How Filing for Bankruptcy Changed My Life
lawyer, retired law professor, educator, wife, mother After all, I am the attorney who charges money to help her clients. What makes more sense is that I share my clients’ reports about their lives prior to calling me, the challenges of filing a bankruptcy and how their lives changed after bankruptcy. All of these reports are directly from my clients (as a professional, you will never find a fake review on my website or social media, like so many of other bankruptcy attorneys do). The truth is, I don’t need to lie.
Bankruptcy is not in anyone’s long term plans and was something my wife and I never really considered for years as we slowly drowned in debt. Despite the social stigma of bankruptcy, my wife and I started to educate ourselves about it and realized it was a great option for us. We live in Payson, AZ and talked with the first bankruptcy lawyer we could find in Payson. He made it clear that it was the option for us but we felt demeaned and uncomfortable with some of his suggestions. Still, we felt like it was our only options so we started to move forward with him. Soon after we retained him, we started doing our research on him and found that he had a number of red flags. Our uncomfortableness was founded. We started searching for a highly rated lawyer and found Diane. Even though she wasn’t 100% sure that representing us was our best option (due to location), she confidently and patiently answered numerous questions for us. She even gave us some other options for lawyers that she highly respected. We truly felt as though she had our best interests in mind. In the end, Diane was able to represent us and her communication, leadership and clarity throughout the process was night and day different than our first lawyer. I can’t stress to you enough how important it was for us to have made the switch. While we were hurting financially, it was %1000 times worth it to lose the money on the retainer to our previous lawyer. Bankruptcy is something you have to take ownership of. There was a lot of work for us to do and our case’s quality depended on us taking ownership. However, Diane was a great coach in letting us know each upcoming step and what was needed. She simplified it so that we weren’t ever overwhelmed. When our family met in court we were at peace and confident in our preparation. Furthermore, there was a high level of respect our trustee had with Diane. This made us feel good about our representation and further confirmed our confidence in her. From beginning to end, Diane was consistent, calm, encouraging, thorough and helped us feel hope again. We can’t say enough great things about Diane! Bankruptcy was the avenue to financial freedom for our family and it might be for yours too. Our only suggestions are to: Diane I just wanted to give you an update on us. We filed bk with you representing us about 7 years ago now. Just wanted you to know we are doing very well. We did listen to you and have no credit card debt to this day. We purchased a home 3 years ago but stayed way under our budget. We bought vehicles but both vehicles are a lot cheaper than what we could have purchased and the one is almost paid off and we have owned it a year. Vehicles are our weakness. We would like to get better in that area. We have only paid interest on our vehicles and home since we filed. We try to follow Dave Ramsey as much as possible. So paying off everything is our goal. I am doing amazing in real estate now and my husband is still at UPS and doing well. Followup from client : please tell people that the first year is hard but after doing a lot of research on how to build our credit by reading bk forums we were able to get back to doing very well. Now we have credit scores in the 740-750 range. So, yes it isn’t the end all, but it isn’t easy either you have to buckle down and not blame each other as well. It happens to more people that the public realizes. K.T. I cannot tell you how grateful I am that Diane Drain took my call. I was desperate and she made me feel that I could sleep through the nite. She explained all my options to deal with my financial situation and did not push me to hire her. Instead, she was more interested in my welfare than in her charging a fee. I really wish more lawyers were as professional and courteous as Diane Drain. L.B. Diane Drain and Jay provided professional, comprehensive services and support through every step of the bankruptcy process, were always available to answer questions. Diane has developed an extensive array of handouts and email templates that addressed every component of the process that a client is experiencing. These handouts and templates address every aspect of the process and serve as excellent guides and reference materials as you are struggling through what can be a very painstaking ordeal. Diane and Jay were both, very knowledgeable, and very supportive during the entire process, and also assisted in identifying and helping me successfully navigate any pitfalls that I otherwise would not have been aware of. I highly recommend Diane Drain’s Law Office because I received one on one personal advice and guidance from her as needed, compared with the larger law firms where you seldom get to speak with, or receive guidance