As a California Bankruptcy Attorney I see and hear it all. Unfortunately, most my clients who file bankruptcy are using bankruptcy laws as a shield from their creditors rather than as a sword. I recently wrote an article “Filing Bankruptcy-Before I Go Bankrupt” to show consumers they don’t have to lose everything to file bankruptcy. in addition, you don’t have to be bankrupt to file bankruptcy! Bankruptcy laws and bankruptcy state exemptions are there to protect consumers. You can be on the offensive rather than the defensive end when filing bankruptcy chapter 7 or chapter 13. What I mean by this is the majority of my clients go through their retirement or life savings trying to stay afloat financially, avoid foreclosure, pay off creditors or just stop harassing collection calls. Obviously, when they get to me they have to file bankruptcy for a variety of reasons, but the main reason is they have exhausted their savings and have run out of alternatives. By using bankruptcy as a sword you can save yourself a lot of money by not paying anyone and filing bankruptcy while your still current rather than throwing good money after bad.

For example: Let’s say you are one of the many California homeowners who have suffered from under or unemployment, needing to borrow against your 401K or 302 B retirement to keep current on your mortgage, vehicle lease, credit cards and utilities. You find yourself consistently draining your savings and retirement only to end up running out of money and ending up behind on your credit cards, in foreclosure or facing an automobile repossession. I see this all to often and only wish these clients were better informed and prepared to file bankruptcy early and avoid draining their retirement accounts and making minimum payments on their credit cards, only to find themselves at the end of their rope. Once there, the need to file bankruptcy to stop foreclosure, avoid judgments, wage garnishments and liens is being used defensively as a shield not a sword. What would be much better for these clients is to consult with a bankruptcy attorney to understand how filing bankruptcy can be used offensively as a sword and stop the bleeding before they go broke. That’s right, file bankruptcy while your current and eliminate the debt burden before you go bankrupt, blow your life savings and have difficulty even hiring a bankruptcy attorney. Yes, I know and fully understand this is not what someone wants to hear and most credit worthy consumers won’t go down without a fight, but this is not a good business decision. By pre-planning and filing bankruptcy early in the financial struggle you can avoid the humiliating collection calls and protect your retirement savings and get your life back on track. Yes, you don’t need to go bankrupt before you file bankruptcy. It’s kind of like avoiding the dentist when you initially have a toothache and it might just require a filling, only to find yourself getting a root canal or losing the tooth all together. Or like ignoring squeaky brakes and end up having to buy new rotors rather than just replacing your brake pads, ending up much more expensive. The point I’m trying to get across is as soon as you start experiencing financial trouble you can file bankruptcy and get instant debt relief, potentially saving a whole lot of money using bankruptcy as a sword, not a shield. The Law Offices of Zhou & Chini help consumers with debt relief  services and offer free consultations to all their prospective clients. We believe that bankruptcy laws and state exemptions are there to protect consumers, it’s better to be proactive and know your options with bankruptcy. If you find yourself unemployed, under employed, or just overwhelmed with debt you should consult a bankruptcy attorney early in your struggle and potentially save yourself a lot of money. The bankruptcy attorneys at the Law Offices of Zhou & Chini offer sound legal advice for free. As California Bankruptcy Attorneys we can show you how to use bankruptcy as a sword, not a shield! Call our debt relief attorneys with your bankruptcy questions at (888) 901-3440 . Don’t throw good money after bad, if you feel your ship is sinking be proactive and get out in front of your problems by filing bankruptcy before you go bankrupt. You’ll save yourself a lot of money in the long run! http://www.bankruptcyattorneyincalifornia.com