Do you find yourself in a financial jam and you are thinking that bankruptcy is the best option. How do you select the attorney to help you through this? Do you make your decision based on cost or quality of your attorney? When you feel you are already broke it can be tough to think about going to someone who may cost more than others. But, buyer beware, you pay for what you get even when it comes to legal service.

At Miller & Miller, we pride ourselves on being respectful and professional to our clients. There are three factors that we think are important to consider when hiring an attorney. They are:

Customer Service

Attorney

Process / Cost

The first factor is customer service. This is obvious, customer service is important. But, there is more to customer service then just people being nice to you. Customer service is the office setting, the attitude of the staff, client privacy, how clients are treated in person, on the telephone, in court and even after your case is completed. Most importantly, customer service is empathy. It is important that the attorney and staff understand what you are going through. The better they understand, the better they can take care of you.

For many of us, dealing with an attorney, can be intimidating. We sometimes hold back information for fear that we may be looked down upon. Or, we don’t ask all the questions we want because we don’t want to waste their time. Being a paying customer you have a right to spend as much time with your attorney as needed. Following are more things to consider when meeting with a potential attorney:

-How are you being treated?
Regardless of your reason for hiring an attorney you should be treated with respect and dignity. That should be evident in the staff and attorney’s treatment. Do you feel comfortable being in their office? Do you feel relaxed and taken care of? Feeling cared for and respected is priceless.

Is the office organized and clean? Personal privacy can also be a factor when it comes to customer service. Do they talk about clients’ private information discreetly or is it done with others around who can hear it? Are they careless with client’s paperwork? Do they know who you are when you call in?

What is the attorney’s experience? Does he/she handle many legal services or specialize in only one area of the law? Does he have support from his staff when needed? Do you want experienced lawyers who are hands on or an inexperienced attorney who charge less attorney fees? In most cases, an experienced attorney would be more efficient in the end.

The second factor is the attorney .

Following are some questions to ask yourself:

What is the attorney’s demeanor? Is he/she dressed professional, neat or sloppy? What does his appearance say about him or her? You may not need your attorney to wear a three piece suit everyday but are his or her clothes acceptable for the position they have? Even if your attorney is more casual in the office, there is acceptable and unacceptable casual. How your attorney carries himself is a direct reflection on you. When he or she stands up in court to represent you will you feel satisfied or embarrassed of who you hired?

Does he or she make you feel like they care? Are they treating you with respect and taking the time to understand your situation and what your needs are? Or are they going through the motions and treating you like a number? Regardless of your reason to visit an attorney, you should not be treated like a failure or less of a person. Chances are you feel bad enough and certainly do not need someone you are paying to make you feel worse.

Is your attorney committed to you as a client? Do you feel comfortable that he has your back? Can you rely on him to be there when you need him, know your case information and be able to protect you when needed?

The third factor when hiring an attorney is the process and cost.

Do you understand the legal situation and process that you need to go through? Did the attorney give you enough information and discuss every option so you know what steps you have to take to resolve your issues? Did you discuss all of the alternatives and the “what ifs”?

Cost can be the biggest issue. But if are quoted an amount that seems too good to be true, it probably is. Make sure you get all the details. If someone is charging considerably less than others there may be a real good reason for it. Is the quote for the service for the entire process or are there other costs that come up later? Is the price reduced because you will have limited access to your attorney? Will you spend most of your time dealing with office staff or a paralegal? If it’s cheaper is the processing time longer? What about quality of documents, mistakes or changes? Low cost sometimes equals low quality. When dealing with a legal issue that involves the law, paperwork and courts, you as a client need to know that everything is taken care of correctly and in a timely manner. You don’t want to find out later that something was missed or done incorrectly. This may cause you additional headaches and fees at a later date. At Miller & Miller we offer a free, no obligation consultation. This is an opportunity for you to meet with an attorney, get your questions answered and discuss the cost and process.

