Bankruptcy | California Bankruptcy Information

If you are thinking about filing bankruptcy or you have to file bankruptcy you probably are wondering how much it cost to file bankruptcy. So how much does filing bankruptcy cost? There are two different types of fees associated with filing bankruptcy, bankruptcy filing fees paid directly to the bankruptcy court, and attorney fees, should you decide to hire a bankruptcy attorney. Depending on what type of bankruptcy you have to file, filing fees are as follows. Filing a chapter 7 bankruptcy will cost $299.00 to the court, and if you hire a bankruptcy attorney most bankruptcy attorneys in California will charge between $1500 – $3500 depending on the complexity of the bankruptcy filing. If you have to file chapter 13 bankruptcy the fee is $274.00 to the court and bankruptcy attorney fees will typically run around $4,000 depending on the bankruptcy attorney. As for a chapter 11 bankruptcy, the court’s filing fee is $1,039 and for farmer’s filing a chapter 12 bankruptcy the court fee is $239.00. As for attorney fees for filing a chapter 11 business bankruptcy fees can vary significantly from case to case. Contact your local bankruptcy to review your chapter 11 bankruptcy case to determine the attorney’s fees for filing a chapter 11 bankruptcy.

While we see plenty of clients at the end of their financial rope and looking to cut cost where ever they can the court’s filing fees are the same throughout the U.S. Courts. Attorney fees for filing bankruptcy will vary from attorney to attorney, state to state, and county to county. For example: In Riverside County, Ca. bankruptcy attorneys typically charge about $2,000 for filing chapter 7 bankruptcy while Orange County, Ca. Bankruptcy Attorneys charge around $2,500 for a basic chapter 7 filing. While these fees might sound expensive to someone filing bankruptcy, they are very reasonable for the work and the bankruptcy attorneys liability. Chapter 13 bankruptcy fees are regulated by the county and bankruptcy attorney fees are pretty much the same from attorney to attorney. Most bankruptcy attorneys will offer you a free consultation and discuss their fees for filing your bankruptcy petition after they have met with you and determined the complexity of your case. As bankruptcy attorneys we may be bias when advising consumers to hire a bankruptcy attorney rather than trying to save money with a petition preparer or going it alone. The truth is, we have heard the horror stories from improperly filed petitions from “do it yourselfers” and paralegals giving filers the wrong advise. Yes; we’re bankruptcy attorneys, so we believe in hiring a bankruptcy attorney to see your bankruptcy is filed properly so your assets are well protected while your unsecured debt get’s properly discharged. If you are having a difficult time making ends meet and need to file bankruptcy, the bankruptcy attorneys at the Law Offices of Zhou & Chini understand your dilemma. Should I hire a bankruptcy attorney or try it by myself? The truth is, you can cut your own hair and mow your own lawn, but if you need to file bankruptcy you might want to consider hiring a bankruptcy attorney. A bankruptcy attorney will see your bankruptcy petition is filed properly and you have attorney representation at your 341 creditors meeting. Call the Law Offices of Zhou & Chini for a free bankruptcy consultation today, we will be happy to discuss or fees for filing bankruptcy as well as set up a convenient payment plan to help you get back on track.www.bankruptcyattorneyincalifornia.com

Over one third of “Making Home Affordable” applicants have fallen out of the Governments HAMP program and another wave is coming soon. Homeowners that exited the program will probably end up in foreclosure and homeless if they don’t seek help from an attorney. Moreover, there are 4 million delinquent borrowers not even eligible for the program. The truth is, these people need to consult an attorney early in the process and know what options are available to save their home from foreclosure.

The Obama administration’s flagship effort to help people in danger of losing their homes is falling way short of expectations. The message out there is to work directly with your lender to modify your home loan and to not use a third party or attorney to help you. From what we have seen as bankruptcy attorneys nothing could be further from the truth. The lenders are overwhelmed, and TRIAL MODS apparently are nothing more than a ploy to get more money out of borrowers before they are foreclosed on.

“We have seen many of our clients make all their trial mod payments on time and do everything their lender has asked, only to end up with a denied loan modification and a foreclosure sale date” says James D. Zhou, California Bankruptcy Attorney at the Law Offices of Zhou & Chini. The unfortunate thing is, these borrowers are in a worse situation after trusting their lender to work with them to avoid foreclosure then they were in the first place. Not to mention lenders telling their debtor’s they need to be 60 days late to qualify, ruining their credit and jeopardizing the loss of their home to foreclosure. Now many of these people can’t even afford a chapter 13 plan to save their home and are forced to short sale or be foreclosed on.

The numbers are staggering as more than a third of the 1.24 million borrowers who have enrolled in the $75 billion “HAMP” mortgage modification program have dropped out. That’s more than the 27 percent who have managed to have their loan payments reduced to help them keep their homes. Keeping in mind these numbers don’t reflect lender’s in-house loan mod programs. Some borrowers have attempted a loan modification with their lender for almost 2 years. Funny, considering it only took them 2 weeks in some cases to get a “stated income” loan! I mean seriously, why it should take so long to review and approve or decline a loan modification amazes me.

