• The standard wage garnishment/deduction:

• In Missouri: 25%
• In Illinois: 15%

• If you are the head of household:

• In Missouri: the standard rate goes down 10%
• In Illinois: the standard rate remains the same

• If your wages are being garnished for child support:

• In Missouri: Up to 65% of your wages can be garnished
• In Illinois: For 1 child you can be garnished 20% of your income, it goes up to 28% for 2 kids, and up to a maximum of 50% for 6 or more children

Bankruptcy is a solution to wage garnishment, it completely stops once you file. Filing bankruptcy can also stop creditors from taking any other action against you, such as, repossession, foreclosure, etc.

If your wages are being garnished in Missouri or Illinois, you may not need a lawyer, but what you do need is helpful information to arm you from harassing creditors. That’s why my best advice is before you speak to a St. Louis bankruptcy attorney, debt collectors, or sign any forms, you need to read my free book. “Get Out of Debt: Secrets Your Creditors Don’t Want You to Know” can give you the answers you need to start fresh financially.

Below are some of the things you should look out for on your credit report:

1. Accounts that don’t belong to you.

2. Accounts that reflect inaccuracies such as the wrong dates or payment amounts.

3. Errors in your name or Social Security number.

4. Addresses listed that you never lived at.

5. Entries older than 7 ½ years from the “date of last activity.” These are considered derogatory entries such as credit card charge-offs, collection accounts or delinquent medical bills.

Click here for my article on steps to disputing any errors that are listed on your credit report.

If your credit score is struggling for reasons other than inaccuracies, you are not the only one that is experiencing financial struggles. If you are buried under a mountain of debt and are interested in a way that could possibly improve your credit score immediately, before you speak to an attorney, debt collectors, or sign any forms, you need to read my free book, “Get Out of Debt: Secrets Your Creditors Don’t Want You to Know.”

If you are coming in for an initial consultation, I’m sure you’re wondering what you should bring. You are more than welcome to come into our office with only questions, if you are just in the beginning stages of figuring out this process. I provide a free book to anyone who is thinking about bankruptcy, I want to make sure you don’t make any decisions you regret. Before you talk to any lawyers, creditors or sign any forms, get my FREE book, “Get Out of Debt: Secrets Your Creditors Don’t Want You To Know,” simply by clicking on this link. Even if you feel like debt is crushing you, you still may not need a lawyer, and my book will help you understand your financial situation better.

If you have already decided to file for bankruptcy, bringing in certain documents and information to your free initial consultation can help speed up the process for you. This can also help me, as a Missouri bankruptcy lawyer, better understand your case. Below are examples of some of the things that can help speed up the bankruptcy process for you.
1. Bring a list of any questions you may have for your Missouri bankruptcy lawyer. You might think that you can think of all the questions you have to get the answers you are looking for, but you could forget something during the meeting. This is your best chance to talk with your Missouri bankruptcy lawyer face-to-face and to understand everything that you need to know.
2. Bring a current list of your assets and debts. While I understand this won’t be the complete list, so don’t stress out about trying to think of all of them. The main reason for this list is to give your Missouri bankruptcy lawyer a good idea of your present financial situation and the type of bankruptcy that can benefit you the most. It will also provide a better idea of your financial situation to you and your family.
3. Bring a list of creditors. This list also definitely doesn’t have to be complete; it will give your Missouri bankruptcy lawyer a better picture of your situation and whether or not bankruptcy is the right choice for you.
4. If your home is in foreclosure, bring as much information as you can, including any documents that you have received. It is very important that your Missouri bankruptcy lawyer knows exactly where you are in the foreclosure process as you continue through the bankruptcy process.

For more information about bankruptcy and tips for how to handle it, like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/castlelaw OR follow me on Twitter @James_CastleLaw!

A lot of these people are filing for bankruptcy after a job loss, or medical emergency. And they probably aren’t going to be able to get a loan to pay off their debts in the short term because the banks have tightened up their pocketbooks. That might not be such a bad thing, anyway. If the bad economy forces people to look at their financial situation honestly, maybe they will decide to make the best and most responsible decision for their family’s future.

You know, a Missouri or Illinois bankruptcy isn’t what the myths make it out to be. It actually provides the legal protection that so many families need right now. A Missouri Chapter 7 bankruptcy or Chapter 13 bankruptcy can offer credit card debt help, protection from foreclosure, and an end to harassing creditor calls that plague many families day and night.

What would you do if you could wake up without worrying about losing your home to foreclosure, or the repo-man coming to take away your car? How much is protection from foreclosure, an end to wage garnishments, and credit card debt help worth to you? A Missouri Chapter 7 or Chapter 13 bankruptcy can give you a fresh start with your financial life. If you want to know more how bankruptcy can help families facing foreclosure, and what you need to do to keep your house, request a free copy of my Missouri and Illinois bankruptcy book, “Get Out of Debt: Secrets Your Creditors Don’t Want You to Know.”

