Frequently Asked Questions

Bankruptcy FAQ's

For nearly all filers, a bankruptcy filing is the only way to actually restore and improve your credit score. Many people think the opposite, that a filing will destroy their credit.

But by filing a case, all your credit report entries get re-coded and the ongoing negative reporting stops…allowing your credit score to rise, on average, about 100-150 points within 6 months to a year of your filing.

In addition, filing a case will not make you ineligible for future loans for the rest of your life. Right after filing, in the mail you will receive numerous offers from companies offering new credit cards and car loans, so you will have credit available to you should you need it in the future.

Also, many filers find that they are eligible for new loans they were never eligible for previously because of their past poor credit scores. The interest rates offered on the new post bankruptcy loans are far better than what they would have received without a case.

No. None of the major Southern Arizona local daily newspapers publish bankruptcy filings. The Arizona Daily Star, Green Valley News and Sun, The Sahuarita Sun, The Sierra Vista Herald, and Nogales International do not publish bankruptcy filings.

We also make it a point to note that a bankruptcy filing is nothing to be ashamed of. You’re clearing out bad debt that, in our experience over the years, almost always results from circumstances outside your control.

A filing can reshape your finances to build for a great future. It is likely that you know friends, family members, coworkers and neighbors who have filed cases, but they just don’t talk about it. Many famous people have used the bankruptcy process to their benefit.

The fees depend on the nature of your case. The bankruptcy court charges a fee to file your case ($338.00 for Chapter 7 and $313.00 for Chapter 13), and the rest of the fee you would pay to file the case would be for your attorney to represent you and handle all aspects of your case with care and attention to detail from the beginning to the very end.

Attorney Meiners normally charges a flat fee that is very reasonable with affordable and easy payment options. The customer service, knowledge and personal attention you get is tops among Tucson bankruptcy attorneys. 

From the filing date, Chapter 7 cases normally take about 3-4 months from filing until discharge.  Chapter 13 case plans run between 36-60 months.

Normally, just one very brief trustee hearing is all you need to attend.  These hearings are currently being done telephonically and/or via Zoom. 

This meeting is with your case trustee a few months after your case is filed. Fortunately, you won’t have to meet a judge or even appear in a courtroom.

For this hearing, Attorney Meiners will be there alongside you and will give you plenty of preparation materials before the court date to ease your anxiety.

You will rest easy knowing exactly what to expect at your trustee hearing as Mr. Meiners has done thousands of them. 

You are eligible to file a Chapter 7 bankruptcy eight years after the filing date of your last Chapter 7 case. If it has been less than eight years since your Chapter 7 case, you are still able to file for Chapter 13 relief four years after your prior Chapter 7–and in may cases, your Chapter 13 will resemble a Chapter 7.

You will still be able to eliminate all your unsecured debts, and get the added advantages of Chapter 13 like car loan modification, 2nd mortgage lien stripping, and other super discharge provisions.

If your previous case was a Chapter 13, you are eligible to file a Chapter 7 six years after your previous Chapter 13 filing. You can file a new Chapter 13 case 2 years after a prior, discharged Chapter 13.

If you recently completed a Chapter 13 to discharge and have new debt, or filed a Chapter 13 and had it dismissed prior to discharge, please contact the office for an appointment.  If a case is dismissed, when you refile the automatic stay may only be in place for 30 days, or less.

Office Location

Meiners Law Office, PLC

Address: 4400 E Broadway Blvd
Suite 600S, Tucson, AZ 85711

Phone: (520) 777-2198