from the attorney, and instead are serviced by paralegals and other assistants. Diane and Jay made me feel confident through what otherwise would have been a harrowing experience. I recommend them 100%! Thank you Diane and Jay! R.G. Like many people, I was very apprehensive about filing bankruptcy. At 65 years old, I always thought- That would never be me! But after paying all my bills for 49 years and barely treading water, I was laid off and found myself with nothing. Mrs. Drain made a very stressful time in my life easier to manage by providing detailed direction through my bankruptcy process. From day one I felt comfortable with Dian and Jay in addition to feeling confident with my decision to file. She is always quick to respond to my questions and was patient in providing clear direction and advice. I would highly recommend Mrs. Drain to anyone in need of her law services. Diane helped me straighten out my case, after an attorney from a different law firm, made serious mistakes in my filing that could have been extremely detrimental. If not for her very professional guidance, constant communication and follow-up, while being firm and holding me accountable for producing the required documents, I don’t know what I would have done. This was a very tough time for me, and Diane’s extensive knowledge, professionalism, and guidance got me through it. Thank you so much, Diane! You are so very much appreciated. J.D. Diane Drain, and her amazing teammate, Jay were two of the most helpful, caring individuals I have met in a long, long time. The process of bankruptcy is daunting, having a guiding hand and experienced consul are an extremely important aspect. Remember, this is your bankruptcy, and you get out of it what you put in. It is hard work. It is not easy. If you follow Diane’s outline and are proactive, it will go on track and follow its course. If you do not, you will face challenges. Be prepared, trust in Diane, trust in Jay, and her team, you will climb the mountain and be successful. K.B. We found ourselves in a financial tsunami 2 yrs ago. No matter how we did things the financial outlook was getting worse and worse. We finally decided we needed to investigate options. Once we found Diane Drain’s website and started to learn what the process of bankruptcy entailed we felt there could be an answer for us. We made an appoint to speak with Diane and decided this was the path we needed to take. While we were getting our documents in order and other paperwork completed, we became bogged down once again thinking maybe we can try something else, something different. So after delaying almost a year longer in April of 2017 we finally jumped onboard @ 100%. Diane and Jay were great guiding us and making sure we had all the items needed completed. They filed, kept us informed, went to the Trustee’s meeting with us, and kept us inform during the entire process. They made the whole process less painful and manageable. We owe a debt of gratitude for Diane having the wisdom to use her website to promote the education of the bankruptcy process available to everyone. If it had not been for her well thought out website and the detailed information we would have had to take our chances with the process. If you find yourself totally stressed and unsure of how you can repair your financial health, you can rest assured that Diane and Jay will do what is needed to get you through the process. They’ll give you peace of mind once again. Additional note: 0ne of the things I forgot to put in there was the personal service especially the day of the trustee’s meeting. There were a minimum of 4 people that were meeting their lawyers for the first time. One lawyer asked us twice what our name was. She waited another five minutes and then asked again and I quote ” are you SURE your not the Thomas’s?” I’m pretty sure we know who we are and that is not us.” We thought at the time how odd that was that so many people would not have taken the time to actually meet before hand. Very odd. T.W. Diane is a great attorney that made our BK experience as smooth as possible. Before seeing Diane, we went to another attorney who told us that he couldn’t get us a Ch.7 and our only option was a 13 and that is when we found Diane Drain. The entire process starting with the free phone consultation to a couple meetings in the office got us the Ch. 7 we needed. Diane communicates well through the entire process by phone and detailed emails. She explains everything that needs to be done. If you do your part and put in the work to make sure everything is accurate, then she will do hers and you will have great results. Thank you Diane and Jay for everything. We appreciate it. C.P.
I could tell you how bankruptcy may change your life, but why would you listen to me?
SOME THOUGHTS MY CLIENTS WANT TO SHARE WITH YOU:
I was scared to the point of panic attacks
Now, we have hope for the future, more discipline with our finances and eternally thankful for Diane’s guidance through the process.
My whole life seemed a day to day mix of anxiety and fear.
That was the hardest time in our life and it was rough on our marriage and mental state.
We were in serious financial trouble, which created an incredible amount of stress that was beginning to affect my health.
