Borowitz & Clark, LLP
A Southern California consumer-bankruptcy firm handling Chapter 7 and 13 in Long Beach.
Free Consult Common
Chapter 7Chapter 13
Updated March 31, 2026
Drowning in debt, facing foreclosure, or getting calls from collectors you can't pay? A bankruptcy lawyer in Long Beach can stop collection cold with an automatic stay and find out whether Chapter 7 wipes out your debt or Chapter 13 reorganizes it. Long Beach cases are filed in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Central District of California, California's generous homestead exemption can protect a big chunk of home equity, and most filers keep everything they own. Below are vetted Long Beach firms and plain answers on the process and costs.
A bankruptcy lawyer figures out whether bankruptcy is right for you and, if so, which chapter, then runs the case so you don't lose property by mistake. The moment you file, an automatic stay stops most collection — calls, lawsuits, wage garnishment, and (temporarily) foreclosure. Chapter 7 erases qualifying unsecured debt like credit cards and medical bills in a few months. Chapter 13 sets up a 3-to-5-year payment plan to catch up on a mortgage or car and keep them. A lawyer applies the right exemptions so you keep your home, car, and belongings, and handles the trustee and paperwork that trip up DIY filers.
The two consumer chapters do different jobs. Chapter 7 is the classic 'fresh start': it wipes out credit cards, medical bills, and most unsecured debt, usually in about four months, and most filers keep everything because California's exemptions protect it. You have to pass a means test based on income. Chapter 13 is for people who earn too much for Chapter 7, are behind on a mortgage or car they want to keep, or have debts Chapter 7 won't touch. It reorganizes debt into an affordable plan over three to five years. A Long Beach lawyer runs the numbers and tells you which fits.
California has two exemption systems (often called the 703 and 704 sets), and your lawyer picks whichever protects more of your property. The homestead exemption is generous — California raised it in 2021 to between roughly $300,000 and $600,000 of home equity, indexed to the county's median home price, which shields far more equity than most states. Other exemptions cover your car, household goods, tools of your trade, and retirement accounts. Choosing the right system and applying exemptions correctly is the difference between keeping your assets and losing them, which is the main reason to use a lawyer.
Long Beach cases are filed in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Central District of California, the federal court that covers Los Angeles County. After filing, you attend a meeting of creditors (the 341 meeting) where the trustee asks about your finances; for most consumer cases it's brief and creditors rarely show up. A Chapter 7 discharge typically comes a few months after filing; a Chapter 13 discharge comes after you complete the plan. Filing also requires a credit-counseling course before and a debtor-education course after. Your lawyer schedules all of it and stands in for you at the hearing.
A Chapter 7 in Long Beach typically costs $1,500 to $3,500 in attorney fees, plus the court's filing fee of about $338. Chapter 13 attorney fees commonly run $3,000 to $6,000, often partly paid through the repayment plan, plus a filing fee of about $313. Many bankruptcy firms offer a free consultation and let you pay Chapter 7 fees over a short period before filing. It sounds backwards to pay to file bankruptcy, but doing it wrong — losing exempt property, or having a case dismissed — costs far more. Ask each firm what's included, whether the quote is flat, and what the filing fees are on top.
These firms are profiled in full, with practice focus and recognition, in our Top 10 Bankruptcy Lawyers in Long Beach guide. Each is a real, independently listed CA firm.
A Southern California consumer-bankruptcy firm handling Chapter 7 and 13 in Long Beach.
A California bankruptcy firm with attorneys for consumer debt relief and foreclosure.
A Southern California firm focused on bankruptcy, foreclosure defense, and debt.
A California consumer-bankruptcy practice handling Chapter 7 and Chapter 13 filings.
A California firm with bankruptcy and debt-relief attorneys serving the LA area.
A Los Angeles-area firm handling consumer and business bankruptcy matters.
Tell us briefly what is going on. We route a confidential request to the best-fit Long Beach firm in this directory.