Our office has extensive experience helping individuals and married couples filing for bankruptcy. We have developed a streamlined no hassle experience for our bankruptcy clients and all cases are charged on a flat fee basis. We can usually assess what type of bankruptcy may be right for you with a quick telephone consultation. If a bankruptcy is not the best option for your situation, we will guide you through other options. We will determine whether creditors can be collecting on your debts under applicable laws. An assessment will be made to determine if your income or property is at risk if you choose to "wait it out" and cease making payments to some or all of your creditors. Our debt resolution services include the following options:

Chapter 7 Bankruptcy

Sometimes called a "straight" or "liquidation" bankruptcy, Chapter 7 can best be described as a "Fresh Start" with your finances because most types of debt are completely extinguished through the Chapter 7 process. Most average and many higher income wage earners will qualify for a Chapter 7 Bankruptcy.

It is a common myth that you will lose your property in a Chapter 7 Bankruptcy. For most people, this simply is not the case, especially if you hire a competent and experienced attorney who knows how to utilize the bankruptcy laws to protect your income and assets. As a general rule, the Chapter 7 process takes about 4 months from beginning to end and usually requires only one fairly informal hearing before a Chapter 7 Trustee. This hearing is usually scheduled approximately one month after your case is filed. Your attorney will accompany you at this hearing and will inform you of what to expect.

Many of our clients feel an overwhelming sense of relief and reduction in stress levels when the short process concludes and the Bankruptcy Court approves an Order of Discharge in their case. Being able to legally walk away from the burden of their debts allows our clients to move forward with their lives and focus on future goals.

Chapter 13 Bankruptcy

There are a lot of misconceptions about Chapter 13 Bankruptcy that prevent people from seeking the relief that a Chapter 13 filing can provide. Many people think they will have to pay back every penny they owe to their creditors. This simply isn't the case for so many. A Chapter 13 repayment plan is a complex calculation that should be left to an experienced attorney to formulate. Many factors such as current and future income, character and value of assets, degree and types of liabilities, and whether you have filed for bankruptcy in prior years all come into the mix when calculating a monthly payment plan. Chapter 13 is a powerful debt resolution tool and can help you with the following:

• Instantly halt a foreclosure of your home or other real property and provide you with time to make important decisions about your property.
• Provide up to 60 months to catch up on house, car, and other secured payments.
• Reinstate a driver's license that has been suspended due to civil infractions and/or criminal fines.
• Force creditors to defer direct payments for up to 60 months (i.e. student loans, tax debt, criminal fines).
• Discharge of certain debts that are not normally discharged in Chapter 7.
• Obtain relief from creditors if you have already filed for Chapter 7 in the last 8 years.
• Permit higher income earners to obtain relief from their creditors.
• Provide debtors with an option to protect assets from liquidation if some or all assets exceed allowances under bankruptcy law.

Debt Settlement

If after after a thorough consultation we believe that bankruptcy isn't the best choice for your situation, we will analyze whether a debt settlement agreement can be pursued with one or more of your creditors. Although we can't make guarantees, many creditors are open to negotiating some type of resolution. The most common debt settlement agreements include a reduction in the balance to be paid, lower interest rate, agreement to accept lower payments, or a combination of any or all of these options.

If you are struggling to make your monthly mortgage payments, we can help. We have successfully represented numerous homeowners with saving their homes from foreclosure. It is imperative that you call us as soon as you realize you are experiencing financial trouble. Due to new Federal and State laws, there are more options available for mortgage loan borrowers, but strict deadlines apply. We offer the following legal services to homeowners facing foreclosure:

• Loss Mitigation Mediation pursuant to the Washington State Foreclosure Fairness Act.
• Mortgage Loan Modification, Forbearance, Extension of Foreclosure Sale Date.
• Deed-In-Lieu of Foreclosure.
• Short Sale in Lieu of Foreclosure.
• Mortgage Repayment and/or delay of foreclosure through Bankruptcy.

*Successful outcome of any of the above are contingent upon many factors and are subject to legally binding agreements with mortgage lenders and/or secured creditors, or court approval, whichever is applicable to the client's unique situation.

Divorce or Legal Separation is the last resort for many couples. We believe that any decision to take legal action in the family courts shouldn't be taken lightly and these cases must be handled by knowledgeable, caring, and compassionate attorneys and legal professionals. If you are in need of some advice about how a divorce or separation will affect you and your family, please do not hesitate to call us for a complimentary consultation. We offer the following family law related services:

• Flat fee marital dissolution/divorce/child custody & parenting disputes.  In some cases no court appearance is required.
• Collaborative marital dissolution/divorce/child custody & parenting disputes.  A Collaborative Law participation agreement is required by both parties involved in the dispute. This means that both sides have agreed to follow a cooperative process whereby decisions are made by the parties with the assistance of their attorneys, rather than the court.  This process can be a very effective and a less costly way of resolving a family law matter.  Some find that the process causes less emotional distress because the parties are in control, rather than the court. For more information on the Collaborative Law process please give us a call and visit the following sites:

http://www.collaborativeprofessionalsofwashington.org/

http://kingcountycollab.org/

http://app.leg.wa.gov/rcw/default.aspx?cite=7.77

The information provided on this site is for informational purposes only, and is not meant to be intended as legal advice or to create an attorney-client relationship. Absent a formal written retainer agreement for legal services to be rendered by Sheri L. Nevlin, Attorney, no attorney-client relationship exists. Sheri L. Nevlin, Attorney does not endorse or recommend any organization or entity that may be linked on this site, and such links are for informational purposes only. 

Federal law requires that Sheri L. Nevlin, Attorney disclose that the firm is a debt relief agency and that Sheri L. Nevlin, Attorney helps people file for bankruptcy pursuant to the United States Bankruptcy Code.