I was desperate and she made me feel that I could sleep through the nite
I was scared to the point of panic attacks
One and a half years ago, after a series of physical problems, I finally admitted to myself that I could no longer handle my debt load. I was going under, and knew I would have to consider bankruptcy. I had a high credit score and had always been responsible about paying my debts, so the decision was very hard to make. I was scared to the point of panic attacks and had no idea how to find a lawyer. I went on yelp and read through many reviews. When I saw a picture of Diane, I knew she was the person I wanted to work with. What a great decision that turned out to be! From our first phone conversation, her calmness, empathy, and careful, thorough explanations helped me gain confidence in walking through this complicated process. Her and Jay treated with me with such kindness, patiently answering my many questions and quieting my fears with precise, professional knowledge. This is a difficult experience emotionally, but the process is a series of steps, each one of which you will be guided through. Diane and Jay always answered my calls and e-mails in a timely manner. I am so glad I found Diane. Her warmth and caring and wealth of experience greatly eased the stress of going through this difficult and emotional process. I highly recommend using her services. j.R.Now, we have hope for the future, more discipline with our finances and eternally thankful for Diane’s guidance through the process.
It has been a year since my wife and I started to consider bankruptcy and my wife and I find ourselves pondering our last year. This time last year we felt hopeless with our debt and struggling to find any solutions. Now, we have hope for the future, more discipline with our finances and eternally thankful for Diane’s guidance through the process. We out 5 months after discharge (with a credit score of 688 which we didn’t think was possible for us) and happy to be moving into a new year with this behind us.
1. Make it a lifestyle change so you can get free and stay free
2.Take ownership of your own situation and your own bankruptcy
3. Hire Diane and trust her to help you! B.K.That was the hardest time in our life and it was rough on our marriage and mental state.
That was the hardest time in our life and it was rough on our marriage and mental state. We ended up needing counseling 2 years ago for our marriage and our counselor said our problems started 5 years ago and wanted to know what happen then. Well that’s when we filed. I don’t know how people file every 10 years. Thank you for bringing us out of the mess we got ourselves in. We plan on never being in that situation ever again we look at money and credit very differently now. Just wanted to share our story so you can share with others that come in. It is not an easy road to just file bk. Take care and thank you.My whole life seemed a day to day mix of anxiety and fear.
I first met Diane in 2009. I was losing control of my finances and therefore my whole life seemed a day to day mix of anxiety and fear. I landed on her website and returned numerous times to understand the process. I found it one of the best and most informative sites on the subject and just decided that whoever was behind all that information was the person I needed. I remember my first visit, I cried thinking my life was over and she quickly alleviated all my fears. There were no demons or dragons. It my constitutional right to be free of debt. For the first time, I felt empowered and had faith that she would get me past this chapter of my life. Indeed she did. Ten years later, after a major backpacking injury, disability and subsequent loss of employment ( I had been basically debt for all those years in between) I needed her again and returned. Her sound advice, again, helped me get my life back, as I knew she would. I’ll be forever grateful. Diane and Jay are a class act. No one does it better. V.M.We were in serious financial trouble, which created an incredible amount of stress that was beginning to affect my health.
I cannot adequately describe how much we appreciate the help Diane and Jay provided us. We were in serious financial trouble, which created an incredible amount of stress that was beginning to affect my health. After contacting Diane and starting the process I was able to get the first decent night’s sleep I’d had in months. Diane and Jay were always available to answer EVERY question I had, no matter how ridiculous it sounded. Unlike some attorney’s specializing in bankruptcy, Diane takes a hands-on approach from start to finish providing a complete outline of the process as well as the expected timeline. It was quite apparent how lucky we were to have her during our 341 meeting with the trustee. At that meeting there were several individuals assigned to the same time slot and unfortunately most were represented by people they had never met. Diane told us what to expect during the meeting and remained by our side through the entire process. We are coming to the end of this journey and my husband I will be forever grateful to Diane and Jay for giving us our life back! P.E.I was desperate and she made me feel that I could sleep through the nite
ADDITIONAL REVIEWS – TALKING ABOUT CHOICES & THE PROCESS
Education is the key
A simple mistake could cost you in many ways
Diane has developed an extensive array of handouts and email templates that addressed every component of the process that a client is experiencing.
Like many people, I was very apprehensive about filing bankruptcy. At 65 years old, I always thought- That would never be me!
