve debts and get relief from financial stress for those in many different circumstances. Whether you file for Chapter 7 liquidation bankruptcy or Chapter 13 reorganization bankruptcy, you can find debt relief through a legitimate legal process. If you’re considering filing for bankruptcy, getting help from a professional who truly has your best interests in mind is an important part of the process that will protect you from potential bankruptcy pitfalls. With the legal protection and guidance of Behm Law Group Ltd., you can file a successful case for bankruptcy in Waseca, MN, and the surrounding areas.
Specialize in Bankruptcy
There are other firms in the region who handle bankruptcy cases; however, at Behm Law Group, Stephen J. Behm has specialized exclusively in bankruptcy for nearly 20 years. Other firms might have the bulk of their attention on other civil or criminal cases, but our legal expertise is solely dedicated to individual and small business bankruptcy cases. In fact, since 2003, Stephen Behm has been a certified consumer bankruptcy specialist certified by the American Board of Certification.
Anyone who practices responsibly in bankruptcy will not try to “sell you” on the bankruptcy process. Everyone’s life circumstances are different. Depending on the specific circumstances one is facing, bankruptcy is sometimes not the best option. Any attorney who truly has your best interests in mind always needs to consider that dynamic. Compared to our small, dedicated firm, “bankruptcy mills” are a dramatically different experience for filers who simply need help with their case. From the benefit of nearly 25 years of bankruptcy practice experience, it is the opinion of Stephen J. Behm that anyone looking to file a solid, successful case should avoid bankruptcy mills and so-called national bankruptcy law firms.
What to be on the Alert For
Again, the following is based on the professional opinion of Stephen J. Behm. The biggest sign of a bankruptcy mill or a national bankruptcy law firm is excessive advertising on bulletin boards, radio, and TV commercials; junk mail ads; and even bench signs. Bankruptcy mills advertise affordable prices, but those prices don’t mention their similar approach to every individual case. Bankruptcy mills usually will take on hundreds of cases. Their goal is to process as many cases as possible as fast as possible. They will often hold themselves out as being better and more highly rated or more highly qualified because of their size. They will indicate that they have ‘filed thousands of cases” or “the most” cases in a particular area. Some indicate that the bankruptcy process is an “easy process” where one only has to fill out “a bunch of forms”. The filing of a bankruptcy petition is a serious legal matter and it requires work on your end to provide your attorney with all the documentation and information that your attorney needs to accurately and completely prepare your bankruptcy petition. Your bankruptcy petition and related schedules are legal pleadings that you sign under oath and subject to penalty of perjury. The factual representations made in those legal pleadings need to be accurate. The filing of any bankruptcy case is certainly nothing to fear. However, it needs to be done correctly and all the disclosures required by the bankruptcy code need to be made.
How They Work
Again, the following represents the opinion of Stephen J. Behm. Bankruptcy mills and national bankruptcy law firms typically work hard at the initial consultation to get the filer to sign a retainer agreement and provide the first down payment. This initial consultation is usually done with a non-attorney staff member called an “attorney intake coordinator.” The client is then passed to a “prep team” of other non-attorney staff. This team gathers documents and files paperwork for the client. A client may not even meet an attorney until the Meeting of Creditors. Choosing to file for bankruptcy relief can be terrifying. It is essential that one sits down across a desk with one’s attorney and visits personally and in a tactile manner with that attorney. While videoconferencing tools such as Zoom, which is what we use at Behm Law Group, Skype and GoToMeeting are very helpful, nothing has more value and is more important in the bankruptcy process than being able to visit with your attorney in person.
To learn about the best way to file for bankruptcy relief in Waseca, MN or to determine if bankruptcy is even the right course for you, contact Behm Law Group Ltd. by calling (507) 387-7200 or emailing stephen@mankatobankruptcy.com.
