The Right Time to Visit a Bankruptcy Lawyer is Now

I took a holiday today, and stayed home to build and decorate a gingerbread house with my seven-year-old (which I highly recommend, by the way, but be warned–royal icing really is like cement). I got a phone call from my assistant, to update me on office matters, and she told me about a phone call from a guy whose home is set for foreclosure sale on January 6. He was trying to find a bankruptcy lawyer to help him stop the foreclosure. She was trying to help him find someone available in the next week or so.

Obviously, the holiday season complicates things this time of year, but we get some of these phone calls every month. Most of the time, all I can do is try to help find a lawyer who has the time to handle a case on such short notice.

I don’t know why this particular guy waited so long to contact a lawyer. Sometimes it’s lack of knowledge, or just good, old-fashioned procrastination. Many times people wait until every other option has fallen through to take that step, and it is often too late.

No matter where you are in the process, though, it’s the right time to contact a bankruptcy lawyer. If you are trying to avoid bankruptcy and are pursuing other options, it is still a good idea to visit a lawyer, so you know what you will need to do if everything falls apart and bankruptcy is the only way to save your home. Don’t get caught in a time bind, and lose that opportunity.