Beverly Hills office · Serving Los Angeles
Law Offices of John Asuncion is a bankruptcy attorney in Beverly Hills for people and small businesses buried in debt. If a garnishment, levy or foreclosure sale is coming, call (310) 362-9071 today for a free consultation, in our Wilshire Blvd. office or by video.
Start here
Usually, if your equity fits California's homestead exemption and you are current on the mortgage. If you are behind, Chapter 13 can help you catch up.
See the house mathMost people do. It depends on your car's value, the loan balance and the vehicle exemption you choose.
See how cars are handledChapter 7 starts at a $1,200 flat fee plus the $338 court filing fee, with payment plans. Much of a Chapter 13 fee can be paid through the plan.
See every fee in one tableWhy clients call us
John Asuncion has held a California law license for more than 30 years. Check his record yourself on the State Bar website.
Flat fees start at $1,200 plus the court's filing fee. You get the exact number in writing before you sign, and payment plans are available.
If your paycheck is being garnished or your home has a sale date, we can prepare an emergency filing to trigger the automatic stay.
Come to our office at 9454 Wilshire Blvd. or meet by video from home. Both are free.
Cases from Beverly Hills and most of Los Angeles County go to the U.S. Bankruptcy Court, Central District of California, Los Angeles Division.
We tell you if bankruptcy is the right move, which chapter fits and what you keep. If it is not right for you, we say so.
When people call us
Bankruptcy is not always the answer. Read when you should not file bankruptcy before you decide.
Where most clients start
Chapter 7 wipes out credit cards, medical bills and personal loans, often in a few months. You must pass the means test, and California exemptions decide what you keep. Learn how it works on our Chapter 7 bankruptcy in Beverly Hills page, including our flat fee from $1,200.
Chapter 13 is a 3 to 5 year payment plan approved by the court. It stops foreclosure, lets you catch up missed mortgage or car payments and protects property Chapter 7 could put at risk. Your payment is based on your income and expenses, not your total debt. See whether a plan fits on our Chapter 13 bankruptcy in Beverly Hills page.
A garnishment takes part of every paycheck until the debt is paid. Filing bankruptcy orders the creditor to stop, and we send notice to your employer once the case is filed. In some cases, money taken shortly before filing can be recovered. Read what to do today on our stop wage garnishment in Beverly Hills page.
If your lender has set a sale date, filing bankruptcy before that date stops the sale. Chapter 13 then spreads the missed payments over up to five years while you keep your home. The timing is tight, so call as soon as you get the notice. Learn the steps on our stop foreclosure in Beverly Hills page.
Stop collections now
When collectors are taking your wages, freezing your bank account or suing you, you need the collection to stop first. Our bankruptcy service in Beverly Hills covers stopping a bank levy, ending lawsuits and harassment, and wiping out credit card, medical and payday loan debt. It also covers keeping your car, dealing with HOA liens, student loans and rebuilding your credit after the case.
Straight answers
The means test starts with California's median income for your household size, from $79,253 for one person.
Credit cards, medical bills, personal loans and most old judgments.
Child support, most recent taxes and most student loans.
Chapter 7 usually takes about four months from filing to discharge.
Usually just one short meeting with the trustee, not a judge.
Compare speed, cost and what each one protects, side by side.
401(k)s, pensions and most IRAs are protected in bankruptcy.
A second Chapter 7 discharge needs eight years between filings.
Bankruptcy attorney services
Subchapter V lets a small business cut its debts down to size and keep its doors open. It is faster and cheaper than a full Chapter 11 case, and owners usually keep control. We look at your debts and cash flow and tell you if a plan is realistic. Read more about Chapter 11 / Subchapter V small business bankruptcy.
Some businesses need to close in an orderly way. Others need room to reorganize. Either way, the owner's personal guarantees on leases and loans matter just as much as the business debt. We review both before you decide. Learn how business bankruptcy in Beverly Hills works for owners.
The means test decides whether you can file Chapter 7. It compares your average income over the last six months to the California median for your household size, then subtracts allowed expenses. We run it with you at the free consultation. See how a means test evaluation can change your options.
California gives you two exemption systems, and you must pick one. One protects more home equity. The other protects more cash and personal property. We compare both against what you own and choose the one that protects the most. Learn about bankruptcy exemptions for your home, car and retirement.
