One of the frustrating ironies about bankruptcy is that the reason you need to declare it is that you don't have enough money. However, to file for bankruptcy, you need money to pay for a pre-bankruptcy credit counseling course and the filing fee for submitting your bankruptcy forms and documents to the bankruptcy court.

So, it's tempting to try and save money by filing for bankruptcy without the help of an attorney. It's certainly possible to do so, but it's not always a good idea, especially if filing for Chapter 13 bankruptcy. Here are a few of the risks that come with representing yourself in such a situation.

Risk #1: Having Creditors Take Advantage of You

A Chapter 13 attorney's job isn't just filling out forms and submitting them to the bankruptcy court. They also handle the negotiations with creditors about your payment plan. An attorney can handle the proposed payment plan discussions with creditors and the court. This not only saves you time and hassle, but you also get a bankruptcy professional who will advocate for your best financial interests.

Risk #2: Improperly Completing Paperwork

Declaring bankruptcy is not a simple task, and there are reasons why bankruptcy lawyers exist. If you decide not to hire an attorney to help you with your Chapter 13 bankruptcy, you risk making a mistake in a court filing. These mistakes could delay when your bankruptcy is complete and create additional costs for you.

Risk #3: You Don't Know What You Don't Know

If you've done some research about the Chapter 13 bankruptcy process, you might be thinking it's something you can handle on your own. This may be true, but an important advantage that comes with hiring an attorney is having a legal professional identify any potential concerns that you might be unaware of. Being able to find an answer to a bankruptcy issue doesn't mean much if you're not aware of that issue in the first place.

Learn More About How a Bankruptcy Attorney Can Help

If you're still not sure if it's worth hiring an attorney for Chapter 13 bankruptcy, give The Craig Black Law Firm a call at (678) 888-1778. In addition to talking directly to Craig Black (when you call, you'll get to talk to a bankruptcy lawyer immediately), you'll learn about the benefits of having legal representation during a Chapter 13 bankruptcy. You can also contact The Craig Black Law Firm using the online contact form.