Your car doesn't have to end up in a repossession sale. Bankruptcy can help you keep your car!

Depending on the specifics of your financial situation, in many cases—yes—a St. Louis bankruptcy attorney can stop the repo man from taking your car in addition to ending wage garnishments, getting you credit card debt help, and possibly getting you protection from foreclosure.

If you have been hiding from the repo man for weeks or months, that might sound too good to be true. But, I’ll tell you what: the repo man will most likely find you and take your car. Your wage garnishments will continue and your credit card debt will only continue to add up if you continue to ignore your debt. A lot of people get put in a bad situation under a mountain of debt for reasons usually out of their control. However, it is possible to take control of your life again when you talk to a St. Louis bankruptcy attorney.

How does it work? The first thing you will do is come into a St. Louis bankruptcy attorneys office for a consultation—which should be free if you’ve picked a great St. Louis bankruptcy attorney. Your St. Louis bankruptcy attorney will then help you decide whether a Missouri or Illinois Chapter 7 or Chapter 13 bankruptcy is best for you—and they will make sure you get the best representation and include all of the exemptions possible so you can keep the most of your assets and still get a fresh start.

Why wait? There is no need to hide from the repo man when you could end creditor calls and wage garnishments and get protection from repossession. If you want to know how to best prepare for your bankruptcy, request a free copy of my Missouri and Illinois bankruptcy book!

People need to realize that bankruptcy does not carry the stigma that it used to. The fact is that bankruptcy is a federal law that gives debtors legal relief from their burden. They’re usually surprised to hear this when faced with a credit counseling service, working with a debt settlement program, or bankruptcy.

Let’s look how these two services work:

Credit Counseling:

Credit counseling services might seem to be a simple solution, however: you just sign up with them and they’ll negotiate a lower monthly payment, right? Wrong. Working with credit counseling might actually get you a smaller monthly payment, however absolutely nothing is done about the interest, which will continue to grow on your account. There have been so many times that I’ve helped clients who were previously working with services like this, and so many times their debt actually increased because those services do nothing to take care of interest. Making payments that were too low to start lowring the balance anyway.

Debt settlement programs:

Debt settlement programs will say they can settle your debt for pennies on the dollar. This isn’t quite a lie—but they forget to mention exactly how many “pennies.” These debt settlement programs will usually give you an estimate (about 40% of your total debt), then put you on a payment plan for that amount. You might be wondering: What’s the catch? For one, they don’t even contact your creditors until you have paid a certain amount. This means that your creditors can still come after you while you’re paying the debt settlement programs’ fees and making monthly payments!

Bankruptcy:

Bankruptcy is a legal tool in place to help people control their debt. Over the years it’s evolved quite a bit. When you work with a bankruptcy attorney you can often get rid of garnishments and credit card debt.

How though, is it different from the other options? First, you won’t have to keep paying rapidly increasing interest rates. Furthermore, bankruptcy is not a service but rather a legal process. Because it is a legal process your creditors HAVE to acknowledge it. If you work with a debt settlement program or a credit counselor your creditors can pick and choose whether or not they want to work with you. Say for example, your debt settlement program tries to settle with your creditors on your wage garnishments. The creditors don’t even have to consider the offer. Your creditors accepting something like that is extremely unlikely. Why would they when they are already getting the money they want (plus interest)?

Bankruptcy, unlike these services, forces your creditors to stop garnishments when you file your case. You can even recover the wages they garnished in most cases.

Cases with no real debt

If you don’t have debt then why are you looking to file bankruptcy in the first place? Bankruptcy is a large time commitment and a complicated process. If a client does not have a lot of debt they may be pointed to another option. The federal bankruptcy court regulates bankruptcy fees. What is the point of filing if someone has debt that is near the amount of those fees? If bankruptcy isn’t a client’s best option, an attorney will probably not take their case.

Too many unsuccessful bankruptcy filings

When a client has filed too many bankruptcy cases that have been dismissed for whatever reason, attorneys may not wish to represent them. You will probably have the same results as before if you have filed for bankruptcy in the past and had it dismissed. If is going to approve your case they will want to see that you are serious about completing a case from start to finish. Many will think you lack dedication if you have been denied in the past. An attorney puts everything on the line and they stand behind their client 100% when they file a case. When a case is dismissed, an attorney’s reputation can take a hit. An attorney will always be happy to help someone who wants to help themselves. It will be hard to find a quality, experienced bankruptcy attorney if you aren’t serious about doing that.

You’ve already filed bankruptcy

If your case has already been filed many attorneys will not want to represent you, this is because attorneys like to do things their way. If another attorney has handled part of the case and then you try and bring it to someone else they may not want to have to deal with interpreting or correcting another lawyer’s tendencies.