Mrs. Drain made a very stressful time in my life easier to manage by providing detailed direction through my bankruptcy process.
Quite frankly I was scared about having to deal with a big credit card company in court.
At a time when you are most vulnerable and fearful
Diane helped me straighten out my case, after an attorney from a different law firm, made serious mistakes in my filing that could have been extremely detrimental.
Remember, this is your bankruptcy, and you get out of it what you put in. It is hard work. It is not easy.
We got different or incomplete answers from other lawyers.
We found ourselves in a financial tsunami 2 yrs ago.
She explains everything that needs to be done. If you do your part and put in the work to make sure everything is accurate, then she will do hers and you will have great results.
Diane held me accountable for working with her on completing the necessary paperwork so I was involved in every step of the process.
Education is the key
Feeling the questionable unease of financial hardship can be one of life’s most serious challenges; not knowing where to turn for information, who to trust, and how to proceed once you have the information can be overwhelming. I was feeling lost and out-of-control not knowing what to do next and so I contacted the offices of Diane Drain. What I found was a person capable of compassion, empathy, and in my case, a person capable of giving enough information to steer me in a direction of meaning. At this point in time I have not gone down the road of bankruptcy; however, I now have a much clearer understanding of my choices and that has made the financial challenges much easier to deal with. I am indebted to Diane not only for providing her vast knowledge of Bankruptcy law, but the generosity of time she gave me when we went beyond the 30 minute free referral. I highly recommend getting in touch with her if you’re having any financial challenges! T.P.A simple mistake could cost you in many ways
After choosing to file bankruptcy, I selected another attorney at first, which was a huge mistake. He offered payment plans which seemed to be a good choice at the time. However, his lack of communication and errors in my documents filed with the court were going to cost me in the long run! I fired him and chose to work with Diane and Jay instead, which turned out to be the right decision. Her professional guidance and continuous communication helped me get back on track with filing my case correctly. You cannot afford to make mistakes when filing bankruptcy, or it will cost you. Diane will guide you in the right direction at all times. She was firm and held me accountable for providing the required documents, and even though she was very busy, always made me feel important and welcome, too. She understands that a simple mistake could cost you in many ways, and works very hard to avoid this. Bankruptcy is a delicate situation and one that can be overwhelming. Diane will guide you through it, with very clear and detailed instructions, and excellent communication. Her knowledge of the law and her expertise are second to none, and I highly recommend her! J.D.Diane has developed an extensive array of handouts and email templates that addressed every component of the process that a client is experiencing.
Like many people, I was very apprehensive about filing bankruptcy. At 65 years old, I always thought- That would never be me!
I talked to 5 other attorneys before I found Diane, and they were not a good fit. In fact, most gave me inappropriate advice or simply wrong facts. I found Diane from the BBB website and I knew from our first conversation she was the attorney for me. Diane is so knowledgeable, thorough, timely and efficient! She is also compassionate and caring. And Jay (in the office) was wonderful too! I would recommend Diane to anyone who might have to go through the difficult process of bankruptcy. D.W.Mrs. Drain made a very stressful time in my life easier to manage by providing detailed direction through my bankruptcy process.
The Best A.T.Diane held me accountable for working with her on completing the necessary paperwork so I was involved in every step of the process.
Diane Drain and her assistant Jay are beyond professional. From the moment I called them to inquire about their services, to every phone call and each in person meeting we had, they remained calm, and helped to guide me during a very challenging process. Diane is very thorough and has a wealth of experience. She does not do the work for you and there is a significant amount of paperwork that needs to be completed. Having said that, she walked me through this every step of the way, but Diane held me accountable for working with her on completing the necessary paperwork so I was involved in every step of the process. Diane and Jay were always very positive and consistently receptive in answering and returning phone calls and emails in a timely manner. In summary, they are a class act and able to take a very challenging and difficult process and make it as humane and positive as anyone could. I high recommend using their services. T.JQuite frankly I was scared about having to deal with a big credit card company in court.
