Consider a bankruptcy lawyer in Columbia, SC, with years of experience helping clients get back on their feet by reorganizing their debts through the process of bankruptcy.

Is filing for bankruptcy the answer for you?

Every person’s situation is unique, and filing for bankruptcy is not the answer for everyone.

Although we are a bankruptcy law firm, our first task is helping you decide whether filing bankruptcy is the best option for you given your circumstances.

Bankruptcy may be the solution for you if you’ve lost your job, your bills are piling up, or you’ve had a medical emergency that insurance won’t cover.

It may be the only answer when creditors are blowing up your phone, sending you letters, and threatening to take you to court if you don’t pay.

For hundreds of thousands of people each year, filing bankruptcy helps them to get back on their feet after a financial crisis – helping them to stop the phone calls, stop the harassment by creditors, get out from under their crushing debt, and start fresh with a clean slate.

Columbia, SC bankruptcy attorney Michael Culler understands the stress you are going through when you can’t pay your bills.

He understands each day brings new threats from aggressive debt collectors, and it seems like there is no relief on the horizon.

You find yourself asking, “What can I do?”

You may have several options – including Chapter 7 or Chapter 13 bankruptcy.

The Columbia, SC, Bankruptcy Attorney at Culler Law Firm has successfully represented hundreds of people who have suffered from financial instability.

Want to stop foreclosure, stop repossessions, or deal with back rent and tax debt? 

We specialize in personal debt relief and will do everything legally and ethically possible to ensure that you receive the debt relief you need. Your bankruptcy attorney has the experience you need to successfully file for Chapter 7 or Chapter 13 bankruptcy and start fresh without creditors hounding you at every turn. 

You might be wondering… “What will this cost me?”

Bankruptcy should improve your financial situation, not worsen it.

We offer affordable representation and flexible payment plans according to your needs.

Our Columbia, SC bankruptcy lawyer charges reasonable fees based on the type of bankruptcy you file and the complexity of your case. The court must approve attorney fees in bankruptcy proceedings based on the type of proceeding. 

In Chapter 13 cases, we take the rest of our fee through the Chapter 13 Plan. Our fee becomes part of your monthly payment to the Trustee.

In Chapter 7 cases, we will work with you on a payment plan for your attorney fees that works for your budget.

The US Bankruptcy Court must approve all fees.

Once we understand what services you will need, the type of bankruptcy we will be filing for you, and the complexity of your case, we will let you know the fees upfront.

Should You File Bankruptcy in Columbia, SC?

People file for bankruptcy in Columbia, SC for many reasons, and there is no shame in doing so.

Bankruptcy may be the right answer for you if any of the following are true:

• Your debt situation is keeping you up at night,
• Your credit score has dived because you are unable to pay your debts,
• You are unable to make the minimum payments on your credit cards each month,
• You are being harassed by collection agencies and debtors by phone and mail,
• You are overwhelmed because you are unable to get out of debt,
• Debt consolidation options have not worked for you, or
• Late fees and penalties are steadily increasing the debt you owe.

Some of the most common reasons that people file for bankruptcy include:

• Medical expenses – even for people with health insurance coverage, medical expenses are the most common reason people turn to the bankruptcy courts for help,
• Reductions in pay – when someone is barely getting by from week to week, a pay cut can be devastating and result in a downward financial spiral that is difficult to escape without help,
• Job loss – loss of employment can and often does result in bills piling up with no recourse to bring them current again,
• Financial emergencies – not everyone has a nest egg saved away in the bank, and an unexpected emergency like an eviction, a damaged vehicle, or expensive home repairs can be enough to knock many families over the financial precipice,
• Utilities – the cost of essential utilities like electricity, heat, air conditioning, internet, and even water are steadily rising as wages remain the same, and, for families that are already living paycheck-to-paycheck, added utility costs each month can lead to financial breakdown,
• Foreclosure – in some cases, bankruptcy allows the petitioner to keep their family home, which would have otherwise been lost to foreclosure proceedings, and
• Divorce – the financial effects of divorce can be devastating, and when a person is stuck with substantial debt, including their former spouse’s debt, bankruptcy may be the only way to clear the slate.

chapter 13

• In Chapter 13 bankruptcy, you reorganize your secured debts, such as car or mortgage arrears. Unsecured debt, such as credit cards and medical debt, may often be converted to a fraction of the amount owed. 
• A Chapter 13 reorganization plan results in one monthly payment you make to the Trustee assigned to your case. The Trustee will then make payments to your creditors.
• Chapter 13 requires you to devise a payment plan, including renegotiation of some debts, that allows you to pay off your debts over a three—to five-year period. 
• Depending on your income and assets, Chapter 13 may be your only option if you do not qualify for Chapter 7 bankruptcy. 

The Most Common Question We Get Asked Is…

If you meet the requirements for Chapter 7 or Chapter 13 bankruptcy, we can help you to get immediate relief from creditors: 

• When you contact us, Attorney Michael Culler will meet with you to answer your questions and learn about your financial situation – this can be over the phone or in person at the office. If needed, we can come to you. 
• During your Consultation, Michael will evaluate your situation and help you determine whether bankruptcy is a viable solution and whether Chapter 7 or Chapter 13 bankruptcy is better for you based on your situation and the Bankruptcy Court Rules.
• If filing for bankruptcy is the answer, we will give you a list of documents that we will need to help put your case together and go over your assets, income, expenses, and debt in detail. 
• Bankruptcy attorney Michael Culler will contact all creditors and let them know you have retained a bankruptcy attorney in Columbia, SC. All further contact should be directed to us – putting into place an “automatic stay” of all collection efforts and ending the harassment. 
• Once we receive your financial documents and organize the information to prepare your case, we will have you review all documents for errors. 
• When your case is filed, and a Case Number has been issued, the “automatic stay” is now legal – a fancy way of saying that your creditors are prohibited from contacting you for any reason, and ALL foreclosure proceedings, hearings/court cases with creditors, repossessions, and other collection efforts will cease immediately!  We can also recover your vehicle if it has been repossessed but has not yet been sold at auction.

Your bankruptcy attorney in Columbia, SC, can help you to get a new start financially, get your previous debt discharged, stop foreclosure on your home or repossession of your vehicle, consolidate your payments (Chapter 13), end the harassment of creditors and bill collectors, and begin rebuilding your credit.