Last but not least, when visiting an attorney, you should not be rushed or pushed into retaining them and/or signing a contract. As well, as you should not be offered a “deal” for retaining the firm sooner. Attorneys that have “deals” and offer “lower charges if you sign today” seems wrong and leaves the feeling of uncertainty about their sincerity and integrity. Take the time to find the one that fits you and will take your case and relationship seriously. After your initial consultation with Miller & Miller us, we will follow up to answer any questions you may have. We never push anyone into retaining us; we let you take the time to make the decision on your own. At Miller & Miller our clients come to us because they are well informed and know they will be treated with respect and we will get the job done.

At Miller & Miller, we pride ourselves on being the difference. We strive to treat our clients like family members. You will not be treated like a number, be rushed to retain us or be given “a deal”. Our attorneys are professional, respected and offer exceptional one on one service from beginning to end of your case and beyond. Call us today to set up your free consultation with one of our attorneys. We have offices in Milwaukee, Kenosha and Germantown. Our office is open from 8:30 – 5:30, Monday – Friday and 9:00 – 12:00 on Saturdays.

Even if you aren’t in as much debt as Mr. Sapp, dealing with aggressive creditors can be stressful and overwhelming.  If you need advice about what to do, call Miller and Miller today. We have been helping people in Wisconsin get a fresh start since 1993 and with offices conveniently located in Kenosha, Milwaukee, and Germantown, we are a short trip away no matter where in Southeastern Wisconsin you are.

If charging tax liability please be aware that the Bankruptcy Code specifically disallows that part of your credit card debt to be discharged in a bankruptcy case, unless the tax you are paying is dischargeable as well.

If you have questions about tax liability and credit card debt please call Attorney Miller at 414-277-7742.  Our office is accessible  in Milwaukee, Racine, Ken0sha, Germantown, West Bend, Ozaukee, Brookfield and all surrounding Milwaukee Metro Areas.

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But in the modern world of finance, it is possible to get post-bankruptcy loans to repair credit ratings and begin the rebuilding process to a stronger financial status. In fact, it is that the credit rating improvement is the purpose of the loan that can lead to approval.

Still, there remains an acute risk to lenders that approval unsecured loans after bankruptcy, and for that reason the term can sometimes be debilitating. Higher interest rates may be expected, but with the advent of the internet, and the online lenders that can be found on it, the heavily increased rates do not need to be accepted.

Strategies To Recover After Bankruptcy

While bankruptcy might not be the end of the road, recovering from it does require starting again. This is where a small unsecured personal loan can come in so useful. However a loan is not the only strategy to choose, with low interest credit cards and dedicated saving helping the cause also.

Getting post-bankruptcy loans to repair credit ratings is admirable, but often the starting point is actually in building a savings account. In getting together a lump sum, a lender can see a committed attitude when a loan is finally applied for.

It can also help in securing a low interest secured credit card, with a small credit limit. This is necessary mainly due to the fact that our society is credit card orientated, but by making credit card repayments on time, a history of repayment is built up. So when it comes to applying for unsecured loans after bankruptcy, there is an indication of good financial habits.

If you need to file bankruptcy and you want honest answers please call Attorney James Miller at 414-277-7742 to discuss your bankruptcy options.  The Law Firm of Miller and Miller serves all Wisconsin communities including those in Kenosha, West Bend, Germantown, Waukesha, Racine, Brookfield, Ozaukee, Mequon, Menomonee Falls, West Allis, South Milwaukee, Okauchee and Madison.

Read it here.

If you live in Southeastern Wisconsin and are being badgered by debt collectors call Miller and Miller today at 414-277-7742. 

With offices in Milwaukee, Kenosha, and Germantown, we’re sure to be located close to you whether you live in Waukesha, Racine or somewhere in between.

 
Section 523 of the Bankruptcy Code sets out a number of situations in which credit card debt will not be discharged. Section 523(a)(2)( c) makes non-dischargeable consumer debt totaling more than $500 for luxury goods and services owed to any one creditor that are incurred within 90 days of filing, or cash advances totaling $750 or more owed to any one creditor made within 70 days of filing.

 
Section 523(a)(2) makes non-dischargeable debt owed to a creditor that was incurred by false pretenses or by fraud.