This past month alone, 150,000 borrowers exited the program — bringing the total to almost 500,000 who have fallen out since it began in March 2009. A major reason so many have fallen out of the program is the Obama administration initially pressured banks to sign up borrowers without insisting first on proof of their income. When banks later moved to collect the information, many troubled homeowners were disqualified or dropped out. Additionally, lenders would decline loan mods without explanation and put these borrowers in foreclosure without warning. We’re not even talking about the thousands of homeowners were sold toxic mortgages without understanding the ramifications of a recast and being told they could just refinance in a year or two. If caught early enough, filing a chapter 13 bankruptcy can bring your mortgage current and eliminate much of your unsecured debt. The Law Offices of Zhou & Chini offers free consultations to help people avoid foreclosure or walk away without any personal liability. Call us today and we’ll be happy to explain all your options.http://www.bankruptcyattorneyincalifornia.com

Consumers want to know if they are better off hiring a bankruptcy attorney to file bankruptcy 7 or getting into debt settlement. Of coarse bankruptcy attorneys are going to favor bankruptcy 7 unless they offer debt settlement as well. The bankruptcy attorneys at the Zhou & Chini provide debt settlement to clients who may not be a good candidate for bankruptcy 7. Let’s say you meet with a bankruptcy lawyer and it’s determined that you do not qualify under the “means test” and you are on a 100% repayment plan. If the bankruptcy lawyer offers debt settlement in addition to bankruptcy 7 and 13 then he can work with you in developing the best coarse of action rather than forcing you into a 100% repayment plan. Debt settlement will typically allow you to repay at 35% to 50% of your debts while bankruptcy 7 will allow them to be completely eliminated, if you qualify. If your bankruptcy lawyer does not offer debt settlement and you do not qualify for bankruptcy 7, the chances of him referring to you to bankruptcy attorneys who do offer debt settlement are slim to none. The bankruptcy attorneys who do more than just file bankruptcy 7 or slap you into a debt settlement program are the way to go if you are struggling financially. Finding the right bankruptcy attorney is easier than you think if you ask the right questions and do your research.

When searching for a bankruptcy lawyer ask them if they also offer debt settlement if you don’t qualify for bankruptcy 7. If they do then make certain their fees are not more than 15% of the debt you are trying to eliminate. Also consider if your bankruptcy attorneys tell you you qualify for a bankruptcy 7 the fees should be between $1500.00 and $4000.00, depending on how complicated your case is. Most bankruptcy attorneys who focus only on bankruptcy 7 don’t like to do chapter 13 bankruptcy or offer debt settlement, so locate a bankruptcy attorney who offers chapter 13 as well. If your bankruptcy attorney offers a free consultation then make sure to ask the right questions about bankruptcy 7 versus debt settlement. The bankruptcy attorneys at the Law Offices of Zhou & Chini offer FREE consultations and handle bankruptcy 7, chapter 13 and debt settlement. When you call our law office you will consult directly with a bankruptcy attorney and can be assured we do not only file bankruptcy 7, we also can help with debt settlement or a chapter 13 repayment plan. Zhou & Chini bankruptcy attorneys meet personally with clients and have over 10 California locations to serve you. Call us today to see if you can qualify for bankruptcy 7 or if debt settlement is a better option. Our bankruptcy attorneys will be happy to explain all your options.

The Bankruptcy Attorneys at the Law Offices of Zhou & Chini offer free bankruptcy information in an effort to help consumers who need debt relief or help avoiding foreclosure. If you have additional bankruptcy questions or need information about filing bankruptcy in California please contact our cooperate office at (888) 901.3440 or visit www.BankruptcyAttorneyinCalifornia.com. Our Bankruptcy Attorneys will be happy to offer you a FREE consultation over the phone or at one of our convenient locations. We are California bankruptcy attorneys with full knowledge of Federal and California State Bankruptcy Exemptions. Our Bankruptcy Attorneys can help protect your assets under Federal Bankruptcy Laws and can assist you with all aspects of your case. We are happy to answer questions about filing a chapter 7, chapter 13, chapter 12, chapter 20, or chapter 11 business bankruptcies. We can help with stopping /avoiding foreclosure or wage garnishments, and assist you in avoiding judgments, liens or levies. We can also help with mortgage cram downs, lien stripping, eliminating a 2nd mortgage and discharging debt. Please feel free to complete our free bankruptcy evaluation form or contact one of our office locations today. We are here to help and can quickly determine if you are a qualified candidate for bankruptcy.

