Bankruptcy Lawyer in Rockaway Beach, NY

Stop the Calls, Save Your Home

Get immediate protection from creditors and a clear path to financial freedom with experienced bankruptcy representation.

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Chapter 7 Bankruptcy Attorney Services

What Life Looks Like After Filing

The phone stops ringing. Your wages stay in your paycheck. You sleep through the night without wondering which bill to pay first.

That’s what happens when you file bankruptcy with proper legal guidance. Chapter 7 can eliminate credit card debt, medical bills, and personal loans in just a few months. Chapter 13 lets you keep your home while creating a manageable payment plan for what you owe.

You’re not just getting rid of debt. You’re getting your life back. No more choosing between groceries and the electric bill. No more avoiding the mailbox or letting calls go to voicemail.

Experienced Rockaway Beach Bankruptcy Law Firm

We Know These Courts, These Laws

The Frank Law Firm P.C. has helped hundreds of Rockaway Beach families navigate bankruptcy and debt relief. We understand the unique financial challenges facing our coastal community, from seasonal employment gaps to hurricane recovery costs.

Our firm focuses exclusively on bankruptcy and debt relief law. We know the local trustees, understand the exemptions that protect your property, and can guide you through every step of the process.

You don’t need to figure this out alone. We’ve been serving Rockaway Beach residents for years, and we know exactly how to protect what matters most to you.

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How to File for Bankruptcy

Your Path from Debt to Freedom

First, we meet for a free consultation to review your debts, income, and assets. We’ll determine whether Chapter 7 or Chapter 13 bankruptcy makes more sense for your situation, or if there’s another debt relief option that works better.

Next, we prepare and file your bankruptcy petition. This immediately triggers the automatic stay, which stops all collection calls, wage garnishments, and foreclosure proceedings. Your creditors must deal with us, not you.

Then we guide you through the required credit counseling, help you prepare for the meeting of creditors, and handle all communication with the bankruptcy trustee. Most Chapter 7 cases are complete within four months. Chapter 13 cases involve a 3-5 year payment plan, but you keep your assets and catch up on missed payments over time.

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Debt Relief and Foreclosure Defense

Complete Bankruptcy and Debt Relief Services

We handle both Chapter 7 and Chapter 13 bankruptcy cases, plus foreclosure defense for homeowners facing the loss of their property. Our services include reviewing all your debts to determine what can be eliminated, protecting exempt assets like your primary residence and retirement accounts, and negotiating with creditors when appropriate.

Many Rockaway Beach residents don’t realize how much property they can keep in bankruptcy. New York’s exemption laws protect your home equity up to certain limits, your car, household goods, and retirement savings. We make sure you understand exactly what’s protected before you file.

We also offer foreclosure defense services for homeowners who want to fight the foreclosure process or buy time to explore other options. Sometimes bankruptcy isn’t the right answer, and we’ll tell you that honestly during your consultation.

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Not necessarily. New York’s homestead exemption protects up to $170,825 in home equity for most filers, and up to $341,650 in certain counties. If your home equity falls within these limits, you can keep your house in Chapter 7 bankruptcy as long as you stay current on mortgage payments. Chapter 13 bankruptcy actually helps you keep your home by allowing you to catch up on missed mortgage payments over 3-5 years while stopping foreclosure proceedings. The key is acting before you’re too far behind on payments.
Chapter 7 bankruptcy typically takes 3-4 months from filing to discharge. You’ll have a meeting of creditors about 30 days after filing, and if there are no complications, you’ll receive your discharge about 60 days later. Chapter 13 takes longer because it involves a 3-5 year repayment plan, but you get immediate protection from creditors when you file. The automatic stay stops collection calls, wage garnishments, and foreclosure proceedings right away, so you get relief immediately even though the full process takes longer.
Most unsecured debts can be eliminated in bankruptcy, including credit card balances, medical bills, personal loans, and old utility bills. However, certain debts survive bankruptcy, such as recent taxes, student loans (in most cases), child support, alimony, and debts incurred through fraud. Secured debts like mortgages and car loans are handled differently – you can keep the property if you continue making payments, or surrender it and eliminate any remaining balance. We’ll review all your debts during consultation to explain exactly what can be discharged.
Our Chapter 7 bankruptcy fees are competitive and transparent, with payment plans available to make legal representation affordable. Chapter 13 cases typically cost more due to the longer timeline and additional court appearances required. We also charge court filing fees (currently $338 for Chapter 7 and $313 for Chapter 13) and mandatory credit counseling fees. During your free consultation, we’ll provide exact fee quotes based on your specific situation. Many clients find that bankruptcy attorney fees are much less than what they’re paying in minimum credit card payments each month.
Yes, filing bankruptcy immediately stops wage garnishments through the automatic stay provision. This federal protection goes into effect the moment we file your case, and your employer must stop deducting money from your paycheck for most types of garnishments. Bank account freezes are also stopped, though you may need to work with your bank to release already-frozen funds. The automatic stay is one of bankruptcy’s most powerful features – it gives you breathing room to address your debts without ongoing collection pressure while your case proceeds through the court system.
Bankruptcy does impact your credit score initially, but it’s not permanent damage. Chapter 7 stays on your credit report for 10 years, while Chapter 13 remains for 7 years. However, many clients see their credit scores improve within 1-2 years after filing because they’ve eliminated overwhelming debt and can start rebuilding responsibly. If you’re already behind on payments or dealing with collections, your credit is likely already damaged. Bankruptcy stops the bleeding and gives you a foundation to rebuild from, rather than continuing to sink deeper into debt that you can’t pay.

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