Finding a lawyer is tough enough, but actually paying a Texas lawyer with experience can sometimes be difficult. You are filing bankruptcy to save money and assets, not spend money and lose assets. Sometimes you may think hiring a lawyer is not feasible. In all cases, it’s more than worth it, and they may charge less and save more than you might think.
What? A bankruptcy lawyer saves you money? Yes, but you need to hire the right one first.
How to Hire a Texas Bankruptcy Lawyer
Looking online may seem risky, but even though many lawyers have no website, it does not mean the ones who do are any less experienced. In fact, you can look directly at this experience online 24/7. Some have blogs like this one, some show their relevant experience, and most will give you a ball park estimate on how much you will have to pay in order to file for bankruptcy.
How much does Texas bankruptcy cost?
Technically, the only differences between a Texas bankruptcy and one from another state is in terms of eligibility, lawyers, and what court you file with. Most of the rest is very similar, as bankruptcy is a federal code, not solely state run.
Let’s get back to the main point. A Chapter 7 bankruptcy will cost you $299 to file with the court, and the average Texas lawyer will charge you about $1,000-$2,500 for this bankruptcy. There are some big differences in those price ranges – some lawyers go lower still and some even go higher – but it depends on the actual complexity of your case. So if you hired a Texas lawyer for Chapter 7 bankruptcy, it might cost you a total of $1,800 to file. Now, look at the benefits of Chapter 7. You can discharge the majority of your debts, including tens of thousands in medical, credit card, and mortgage debt. If you are considering bankruptcy, you likely cannot afford to pay on all or at least some of these debts. The more you owe, the bigger the benefit. If you can discharge $10,000 for a fraction of that, the benefits are quite obvious.
If you file Texas Chapter 13 bankruptcy, the court fee is $274 with the court, and about the same amount of lawyer fees, ranging from $1,000-$2,500. Now, in this case you are not eliminating your debts; you’re paying on them in an affordable manner over 3-5 years. So it might cost you $2,000 to file Chapter 13 and hire an experienced Texas lawyer, but once you see the benefits the value is clear. If you fear your home is going into foreclosure, a property worth $100,000 with a mortgage you’ve been paying on for years, with Chapter 13 you can stop any foreclosure proceedings before it even reaches court. You can also create a payment plan for other debts, such as credit and medical, over a longer and more affordable period.
So we got some ball park estimates on filing for bankruptcy. While not cheap, think of filing bankruptcy in any form as putting money in the bank, not taking some out. And think of your Texas bankruptcy lawyer not as someone who you write checks, but as someone who can help save your home and save you money.