Bankruptcy attorneys are using technology to enable increased direct communication with their clients

With recent reports showing that Los Angeles County bankruptcy filings for March 2010 were up 75% over the same month last year, there is a risk is that bankruptcy attorneys may not be able to keep up with the rapidly increasing work load. As Chapter 7, Chapter 11, and Chapter 13 bankruptcy filings continue their anticipated increases over the next several months managing the case and document load for bankruptcies is likely to become an even more daunting task.

To offer the highest level of service possible to its clients The Law Offices of Zhou & Chini has announced the purchase of a state of the art software system which effectively monitors and manages each bankruptcy process and the associated document flow for each filing. The bankruptcy software system, which was designed and upgraded specifically for Zhao and Chini’s bankruptcy attorneys and their clients, has multiple features designed to maximize efficiency and speed the process of each bankruptcy filing. These features include:

A propensity engine which quickly determines whether a client qualifies for a Chapter 7 or Chapter 13 filing. This determination is accomplished with a simple intake questionnaire which immediately calculates the appropriate bankruptcy filing as well as whether an emergency bankruptcy should be filed in order to stop an impending foreclosure, wage garnishment or repossession.
As a client’s bankruptcy proceeding begins, the management system automatically updates the progress of the filing and tracks document flow. These actions allow for real-time viewing of the bankruptcy filing’s progression, elimination of redundancies, and streamline the associated administrative work.
The management system allows for the interface of information from different documents to allow for maximum efficiency during the process of the bankruptcy filing.

The greatest benefit of the new management system at The Law Office of Zhou and Chini is that its simplicity and efficiency allows the bankruptcy attorneys at the firm to take a hands on approach with their bankruptcy clients instead of dealing with paperwork headaches. “We are admittedly control freaks and want personally file every case” says bankruptcy lawyer Ron Chini, partner at Zhou & Chini. “This software allows us the time to have in-depth conversation with each client and review each file personally”. The system also allows for the filing of a bankruptcy in less than half the time of other bankruptcy attorneys.

With Los Angeles County bankruptcy filings up by 75% in March, the likelihood that an individual’s bankruptcy filing could be handled by a paralegal or other non-attorney at a busy firm is quite high. In fact, it’s often the case that clients never have direct contact with their attorney. The new software management system at The Law Offices of Zhao and Chini allows for their attorneys to speak to each client throughout the bankruptcy process. As opposed to how others may feel, the bankruptcy attorneys at Zhou and Chini know that to get the best outcome for each client they represent, regular attorney-client communication is an absolute necessity. For a FREE consultation with an experienced bankruptcy attorney call the Law Offices of Zhou & Chini today at 888.901.3440 or visit them on line at www.BankruptcyAttorneyinCalifornia.com.

The Bankruptcy Attorneys at the Law Offices of Zhou & Chini offer free bankruptcy information in an effort to help consumers who need debt relief or help avoiding foreclosure. If you have additional bankruptcy questions or need information about filing bankruptcy in California please contact our cooperate office at (888) 901.3440 or visit www.BankruptcyAttorneyinCalifornia.com. Our Bankruptcy Attorneys will be happy to offer you a FREE consultation over the phone or at one of our convenient locations. We are California bankruptcy attorneys with full knowledge of Federal and California State Bankruptcy Exemptions. Our Bankruptcy Attorneys can help protect your assets under Federal Bankruptcy Laws and can assist you with all aspects of your case. We are happy to answer questions about filing a chapter 7, chapter 13, chapter 12, chapter 20, or chapter 11 business bankruptcies. We can help with stopping /avoiding foreclosure or wage garnishments, and assist you in avoiding judgments, liens or levies. We can also help with mortgage cram downs, lien stripping, eliminating a 2nd mortgage and discharging debt. Please feel free to complete our free bankruptcy evaluation form or contact one of our office locations today. We are here to help and can quickly determine if you are a qualified candidate for bankruptcy.

Orange County Bankruptcy Lawyer announces revolutionary bankruptcy CRM

The Law Offices of Zhou & Chini, Orange County bankruptcy attorneys announce the acquisition of a unique bankruptcy contact management system (CRM) that allows them to efficiently handle the increased volume of bankruptcy filings. The bankruptcy software has a unique client management system and a propensity engine that quickly determines if the client qualifies for chapter 7 or must file chapter 13, while allowing the bankruptcy lawyers to meet personally with every client. The highly effective Online IMS software solution was customized specifically for the bankruptcy lawyers at Zhou & Chini to handle chapter 7, chapter 13 and chapter 11 bankruptcy filings. Once in the bankruptcy process, the system’s real time progress and document tracking eliminates redundancies and other administrative headaches so that we can spend more time with our clients, says partner James Zhou. Zhou has been practicing bankruptcy and criminal law/DUI defense for over 10 years and focuses now mainly on chapter 7, chapter 13 and business bankruptcy chapter 11 filings. With a simple intake we can tell immediately whether the client would qualify for chapter 7, chapter 13 or chapter 11 and file an emergency bankruptcy if required to stop a foreclosure, wage garnishment or repossession. The CRM interfaces the means test, bankruptcy questionnaire, property values, credit report, lead management and client contact management. Additionally, the OnlineIMS system includes administrative and accounting functions all in one encrypted web base system. It’s by far the most revolutionary software a bankruptcy lawyer could employ.

