Considering Bankruptcy? Get a Second Opinion!
Not everyone with financial problems should file a bankruptcy. I say this as an Omaha Bankruptcy Lawyer.
The truth is that bankruptcy is not a very good option for many people. By my unscientific poll, based on meeting with thousands of people and having practiced Chapter 7 and Chapter 13 bankruptcy law in Omaha since 1989, only about half of the individuals that my office meets with actually should consider filing bankruptcy. And, bankruptcy is the core of what we do! There are frequently better ways to handle a debt problem, even serious ones like mortgage foreclosures.
But, the real challenge is finding the right financial and legal advice. We hear terms and phrases like debt management specialists, credit advisors, financial planners, credit counselors and like the like all the time. Many of the people visiting my office have, in fact, worked with such places and organizations before setting an appointment for a bankruptcy consultation. We will delve into these type of financial advisor businesses another day, but suffice it to say that there are some truly worthy bankruptcy avoidance organizations and some not so reputable ones. The debt management area is really suspect, as a whole. What this means is that you can’t automatically trust what financial advice you are getting…..even if you are getting some good information.
In today’s world, where slick marketing, false promises and half-truths are now acceptable means of increasing one’s business goals, you must become an informed consumer. That applies to finding the right bankruptcy advice from an Omaha bankruptcy lawyer or from any other financial professional. If you or your family is in a financial pinch……or a financial disaster, then I truly believe that you need to do a lot of research and meet with more than one professional. Moreover, you need to ask the bankruptcy attorneys that you meet with tough questions and compare their answers to other advice that you have received. Bankruptcy law is very, very complicated and tricky. A lot of careful analysis of a person’s financial situation is in order. It takes a lot of time to know what to do and when to do it. The bankruptcy attorney that you meet with should be willing to spend some time with you to explain what exactly the plan is and whether there are other options other than filing bankruptcy. If you meet with someone that is in a big rush and will only spend less than 30 minutes with you, my advice is run away from that lawyer.
Although I am a big fan of the Internet and search engines to find useful information on just about any topic, it has, at the same time, made the task of how to find a good or the best Omaha bankruptcy attorney a very difficult one. You just can’t tell from a website, blog or other form of advertising who knows their stuff and who doesn’t. And, you can’t tell if the bankruptcy attorney that you need to hire has the depth of knowledge, discretion and integrity to give you the right bankruptcy advice. Frequently, the bankruptcy advice that you get from my team of bankruptcy lawyers is that you should not file bankruptcy.
If you find yourself in a bad financial situation, such as facing a lawsuit, garnishment, business failure, tax debt, or just about any other financial problem, I would encourage you to meet with one of the attorneys at John T. Turco & Associates, P.C., L.L.O. for a candid, honest and intellectually deep discussion of your situation. Ask us the hard bankruptcy questions and about other options. We love to be challenged by difficult cases and to compare our legal bankruptcy advice to other attorneys, both here in Omaha and nationwide. Bankruptcy is a big deal. Get at least one second opinion before deciding to file. Check us out and the advice that we provide. You won’t hurt our feelings! We welcome the challenge to provide you with the best possible bankruptcy information and advice from anyone!