Bankruptcy to Stop Foreclosure (Chapter 13/7) in Hempstead Metro
Filing bankruptcy triggers an automatic stay, a court order that stops a foreclosure sale the moment it's filed, often within hours. For homeowners in the Hempstead Metro area facing a scheduled sale date, this is frequently the fastest legal brake available. Chapter 13 is the tool used most often here: it lets you keep the house and repay missed mortgage payments over a 3 to 5 year plan while staying current on new payments. Chapter 7 moves faster and can wipe out unsecured debt (credit cards, medical bills) to free up cash for the mortgage, but it only delays foreclosure rather than curing it, since it doesn't restructure past-due mortgage debt. The 15 attorneys in this category handle both, and the right fit depends on your income, how far behind you are, and whether you actually want to keep the home.
What to look for in a bankruptcy attorney for this situation
- Foreclosure timeline awareness: ask how quickly they can file relative to your sale date. A last-minute filing needs a lawyer who can move in a day or two, not a week.
- Chapter 13 plan experience: confirm they've built repayment plans that cure mortgage arrears specifically, not just general debt plans.
- Local trustee and court familiarity: bankruptcy is filed in federal court, and lawyers who regularly appear before the local trustee tend to get plans confirmed with fewer objections.
- Clear fee structure upfront: Chapter 13 attorney fees are typically rolled into the repayment plan, while Chapter 7 fees are usually due before filing. A lawyer should explain this without you having to ask twice.
- Honest screening: a good attorney will tell you if bankruptcy isn't the right move, for example if a loan modification or short sale fits your numbers better.
Our scoring weighs responsiveness, case outcomes, client feedback, and how clearly each firm communicates costs and timelines, so you're not guessing from a list of names. See the full ranked comparison in our Chapter 13 bankruptcy guide, and read our methodology for how we score and verify every attorney in this directory.
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All bankruptcy to stop foreclosure (chapter 13/7), ranked by score and relevance
We found 24 businesses offering bankruptcy to stop foreclosure (chapter 13/7); 18 met the criteria for the scored directory. The order weighs each business's overall score by how much of its reviewed work is bankruptcy to stop foreclosure (chapter 13/7), so a lower-scored specialist can rank above a higher-scored generalist. Filter and sort below, or open the full map view.
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Common questions about bankruptcy to stop foreclosure (chapter 13/7)
- How much does it cost to file bankruptcy to stop foreclosure?
- Chapter 7 attorney fees generally run a few thousand dollars and are paid before filing, plus court filing fees set by the federal bankruptcy court. Chapter 13 fees are usually similar or somewhat higher but get folded into your monthly repayment plan instead of being paid upfront, which is why it's often more accessible when cash is tight right before a foreclosure sale.
- How often does bankruptcy actually stop a scheduled foreclosure sale?
- The automatic stay takes effect as soon as the case is filed, so it halts a sale in nearly every instance, including sales scheduled for the next day. What varies is what happens after: the lender can ask the court to lift the stay if you have no realistic plan to catch up, so the filing buys time, but keeping the home long-term still depends on a workable Chapter 13 plan.
- What should I expect during the process?
- Expect an initial consultation to review your income, mortgage arrears, and other debts, followed by filing (which can happen quickly if a sale date is close), a meeting of creditors about a month later, and, for Chapter 13, court approval of a repayment plan you'll follow for 3 to 5 years. Chapter 7 cases usually close in a few months since there's no repayment plan to administer.
- How can I judge whether an attorney is actually good at this, versus just handling routine bankruptcies?
- Ask directly how many foreclosure-related Chapter 13 cases they've filed in the past year and how many plans got confirmed without major objections from the trustee or lender. Attorneys who mainly do consumer bankruptcy in general may be less sharp on mortgage arrears calculations and lender negotiations than ones who specifically advertise foreclosure defense as part of their practice.
Guides to choosing bankruptcy to stop foreclosure (chapter 13/7)
- What Chapter 13 bankruptcy costs when you're trying to save your home
Chapter 13 can stop a foreclosure sale, but it comes with its own costs on top of attorney fees. Here is what to budget for and how the numbers fit together.