Bankruptcy chapter 7 filings are up over 50% in Orange County and bankruptcy attorneys are heading up bankruptcy mills where the bankruptcy attorney never even meets nor speaks to their client. Some bankruptcy lawyers might feel comfortable never reviewing a chapter 7 file or having a paralegal do all the work but not at Zhou & Chini. “We are admittedly control freaks and want personally file every case” says bankruptcy lawyer Ron Chini, partner at Zhou & Chini. The web based OnlineIMS system allows the bankruptcy attorneys at Zhou & Chini to speak to every client, review every file and personally file the bankruptcy in less than half the time of other bankruptcy law firms. Rather than having non attorneys do the bankruptcy consultation or bankruptcy filings the bankruptcy lawyer utilizing the IMS system can do everything much more efficiently than other bankruptcy lawyers and keep their fees low while remaining effective.

OnlineIMS is a revolutionary web-based software solution customized specifically for the Bankruptcy industry. Created as a full spectrum solution for small to enterprise sized organizations, OnlineIMS integrates the processing of bankruptcies with sales and customer relationship management so that everything your bankruptcy lawyer and staff needs to file bankruptcy efficiently is in one place. OnlineIMS provides immediate access across your workplace to important account data, customer contacts, and benchmarks in the processing of Bankruptcy. Customized access controls based on who can see specific cases, relevant documents, and other information in the system. A bankruptcy attorney should meet with their clients and do the bankruptcy filing as well. The OnlineIMS system allows the bankruptcy attorney to do just that. Recently, creditors are vicious in their collection efforts and Orange County consumers are suffering with loss of income and property values as well. At the law offices of Zhou & Chini our bankruptcy lawyers have the experience necessary to stop wage garnishments, repossessions, liens, eliminate 2^nd mortgages and help you navigate through financial problems. Does filing bankruptcy make sense? For a FREE consultation with an experienced bankruptcy attorney call the Law Offices of Zhou & Chini today at 888.901.3440 or visit us on line at www.BankruptcyAttorneyinCalifornia.com

The Bankruptcy Attorneys at the Law Offices of Zhou & Chini offer free bankruptcy information in an effort to help consumers who need debt relief or help avoiding foreclosure. If you have additional bankruptcy questions or need information about filing bankruptcy in California please contact our cooperate office at (888) 901.3440 or visit www.BankruptcyAttorneyinCalifornia.com. Our Bankruptcy Attorneys will be happy to offer you a FREE consultation over the phone or at one of our convenient locations. We are California bankruptcy attorneys with full knowledge of Federal and California State Bankruptcy Exemptions. Our Bankruptcy Attorneys can help protect your assets under Federal Bankruptcy Laws and can assist you with all aspects of your case. We are happy to answer questions about filing a chapter 7, chapter 13, chapter 12, chapter 20, or chapter 11 business bankruptcies. We can help with stopping /avoiding foreclosure or wage garnishments, and assist you in avoiding judgments, liens or levies. We can also help with mortgage cram downs, lien stripping, eliminating a 2nd mortgage and discharging debt. Please feel free to complete our free bankruptcy evaluation form or contact one of our office locations today. We are here to help and can quickly determine if you are a qualified candidate for bankruptcy.

Bankruptcy filings increased for the month and quarter throughout the U.S. Bankruptcy Court’s Central District, covering seven Southern California counties from San Luis Obispo to the Arizona border. In March alone, 1,708 Orange County consumers and businesses filed for bankruptcy protection, an increase of 47.7% from a year earlier and 30% higher than in February. Los Angeles bankruptcy filings totaled 5,190, up 75% and Riverside/San Bernardino counties recorded 4,078 in March 2010, an increase of over 55%. If you think those numbers are alarming, just this past week there were 1,000 bankruptcy filings in Riverside in just one day! Unfortunately, attorneys operating bankruptcy mills are coming out of the woodwork like they did with loan modifications trying to become a bankruptcy attorney overnight and failing miserably. Not only is bankruptcy filing on the increase but so is the number of dismissals due to mistakes when filing for bankruptcy. A bankruptcy lawyer has a fiduciary duty to meet his clients.

Lawyers who specialize in bankruptcies should continue to stay busy, and the need for a highly qualified bankruptcy attorney is growing, says bankruptcy lawyer James D. Zhou. Zhou is partner at the bankruptcy law firm Zhou & Chini, who focuses on chapter 7, chapter, 13 and chapter 11 business bankruptcies in Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Diego and Los Angeles counties over the past 10 years. “We have seen the need for a qualified bankruptcy attorneys grow as bankruptcy is more complicated since the change of the bankruptcy laws in 2005” says Zhou.

