Do I qualify for Chapter 7?
The starting point is the means test: if your household income is below Ohio’s median for your family size, you generally qualify. Above it, the test deducts allowed expenses to see what’s left — and if Chapter 7 is out, Chapter 13 usually isn’t. We run the actual numbers, free, at the first meeting.
Will I lose my house or my car?
In most cases, no. Ohio’s exemptions protect substantial equity in a home, a vehicle, household goods, and virtually all retirement accounts — the large majority of our Chapter 7 clients keep everything they own. If your equity exceeds the exemptions, we’ll tell you before you file, and Chapter 13 usually offers a path that protects it.
What does bankruptcy cost?
Chapter 7 attorney fees in our office typically run $1,200–$1,800 plus the $338 court filing fee, with $0-down payment options for qualifying clients. Chapter 13 fees are set by court guidelines and mostly paid through the monthly plan, not up front. You get the exact flat number in writing at the consultation.
How badly does this hurt my credit — really?
Honestly: a Chapter 7 stays on your report up to ten years, a Chapter 13 up to seven. But most people filing already have damaged credit, and the surprise runs the other way — with the debt discharged and our rebuilding roadmap, many clients reach usable scores within 12–24 months. Filers routinely qualify for car loans in a year or two and mortgages in two to four.
Your reviews mention fast results. Is that guaranteed?
No. Every case turns on its own facts, and prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome. What is built into the law itself: filing triggers the automatic stay, which stops most collection activity immediately. What we add is fifteen years of doing the paperwork right so that protection holds.
