When you are behind in your payments on your credit cards and other debts, it can seem impossible to see how to bring your accounts current. On top of that, you most likely have the stress of having creditors and collection agencies hound you by sending you frequent threatening letters or emails and calling you—sometimes multiple times in a day.
You may know hiring a debt settlement attorney could help you develop a plan to get out of debt, but may not see a way to pay him. However, you may find that hiring an experienced debt settlement attorney is more manageable than you think.
How Do Debt Settlement Attorneys Charge Their Attorney Fees?
Different debt settlement attorneys could charge their fees in a variety of ways. When you first meet with an attorney, you should discuss how he would charge attorney fees in your case. If you decide to hire an attorney, he and you should enter into a written agreement that states how you will be charged for his services. Some of the ways that debt settlement attorneys charge attorney fees include:
- An hourly rate.
- A flat fee that is based on the number of creditors that you have.
- Percentage of your debt to be negotiated.
- Percentage of your savings in your settlements.
How You Can Pay Your Debt Settlement Attorney
When trying to figure out how you can pay a debt settlement attorney and whether it is worth it to do so, it is important to consider how a debt settlement attorney can help you because your attorney can actually save you money. Some of the ways that he can assist you include:
- Stopping abusive, threatening calls and other collection practices by debt collectors and creditors.
- Evaluating your financial situation to determine whether you can pay your debts or need to file for bankruptcy.
- Negotiating payment of your debts—sometimes for significantly less than you owe.
- Asserting your legal rights to compensation for illegal debt collection practices.
- Defending you in court if you are sued and raising defenses that could result in the dismissal of the lawsuit or reduction in what you owe.
How can you practically afford a debt settlement attorney? Here are some ways to do so:
- Keep in mind that a debt settlement attorney will understand the challenges you face in paying his fees when you are struggling to pay the debt you already owe. He will work to develop a payment plan that meets your needs and resources. Brine Consumer Law handles many debt defense cases on a low-cost flat fee that many of our clients have found affordable.
- Many debt settlement attorneys offer a free initial consultation. You should take advantage of this opportunity to meet with your top potential attorneys to discuss how they think they can help you, the fees that they will charge, and how they expect you to pay them.
- You may be able to work out a monthly payment plan to pay the attorney fees you owe. Some attorneys will agree to this or delay payment until they work out the settlement of your accounts for you.
- You may be able to pay the attorney fees from your savings in payments to creditors if your attorney is able to negotiate a settlement for significantly less than what you owe, reduces your interest rate, and reduces or eliminates late fees and other charges.
Given the long-term financial and legal benefits you will obtain, it will be worth the effort to figure out how to hire an experienced attorney who can help you to work with your creditors. At Brine Consumer Law, unlike other attorneys, we will look at all of your options to help you pick the one that is right for you.
Do you need help reducing your debt or stopping threatening collection actions by your creditors? Christopher Brine is committed to advising you all of your options and often offers a low-cost flat fee agreement. Call Brine Consumer Law today to schedule your free consultation to learn how we can assist you.