“I think we will continue to see an increase in filings with the rate of foreclosures in Southern California,” he said. “Bankruptcy is a trailing indicator, so the need for a bankruptcy attorney will continue to grow even when the economy rebounds. The bankruptcy attorneys at Zhou & Chini are able to increase their volume of bankruptcy filing and still meet with every client personally. We file every bankruptcy petition ourselves thanks to the purchase of the revolutionary IMS Bankruptcy software technology, say’s partner at the bankruptcy law firm Ron Chini. A bankruptcy attorney needs to remain focused, efficient and profitable in helping consumers decide if a chapter 7 or chapter 13 is right for them. At Zhou & Chini the bankruptcy lawyers strive to deliver a low cost to file bankruptcy while still having the lawyers, not the paralegals do the bankruptcy filing and client consultations. Filing bankruptcy chapter 7 or chapter 13 is generally the last option for most consumers trying to avoid foreclosure, judgments, wage garnishments or liens. However, the advantages of filing bankruptcy with a good bankruptcy lawyer and eliminating unsecured credit card debt, medical bills, and 2^nd mortgage liens is significant when someone is working towards a fresh start. Making mistakes when it comes to filing bankruptcy chapter 7 or chapter 13 can be very costly so carefully select a bankruptcy attorney. To get bankruptcy help or locate a bankruptcy attorney in California visit www.BankruptcyAttorneyinCalifornia.com.

The Bankruptcy Attorneys at the Law Offices of Zhou & Chini offer free bankruptcy information in an effort to help consumers who need debt relief or help avoiding foreclosure. If you have additional bankruptcy questions or need information about filing bankruptcy in California please contact our cooperate office at (888) 901.3440 or visit www.BankruptcyAttorneyinCalifornia.com. Our Bankruptcy Attorneys will be happy to offer you a FREE consultation over the phone or at one of our convenient locations. We are California bankruptcy attorneys with full knowledge of Federal and California State Bankruptcy Exemptions. Our Bankruptcy Attorneys can help protect your assets under Federal Bankruptcy Laws and can assist you with all aspects of your case. We are happy to answer questions about filing a chapter 7, chapter 13, chapter 12, chapter 20, or chapter 11 business bankruptcies. We can help with stopping /avoiding foreclosure or wage garnishments, and assist you in avoiding judgments, liens or levies. We can also help with mortgage cram downs, lien stripping, eliminating a 2nd mortgage and discharging debt. Please feel free to complete our free bankruptcy evaluation form or contact one of our office locations today. We are here to help and can quickly determine if you are a qualified candidate for bankruptcy.

Many California homeowners have been hit hard with toxic subprime and Alt A home loans over the past few years, and it’s going to get worse before it gets better for most. With unemployment on the rise and pay cuts across most sectors many California home owners have sought loan modifications with no avail. With the increasing amount of short sales and foreclosures throughout California; “many home owners are seeking the advice of a bankruptcy attorney when declined for a loan modification” says attorney James D. Zhou with the Law Offices of Zhou & Chini. Zhou has been a bankruptcy attorney for over 10 years and states he has never seen such a perfect storm allowing home owners to strip 2^nd and 3^rd mortgage liens now that they are unsecured due to negative equity. “We see so many home owners is bad situations, eliminating 2^nd mortgages along with their credit card debt get’s them a fresh start and potential equity in a few years” say’s attorney Ron Chini, partner at Zhou & Chini.

If you have been declined for a loan modification or even approved for one and have a underwater 2^nd or 3^rd lien it can be eliminated just like credit card debt. A chapter 13 with a motion to avoid the lien will strip the lien and eliminate ones personal liability for the debt. While filing a chapter 7 will only eliminate the liability but the lien will remain on the property. Many bankruptcy attorneys don’t even mess with a chapter 13 because they are complicated and would rather refer out a chapter 13 bankruptcy and focus on chapter 7 bankruptcies. Ideally someone declined for a loan modification should consult a bankruptcy lawyer that handles both chapter 7 and chapter 13 bankruptcy. If you were lucky enough to get a loan modification on a 1^st TD and have a 2^nd mortgage that’s upside down then filing chapter 13 to eliminate it may be a good choice or filing chapter 7 to eliminate all your other debt might make sense as well.

Bankruptcy is an option to help stop foreclosure, but if you are in arrears then you need to bring them current to file chapter 7 or you must file chapter 13 and repay the arrears in the chapter 13 plan. A bankruptcy attorney can tell you if you pass the means test and qualify for a chapter 7 if you get a loan modification. Bankruptcy with a loan modification is a powerful tool, and bankruptcy chapter 13 with a failed loan modification may save your home from foreclosure.