I approached Diane with a large debt problem. Although I was working with a company to pay down the debt, one of the credit card companies decided to sue me. This would have destroyed all my pay-back efforts. Quite frankly I was scared about having to deal with a big credit card company in court. I think they were about to roll me. I sought help from Diane with some degree of trepidation. But Diane was able to explain everything to me even though I was under a lot of personally imposed stress. Diane understood all the emotions that were flowing through me and kept me relaxed enough to get through the entire process. She was part Lawyer, part Psychologist, and part Mother Hen. It was exactly what I needed. I really can’t say that going through Chapter 7 was fun, but Diane made the process acceptable and kept me focused when I needed to be focused. I absolutely recommend Diane to anyone considering walking down this path. Thank you Diane. This has made a huge difference in my life. D.S.At a time when you are most vulnerable and fearful
If you are considering bankruptcy, make sure you consult with Diane Drain, and learn as much as you can from her website prior to your free consultation. Why? Diane will clearly and patiently explain to you the most critical information you need to be able to decide for yourself if filling bankruptcy is your best course of action to resolve your debts. I can attest from dealing with her that Diane (at a time when you are most vulnerable and fearful) will not lead you to a solution that absolutely is not to the best of your interest even if it means you are not hiring her as in my case. From the information you provide her prior to consultation, I believe she already know if bankruptcy is the right solution for you; accordingly, she already know if she is going get business from you or not. In my case, despite her knowing that bankruptcy for now is not the best solution for me (therefore no business for her) and without giving a hint prior to consultation, she still proceeded with my free consultation and spent way more than twice the 30 minutes allotted. That consultation was most critical because it cleared up my mind to pursue a specific course of action, and gives me all the energy I need to pursue it. Priceless. J.M.Diane helped me straighten out my case, after an attorney from a different law firm, made serious mistakes in my filing that could have been extremely detrimental.
Remember, this is your bankruptcy, and you get out of it what you put in. It is hard work. It is not easy.
We got different or incomplete answers from other lawyers
I had filed for Chapter 7 with Diane and it was the easiest most stress free process. My wife and I were considering for months on just what to do since this was my first time filing and we got different or incomplete answers from the lawyers we talked with which did not help and lead me to put off filing. My wife found Diane and when we consulted with her I immediately felt more at ease as she answered every question no matter how ridiculous I felt to ask and gave me sound advice. More important was that my wife felt we can trust her with how patient and well informed she was which helped with her anxiety and meant the world to me. Diane and her husband Jay are cool, salt of the earth people who REALLY want to help! Hands down the “scary” experience of bankruptcy was not scary at all and we retained her immediately. She was kind, knew what she was talking about and kept me very well informed with each step as we went along. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND her services and I cannot be more grateful to her for all she did in helping me get through my bankruptcy. Good woman and AMAZING lawyer! K.We found ourselves in a financial tsunami 2 yrs ago.
She explains everything that needs to be done. If you do your part and put in the work to make sure everything is accurate, then she will do hers and you will have great results.
Diane held me accountable for working with her on completing the necessary paperwork so I was involved in every step of the process.
Diane Drain and her assistant Jay are beyond professional. From the moment I called them to inquire about their services, to every phone call and each in person meeting we had, they remained calm, and helped to guide me during a very challenging process. Diane is very thorough and has a wealth of experience. She and does not do the work for you and their is a significant amount of paperwork that needs to be completed. Having said that, she walked me through this every step of the way, but Diane held me accountable for working with her on completing the necessary paperwork so I was involved in every step of the process. Diane and Jay were always very positive and consistently receptive in answering and returning phone calls and emails in a timely manner. In summary, they are a class act and able to take a very challenging and difficult process and make it as humane and positive as anyone could. I high recommend using their services. T.J.
MUSINGS FROM DIANE:
Your parents, or grandparents, told you that life was not easy. Some told you that you have to work for what you want and be willing to pay the dues. If you get something too easy – there is a catch. Other parents had a history of making very poor choices, so their advice was very different. These life lessons direct the path we will take. At the time you were sure they didn’t know what they were talking about. After all, you were going find your own path. Years later you look back to see that they were very wise. Good or bad, their choices lead directly to where or who they are today. The truth is – life is a series of choices, both good and bad. We live our choices. Financial decisions are challenging for us all. Do we buy that fancy (you fill in the blank) or save the money for emergencies? Some choices will open a path to comfort and peace, which other choices will open the door to homelessness. Be careful and remember that the choices you make today directly affect your future.
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