If you lost a job or your expenses went up, your Chapter 13 payment may no longer work. You may be able to convert to Chapter 7 instead of letting the case be dismissed. We check whether you qualify now and file the conversion. Read more about converting Chapter 13 to Chapter 7.
If your last case was dismissed within the past year, the automatic stay in a new case may last only 30 days unless the court extends it. We find out why the first case failed, file the right motion on time and fix the problem. Learn about refiling after a dismissed case.
A closed case can sometimes be reopened. Common reasons are a creditor you forgot to list, a missing debtor education certificate or a creditor still trying to collect a discharged debt. We file the motion and handle the follow-up. See when reopening a bankruptcy case makes sense.
A creditor or the trustee can file a lawsuit inside your bankruptcy to keep a debt from being discharged or to recover property. These cases have short deadlines. We answer the complaint, gather your records and defend you in the bankruptcy court. Learn about adversary proceeding defense.
If your home is worth less than what you owe on your first mortgage, Chapter 13 may let you remove a second mortgage or HELOC. That loan is then treated like credit card debt. We get the valuation and file the motion. Read about second mortgage lien stripping in Chapter 13.
Behind on your mortgage? A Chapter 13 plan lets you repay the missed payments over 3 to 5 years while you make your regular payment each month. The foreclosure stays on hold while you follow the plan. We work from your lender's own numbers. Learn about a mortgage arrears cure plan.
Some older federal income taxes can be wiped out in bankruptcy if they meet timing rules for when the return was due and filed. Taxes that do not qualify can often be paid through Chapter 13 without new penalties. We review your IRS transcripts first. Read about IRS tax debt in bankruptcy.
California Franchise Tax Board debt has its own timing rules in bankruptcy. Filing also stops FTB wage garnishments and bank levies. We pull your FTB records and check which years can be discharged. Learn about state tax debt in bankruptcy.
What it costs
What happens after you call
Call (310) 362-9071. We talk through your debts, income and deadlines, in person or by video.
We run the means test, pick the right chapter and give you a flat fee in writing.
You send your documents. We prepare your petition and file it with the court.
We prepare you for the 341 meeting and stay with your case until it ends.
Areas we serve
Our office is on Wilshire Boulevard in Beverly Hills, just east of Rodeo Drive. Many clients come from the neighborhoods next door, including Century City, Beverly Grove, Westwood, Pico-Robertson and Mid-City, and from across the City of Los Angeles. Bankruptcy cases from these areas are heard at the Roybal Federal Building at 255 East Temple Street in downtown Los Angeles.
We also help clients from nearby cities such as West Hollywood, Culver City, Santa Monica, Inglewood, Burbank, Glendale, Pasadena and Torrance. If coming to Beverly Hills is hard, you can meet with us by video and send your documents online.
Serving the Central District of California
Your ZIP code decides which bankruptcy courthouse hears your case. Our clients file in three of the Central District's divisions.
Questions
At our firm, flat fees for bankruptcy start at $1,200 plus the court filing fee. The total depends on the chapter you file and how complex your case is. We give you the exact fee in writing at your free consultation, and payment plans are available.
Most people who file keep their home and car. California exemptions protect a set amount of home equity, a vehicle and most retirement accounts. If you are behind on payments, Chapter 13 lets you catch up over 3 to 5 years. We check your numbers before you file so there are no surprises.
A garnishment or foreclosure stops as soon as your bankruptcy case is filed, because of the automatic stay. When a sale date or the next paycheck is close, we can prepare an emergency filing. Call as soon as you get the notice so we have time to act.
Whether you qualify for Chapter 7 depends mostly on the means test. It compares your household income to the California median for your family size. If your income is too high, or you want to save a house that is behind, Chapter 13 is often the better fit. We run the means test at your free consultation.
Most people do not see a judge. You will attend one short meeting of creditors, called the 341 meeting, run by a bankruptcy trustee. We prepare you for the questions and attend with you.
Yes, you can meet by video. We offer free consultations by video or at our office at 9454 Wilshire Blvd. in Beverly Hills, Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Free consultation
The sooner you call, the more options you have. A garnishment, levy or sale date does not wait. Call (310) 362-9071 or send the form, and we will get back to you during business hours.
Law Offices of John Asuncion