Making mistakes when it comes to filing bankruptcy chapter 7 or chapter 13 can be very costly so carefully select a bankruptcy attorney. To get bankruptcy help or locate a bankruptcy attorney in California visit www.BankruptcyAttorneyinCalifornia.com.

The Bankruptcy Attorneys at the Law Offices of Zhou & Chini offer free bankruptcy information in an effort to help consumers who need debt relief or help avoiding foreclosure. If you have additional bankruptcy questions or need information about filing bankruptcy in California please contact our cooperate office at (888) 901.3440 or visit www.BankruptcyAttorneyinCalifornia.com. Our Bankruptcy Attorneys will be happy to offer you a FREE consultation over the phone or at one of our convenient locations. We are California bankruptcy attorneys with full knowledge of Federal and California State Bankruptcy Exemptions. Our Bankruptcy Attorneys can help protect your assets under Federal Bankruptcy Laws and can assist you with all aspects of your case. We are happy to answer questions about filing a chapter 7, chapter 13, chapter 12, chapter 20, or chapter 11 business bankruptcies. We can help with stopping /avoiding foreclosure or wage garnishments, and assist you in avoiding judgments, liens or levies. We can also help with mortgage cram downs, lien stripping, eliminating a 2nd mortgage and discharging debt. Please feel free to complete our free bankruptcy evaluation form or contact one of our office locations today. We are here to help and can quickly determine if you are a qualified candidate for bankruptcy.

With unemployment hitting a record of 12.6% in March more than 2.3 million Californians remained unemployed, with 362,000 more people jobless than a year ago. Additionally, many city and county employees are faced with pay cuts as well as small businesses seeing drops in revenue up to 60%. Even so, economists note that further gains statewide are jeopardized by continued high unemployment, particularly in the Inland Empire and the Central Valley. Foreclosure activity remains concentrated in these inland areas, which suffer from above-average unemployment. DataQuick said mortgages were most likely to go into default in Riverside, Merced, Stanislaus and San Joaquin counties

While the word bankruptcy may carry a negative stigma with it, it may be a very positive choice for many California residents if you’re a numbers person. Bankruptcy chapter 7 and chapter 13 filing in Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Diego and Los Angeles counties are increasing steadily as more Californians find the need to file bankruptcy to get out from under their financial troubles. While bankruptcy myths still exist, many still assume when they file bankruptcy chapter 7 or chapter 13 they will lose everything. This is NOT true at all. You may be able to keep ALL your property and eliminate ALL your debt says bankruptcy lawyer James D. Zhou, partner at the bankruptcy law offices of Zhou & Chini. Zhou goes on to say “I have been a bankruptcy lawyer for over 10 years and have never seen such a perfect storm to help consumers eliminate 2^nd mortgages and unsecured debt”.

Listed below are the possible benefits that bankruptcy:

1. Filing chapter 7 bankruptcy allows for the “discharge” of most, if not all of your debts. Meaning that you are no longer legally obligated to pay the debts and your creditors must immediately stop all collection efforts.

2. Both chapter 7 and chapter 13 bankruptcies prevents real property from being repossessed and halts the home foreclosure process. A chapter 13 bankruptcy plan will consolidate all your payments and allow you to reinstate your loan while a chapter 7 may be a better choice if your 1^st mortgage is current. Additionally, filing bankruptcy may require creditors to return property that was repossessed immediately.

3. Both chapter 7 and chapter 13 stop the collection process and halts harassing creditor collection calls. This means that creditors must stop attempting to collect on the debts after being notified of bankruptcy filing. If they continue you can sue them.

4. Prevents you from your utilities being shut off if you have delinquent utility bills. If your utilities have been turned off, filing for bankruptcy protection requires the utility company to restore services as soon as possible.

5. Stops/Prevents wage garnishments. If you file bankruptcy your employer will not be able to garnish your pay check.

6. If you are in the foreclosure process or have a trustee sale date filing bankruptcy will stop the foreclosure process and gives you time to catch up on mortgage payments if needed. This means you will not necessarily have to lose your home.

7. Filing bankruptcy will give you an opportunity to dispute false claims from creditors who may be trying to collect more than what it owed to them. You and your bankruptcy attorney will have your day in court to dispute erroneous collection fees.

8. Filing chapter 13 will allow you to strip a 2^nd mortgage lien and liability if your property value is under water. Chapter 7 will eliminate your personal liability on a 2^nd mortgage but the lien will remain on the property. Your bankruptcy attorney must file a motion to strip the lien in a chapter 13.

While bankruptcy will allow for the discharge of a number of debts, others remain non-dischargeable according to federal regulation. Non-dischargeable debts include family support, student loans, certain types of taxes, and criminal fines. Liens, mortgages, and other secured debts will also survive bankruptcy procedures seeing as how they are secured by either some sort of collateral or by the federal government.

