One of the most worrisome things about declaring bankruptcy is finding a good lawyer that you can trust. After all, if you go to a bankruptcy lawyer who makes money by helping people file bankruptcy, can you really expect to get honest advice? Isn't the lawyer simply going to want to try and convince you to declare bankruptcy so he can get a commission?

Well, let's talk about one way to avoid getting ripped off when trying to find a bankruptcy lawyer. You may want to consider actually paying for your initial consultation so you can get some honest, objective advice regarding your case. If the lawyer offers you a free consultation, that means you won't actually pay money unless you end up filing for bankruptcy.

In order to get the best advice possible, it might be a good idea to go ahead and pay a consultation fee so the lawyer gets paid whether or not you decide to declare bankruptcy. While there are no guarantees, this can increase your chances of getting good honest advice from an attorney.

You also want to make sure that you're choosing a lawyer who specializes in bankruptcy and has kept up with recent developments in the bankruptcy code. Recent changes to the law made by Congress have made the process more complex and really require a competent lawyer. Going through the process by yourself is pretty much out of the question these days, and lawyers have to continually keep up with developments as judges make new rulings concerning the complex bankruptcy code.

If a lawyer tells you that your case is a run of the mill case or is going to be a cakewalk, you may want to look elsewhere for your legal advice. Every bankruptcy case is unique and should be studied in detail. You want to get the best advice possible. You first want to make sure the bankruptcy is the best option in your situation, and then you want to go to the process as smoothly and efficiently as possible.