 
So to sum it up, Section 523 gives credit cards at least two arguments to challenge a Debtor:
1. Recent credit card use (within 3 months) for anything but necessities like food, clothing and shelter
2. Any credit card use in the recent past (up to a year prior to filing) if a Debtor makes charges where there is no reasonable expectation of repayment.

 
Here’s another way to think about it: If you have lost your job, and for the last year your only source of support are credit cards and cash advances, you should not expect to avoid a challenge by the credit card issuer just because you wait 91 days after your last use of your cards.

 
What, then, should you do if you need to buy food or gasoline in the weeks before you actually file?

You should recognize that shortly after you file, there is a very good chance that your credit cards will all be canceled and you are going to have to find another way to pay for your food and gasoline. A bankruptcy may eliminate old debt but it will not help you pay your current or on-going bills.

 
As a practical matter you are not going to want to spend the money litigating Section 523 dischargeability actions. Bankruptcy litigation is expensive and if you are scraping to buy food and gasoline, you will not be able to afford litigation. The fee you pay your bankruptcy lawyer will almost never include litigation.

 
If you are in Southeastern Wisconsin and are having trouble with your credit card debt, contact Miller and Miller today. We have offices in Milwaukee, Germantown, and Kenosha, making sure that whether you live in Racine or Waukesha, you have a office close to home.

All too often, clients come into our office, review their credit report, and are shocked to see what is listed.  Sometimes this is because there are old items that have been forgotten, but another culprit is identity theft.    

As the web has evolved, so have criminals and their tactics. With websites that look similar to name brand sites, con artists can pluck information as consumers enter what they believe is a legitimate site.  Once someone has stolen your identity and injured your credit score, it can be challenging to repair the damage. 

“Everything is done online these days,” says Identity Theft Resource Center Social Media Coordinator Nicki Junker. “Most of the time the victims of cyber-savvy criminals won’t be able to trace where the identity theft — a crime that has seen double-digit increases in the last five years — happened.”

Identity theft often goes unnoticed until it’s too late and the damage has already been done. In 2010, around 8.6 million households had at least one person who was a victim of identity theft, up from 6.4 million households in 2005, according to a recent study by the U.S. Bureau of Justice Statistics. Identity theft cost U.S. households about $13.3 billion in 2010, with the average loss being about $2,200.

Consumers can, however, take precautions to safeguard themselves and their identities while shopping online. Junker offers five ways to protect yourself online:

1. Confirm the site is legit: Before giving any personal information, check the URL to make sure that you’re still on the same site where you plan to make your purchases and that you haven’t been moved over to a fake one. Junker said sometimes consumers are switched over to a “cyber squatter’s” site that looks similar to a retailer’s site. It’s easy to be tricked into giving up credit card and other personal information.

2. Shop securely: When you start to check out and get ready to pay for your purchases, the URL should start with “https,” which means the site is secure. A secure site uses security technology to encrypt the information you send to the site, meaning computer hackers are stopped from collecting the data as it crosses the Web. You can also look for a closed yellow padlock at the bottom of the screen. If you see an open lock, you can assume that the site is not secure.

3. Use credit cards: Federal credit laws limit the amount a con artist can take on a credit card. Debit cards don’t have the same protections. “If they have a debit card, they can clear you out,” Junker explains. “You’re much better protected using a credit card than a debit card.”

4. Google the retailer: Before buying from a website, type in the retailer’s name and the word “scam” or “complaint” into a search engine. It’s a way to check out a retailer to see if the business is legit or not.

5. Explore the site: Can you find where the company’s office is located? Does the site clearly state a refund policy? Does it promise too much? “If it sounds too good to be true, it isn’t,” Junker warns. Take your time and make sure nothing seems out of whack or iffy.

Shopping online is a convenient way to avoid store crowds and traffic. By following these web-savvy tips, your shopping experience can be safe and convenient.  If you are living in Milwaukee-Waukesha-Racine area, the attorneys at Miller and Miller can help you to repair and rebuild your credit if you think there are errors. Call us at 414-277-7742 today!