Most people who are represented by bankruptcy attorneys are honest, hardworking people who have simply fallen on hard times. If you aren’t sure whether or not you meet someone’s case criteria ask to set up a free consultation with them and see if they will consider your case. After all, it’s in your best interests. If you need a free consultation on your bankruptcy call us here at Castle Law 866-570-8282.

So, where do you find an attorney who specializes in reorganization? Well, you find a St. Louis bankruptcy attorney! But not just any St. Louis bankruptcy attorney—you’ll want to find a great one if you are reorganizing your debt.

In a Chapter 13, you develop a Chapter 13 payment plan which repays your creditors over a 3 to 5 year period. Many debts can even be eliminated completely! One of the easiest ways to mess up your Chapter 13, however, is to hire a cheap St. Louis bankruptcy attorney.

You see, a St. Louis bankruptcy attorney’s fees are regulated by the court. What does that mean? Most St. Louis bankruptcy attorneys charge around the same amount. Anyone who offers a really cheap price is probably hiding one of two things: he or she doesn’t plan on doing much work or he or she doesn’t have enough experience to know what to charge.

Need help finding the right St. Louis bankruptcy attorney? Request a free copy of my Illinois and Missouri bankruptcy book, “Get Out of Debt: Secrets Your Creditors Don’t Want You to Know,” to learn the tricks of the trade!

In fact, the moment your case is filed, the benefits begin. You don’t just want to be able to put a roof over your family’s head and food on the table after you’ve complete the process, you want to do it NOW. When your case is filed you will no longer need to pay balances on any debts listed in the bankruptcy unless, of course, you are keeping property that is collateral for a loan. This should give you some immediate cash so that you can take care of your family. Actually in most of those cases I’d share a little known secret with you that your creditors don’t want you to know, that way you could stop paying even before you filed your case. But that is for another time!Also, your creditors can no longer contact you (and if they do for some reason, you can refer them to your bankruptcy attorney). The also can’t take the money in your bank accounts or garnish your wages. For a lot of people, the full discharge at the end of the case can’t come quickly enough.

So what is the fastest way to discharge your Chapter 7 bankruptcy? Generally the process will take about 90 days if done correctly. Often times that is easier said than done, especially if you decide to try and file by yourself. The process of filing a Chapter 7 generally goes like this: After you file, you will have a “meeting of the creditors,” about 20 to 40 days later. This name can be a little misleading (creditors generally do not attend these), so I wouldn’t get my hopes up that there will be a line of people waiting to ask you questions. In the last 5 years creditors have rarely showed up, when they do there is always some alleged fraud going on. The 341 meeting is only a low-key meeting between you and a trustee of the bankruptcy court, during it they’ll ask you questions about your financial affairs. Your attorney should prepare you for the meeting, make sure you have the proper paperwork, and actually attend it with you. Two to two and a half months after that (assuming everything went well) your bankruptcy will be discharged.

Working with an experienced bankruptcy attoreny is the best way to make sure everything goes well in that time frame. Not every attorney has a lot of bankruptcy experience, before you hire one ask how long they’ve been practicing (specifically for bankruptcy) and how many successful cases they’ve filed. Also, contact the bankruptcy court or U.S. Trustee to see if the attorney you want to hire does quality work.

Even the littlest mistake can result in dismissal of your case—which means you don’t get your discharge and your creditors can come after you again. Do you know what the most common mistakes people make that result in their bankruptcy case getting dismissed? Hopefully your attorney does. Request your free copy of my bankruptcy book, “Get Out of Debt: Secrets Your Creditors Don’t Want You to Know,” to make sure you don’t make one of these widespread errors.

That means for regular, necessary expenses and emergencies only (as I have often explained to my marketing assistant, shoes do not constitute emergencies). You should aim to fully pay the card off each month to avoid excessive interest charges. Making regular payments on a revolving account like a credit card can help raise your credit score substantially.

The following are reasons why I tell my clients to get a credit card:

1. Any type of closed financial accounts can weigh down your credit score. A closed out account, no matter what type, is a negative on your credit report. If you suddenly went from having three credit cards to having zero, your score would drop substantially.

2. In the state of an emergency, you might find it helpful to have a credit card available. Bad things happen to everyone at some point. We understand. If something happened to your car, and you needed to take it to get repaired so you could get to work. You know the pitfalls of payday loans. Having a card on hand for emergencies could be a solution.

3. If you use them responsibly, they can be helpful to raise your credit score. Typically, after a client receives their bankruptcy discharge, we see their credit score go up (because all the debt weighing it down has been erased). But the tricky part after getting the “bankruptcy bump” is keeping it up there. Getting a credit card and using it responsibly is a big part of establishing good credit. This means paying it off every month (and we don’t just mean the minimum payment) and spending reasonably for your credit limit.

Confused by the process? You need to read my book, before you talk to any lawyers or debt collectors! Download your free copy of my Missouri bankruptcy book, “Get Out of Debt: Secrets Your Creditors Don’t Want You to Know,” to get you started, you never know, you may not even need lawyer.