The need for a highly qualified bankruptcy attorney is ever so present these days. The Law Offices of Zhou & Chini services the entire state of California and has experienced bankruptcy attorneys doing all the consultations and bankruptcy filing, not paralegals. To reach Zhou & Chini call (888) 901-3440 or visit www.BankruptcyAttorneyinCalifornia.com

The Bankruptcy Attorneys at the Law Offices of Zhou & Chini offer free bankruptcy information in an effort to help consumers who need debt relief or help avoiding foreclosure. If you have additional bankruptcy questions or need information about filing bankruptcy in California please contact our cooperate office at (888) 901.3440 or visit www.BankruptcyAttorneyinCalifornia.com. Our Bankruptcy Attorneys will be happy to offer you a FREE consultation over the phone or at one of our convenient locations. We are California bankruptcy attorneys with full knowledge of Federal and California State Bankruptcy Exemptions. Our Bankruptcy Attorneys can help protect your assets under Federal Bankruptcy Laws and can assist you with all aspects of your case. We are happy to answer questions about filing a chapter 7, chapter 13, chapter 12, chapter 20, or chapter 11 business bankruptcies. We can help with stopping /avoiding foreclosure or wage garnishments, and assist you in avoiding judgments, liens or levies. We can also help with mortgage cram downs, lien stripping, eliminating a 2nd mortgage and discharging debt. Please feel free to complete our free bankruptcy evaluation form or contact one of our office locations today. We are here to help and can quickly determine if you are a qualified candidate for bankruptcy.

If you go on the internet these days you will find a growing number of bankruptcy attorneys advertising their services. Bankruptcy filing in California is increasing at a record pace due to ongoing financial struggles consumers are facing due to job losses and toxic home loans. While many Californians consider filing bankruptcy, the need for a good bankruptcy lawyer is growing. So how do you choose a good bankruptcy attorney? You shop around if you have the time to find the right one. The Law Offices of Zhou & Chini serves the entire state of California with a primary focus in Orange County, Los Angeles, San Diego, Riverside and San Bernardino counties. “We carefully consider our client’s financial situation and adjust our fees the best we can to accommodate them”, says James D. Zhou, who has been practicing bankruptcy for over 10 years. Based on the complexity of the case a bankruptcy attorney might charge anywhere from $1200.00 to $4,500. Most bankruptcy attorneys in Southern California charge around $2,500.00, not including filing fees for a chapter 7 and $4,000 for a chapter 13. A business bankruptcy chapter 11 could run as much as $25,000 depending on the size and nature of the business. Zhou & Chini focus on helping consumers meet their goals with a low cost bankruptcy filing whether they’re filing chapter 7 or chapter 13 bankruptcies. A good bankruptcy attorney will always offer a face to face free consultation like the bankruptcy attorneys at Zhou & Chini. With a small deposit a bankruptcy attorney will contact your creditors and stop the harassing collection calls while planning the bankruptcy filing. To determine whether you are a good candidate for bankruptcy chapter 7, chapter 13 or chapter 11 you should contact the Law Offices of Zhou and Chini. With Los Angeles County bankruptcy filings up by 75% in March, the likelihood that an individual’s bankruptcy filing could be handled by a paralegal or other non-attorney at a busy firm is quite high. In fact, it’s often the case that clients never have direct contact with their attorney. At Zhou & Chini our bankruptcy attorneys speak to each client throughout the bankruptcy process. As opposed to how others may feel, the bankruptcy attorneys at Zhou and Chini know that to get the best outcome for each client they represent, regular attorney-client communication is an absolute necessity. For a FREE consultation with an experienced bankruptcy attorney call the Law Offices of Zhou & Chini at 888.901.3440 or visit mwww.BankruptcyAttorneyinCalifornia.com.

The Bankruptcy Attorneys at the Law Offices of Zhou & Chini offer free bankruptcy information in an effort to help consumers who need debt relief or help avoiding foreclosure. If you have additional bankruptcy questions or need information about filing bankruptcy in California please contact our cooperate office at (888) 901.3440 or visit www.BankruptcyAttorneyinCalifornia.com. Our Bankruptcy Attorneys will be happy to offer you a FREE consultation over the phone or at one of our convenient locations. We are California bankruptcy attorneys with full knowledge of Federal and California State Bankruptcy Exemptions. Our Bankruptcy Attorneys can help protect your assets under Federal Bankruptcy Laws and can assist you with all aspects of your case. We are happy to answer questions about filing a chapter 7, chapter 13, chapter 12, chapter 20, or chapter 11 business bankruptcies. We can help with stopping /avoiding foreclosure or wage garnishments, and assist you in avoiding judgments, liens or levies. We can also help with mortgage cram downs, lien stripping, eliminating a 2nd mortgage and discharging debt. Please feel free to complete our free bankruptcy evaluation form or contact one of our office locations today. We are here to help and can quickly determine if you are a qualified candidate for bankruptcy.

Here are the foreclosure statistics which were recently released by foreclosures.com, a foreclosure radar website.

The golden state of California heads the country up with foreclosure filings, and Riverside County as well as the greater LA basin has been hit hard. Statistics show 65,208 filings or 5.7 per 1,000 homes, and California also leads the nation with respect to filings for auction with 33,045 or 2.9 out of every 1,000 homes. While these numbers may not be alarming the truth of the matter filing chapter 13 and restructuring one’s debt might be the key to saving one’s home from foreclosure. “Not only can we help stop the foreclosure process with bankruptcy but we can typically eliminate a 2^nd lien if it’s underwater”, says California bankruptcy attorney James Zhou.

Mr. Zhou, senior partner at Law offices of Zhou & Chini goes on to say “ I have never seen such a perfect storm as we have in Riverside, Orange, Los Angeles and San Bernardino counties to help home owners restore their lost equity by eliminating their 2^nd mortgages with a chapter 13 bankruptcy”. If the properties 2^nd lien is under water, it’s unsecured and we typically can eliminate it, says Zhou. A perfect example is a client of ours from Temecula who bought their home for $350,000 in 2005, when the property value went up to $500,000 they took out a $100,000 2^nd mortgage to add a pool and bonus room. Needless to say, the homeowner has suffered a loss of income and the property value has dropped to $320,000 leaving the 2^nd mortgage unsecured. In this case we are able to file a chapter 13 and strip the 2^nd lien in addition to eliminating the client’s credit card and medical debt. They get to keep their home and when property values restore so will the equity in their home. “It’s the perfect storm”!

The top three counties with pre-foreclosure (NOD) filings include Los Angeles California, which has 12,533 filings or 4 per 1,000 homes. This is up by a huge 97% from 6,367 for the same time last year. It is followed by Cook County Illinois with 9,005 filings or 4.6 per 1,000 homes, up a big 53% from last year. Let’s not forget Florida whose Miami-Dade County trails in third place with 8,684 filings or 11.2 pre-foreclosures for every 1,000 homes in the state.

Foreclosure statistics for counties leading the nation in auction filings are:

Maricopa, Arizona which had 6,501 filings or 5.7 per 1,000 homes, up by 119% over the same period last year.

Dallas, Texas with 6,279 filings or 7.8 per 1,000 homes in the state, up by just 8% from last year.

Los Angeles, California which also had 6,242 filings or 2 per 1,000 homes, which turned out to be a whopping 217% higher compared to last year.

The California real estate market has always been a hot bed for refinancing and hybrid loans due to the income verses property value ratio and the need for more bankruptcy attorneys is growing. California residents jumped on the home ownership band wagon fast; now many are faced with foreclosure due to various reasons. Getting help from a bankruptcy lawyer now is more present than ever to avoid foreclosure. A knowledgeable bankruptcy lawyer filing a chapter 13 bankruptcy will give someone the opportunity to restructure their debt and repay a small percentage of their secured and unsecured debt over time, typically 3 -5 years. If you are current on your mortgage a chapter 7 bankruptcy allows one to completely eliminate their debt, keep their home, and get their life back on track. As long as the 1^st mortgage is current or brought current, clients can keep their home and eliminate all their unsecured debt with a chapter 7 if they pass the means test. Bankruptcy chapter 7 or chapter 13 can be a powerful tool, allowing homeowners to reaffirm debt and in many cases keep what they want. For solid legal advice from an experienced bankruptcy attorney call the Law Offices of Zhou & Chini today at 888.901.3440 or visit us on line at www.BankruptcyAttorneyinCalifornia.com. Zhou & Chini are California Bankruptcy Lawyers.

The Bankruptcy Attorneys at the Law Offices of Zhou & Chini offer free bankruptcy information in an effort to help consumers who need debt relief or help avoiding foreclosure. If you have additional bankruptcy questions or need information about filing bankruptcy in California please contact our cooperate office at (888) 901.3440 or visit www.BankruptcyAttorneyinCalifornia.com. Our Bankruptcy Attorneys will be happy to offer you a FREE consultation over the phone or at one of our convenient locations. We are California bankruptcy attorneys with full knowledge of Federal and California State Bankruptcy Exemptions. Our Bankruptcy Attorneys can help protect your assets under Federal Bankruptcy Laws and can assist you with all aspects of your case. We are happy to answer questions about filing a chapter 7, chapter 13, chapter 12, chapter 20, or chapter 11 business bankruptcies. We can help with stopping /avoiding foreclosure or wage garnishments, and assist you in avoiding judgments, liens or levies. We can also help with mortgage cram downs, lien stripping, eliminating a 2nd mortgage and discharging debt. Please feel free to complete our free bankruptcy evaluation form or contact one of our office locations today. We are here to help and can quickly determine if you are a qualified candidate for bankruptcy.