Bend & Hermiston Bankruptcy Firm YOUR FRESH START Our firm has Helped More Than 11,000 People in your shoes

Bankruptcy Law Firm in Bend

Caring Guidance for Clients Throughout Bend, Hermiston, & Surrounding Areas

Are you feeling overwhelmed by debt and struggling to keep your head above water? You're not alone. Millions of Americans experience similar financial hardships every day, but with the help of Oregon Fresh Start, you can be pulled back to solid ground. 

At Oregon Fresh Start, we understand how stressful it can be when you feel like your finances are out of control. We have been helping people just like you for over 43 years and have helped more than 11,000 people get out of their debt and start fresh again. Our experienced team is here to provide caring guidance with convenient remote services so you don’t have to leave the comfort of your home! 

We truly care about our clients and want them to experience the joys and relief that come from having their financial life under control once again. We strive to make sure that all our clients receive personalized service and the honest advice they need to make informed decisions about their future. 

We can assist you with:

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Our Services

Bankruptcy Cases We Handle

Go Debt-Free at Your Convenience

We understand how important it is to make filing for bankruptcy as stress-free and convenient as possible. 

Some of the ways we aim to make the process easier:

  • Remote meetings and consultations via phone or video chat 
  • Electronic signature options 
  • Easy access to online payment system 
  • Quick responses and communication through email or text

Take the first step towards getting yourself back on track. Schedule a FREE consultation with Oregon Fresh Start today or dial (541) 262-0040 to find out how we can help you gain financial freedom.

    "Our hearing was very simple and quick. Thank you again for all of your help and we will be sure to recommend you to friends and family."

    - James C.

    "He keeps you updated throughout the entire process and lets you know the next steps, highly recommended!"

    - J.

    "The people at Oregon Fresh Start were so helpful"

    - Chenoa K.

    "The credit union did not want to work with us."

    - Rory S.

The Light at the End of the Tunnel

Being overwhelmed by debt is not fun. Not having enough to make ends meet and paying debts in a never-ending cycle is no way to live. We understand what you're going through — we have over 40 years of experience helping people just like you move forward in life and regain control of their finances. 

We know that this can be an overwhelming situation, but it doesn't have to stay that way. Our experienced bankruptcy attorney is here to help guide you through the process and find a solution tailored to your individual needs. No matter how complicated or unique your financial situation may seem, we can find a plan that works for you. 

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Have Questions?

We Have Answers!
  • WHAT DOES IT MEAN WHEN A CREDITOR WANTS ME TO REAFFIRM MY LOAN WITH THEM? IS THAT DIFFERENT FROM REDEMPTION?
    Secured creditors (those creditors who have collateral for their loans, such as a car or boat) will want you to reaffirm the loan. When you reaffirm the loan, you re-obligate yourself to all of the loan terms just as if you were getting a new loan from the creditor. Although this may sound harmless, it has serious consequences. If you reaffirm and then later default on the loan, you are personally liable to pay the balance and you will have no protection on that debt from the bankruptcy. One of the major changes made to bankruptcy law in 2005 is that a creditor can repossess the collateral if you do not reaffirm. This change does not apply to real estate debt. Your reaffirmation agreement is subject to court approval in some circumstances. If your income is less than your monthly expenses, you may be required to participate in a telephone hearing with the court where you will be required to explain to a bankruptcy judge why the reaffirmation is in your best interest and how you intend to make the payment. More often than not, when you file bankruptcy, you owe more on the collateral securing the loan than it is worth. If your loan is more than 2 1/2 years old, under a process called REDEMPTION, bankruptcy law allows you to reduce the amount owing on the debt to the value of the collateral if you can pay it all at once. Many debtors can find a source of family financing or, perhaps, borrow from a 401K account, etc. and come up with the full value. There is also a company on the internet that specializes in redemption funding for cars. Talk with OREGON FRESH START about this for more information. WOULDN'T IT BE BETTER TO SETTLE MY DEBTS THROUGH A DEBT CONSOLIDATION PLAN? Although there may be a few reputable credit counseling services out there, most will not and cannot give you what they promise. Usually, they promise they can settle your debts for 50 cents on the dollar and that when you get done, you will have great credit. The facts are that (1) most people do not complete the "plans" because they usually do not work, and if you do complete the plan, (2) your credit is trashed. Creditors report to credit bureaus exactly what happened. If you get hooked on a 50% plan, your credit report will show that you did not pay all of the debt and that the unpaid balance was charged off. Most creditors do not waive interest or late fees. In addition, most credit counseling programs will charge you a fee (a portion of each payment) and they often do not send your money to the creditors for several months. This gives them an interest-free loan working with your money. Most debtors would be better off filing a Chapter 7 or Chapter 13 bankruptcy which can force the creditors to accept your terms of repayment. In addition, and this is a big one, the amount that was charged off by the creditor will likely be reported to the IRS with a 1099 tax form and you will be required to pay income taxes on the charged-off amount which will be a very unpleasant surprise for you when you file your tax returns for that year. CAN STUDENT LOANS BE DISCHARGED? Yes, but it is not easy. It will also, probably, be expensive. Once upon a time, federally guaranteed student loans were dischargeable if the loan was more than 7 years old. In 1998, the federal government changed all that. Now, federally guaranteed student loans cannot be discharged unless you can prove that being required to repay the loan will cause an undue hardship - not just a hardship, but an "undue" hardship. To have an opportunity to prove your case, you will be required to sue the federal government in bankruptcy court through an adversary proceeding. You will be required to prove all of the following: repayment of the loan would prevent you from maintaining a minimal standard of living your financial circumstances are not likely to change in the foreseeable future you made a good faith effort to repay the loan before you became unable to pay Frequently, the federal government will try to show that you could get a reduced payment plan by going through a consolidation program that will stretch out your payments for 20 years or more based upon an "ability to pay." In short, it is possible to discharge a student loan, but the government has made it very difficult. Also, remember that the government has a raft of lawyers to defend the federal government in the lawsuit who are paid for by your taxes. On the other hand, you will be required to pay for your attorney.
  • ARE LOANS OWING TO RELATIVES GIVEN SPECIAL TREATMENT IN BANKRUPTCY?
    It is not uncommon for you to owe money to a relative. As discussed in other answers to questions, you must list every debt. This includes debts you owe to your family members. The bankruptcy court looks closely at loan transactions between family members. As we all know, if we owe money to several creditors and one of them is a family member, we will probably be inclined to pay the family member first. In a bankruptcy context, this often means that family members have been paid while the other creditors have not been paid. One of the main ideas behind filing bankruptcy is that all creditors share your misfortune equally. One of the questions asked in the bankruptcy petition is whether you have repaid any loans from relatives within the past year. If you have, you are required to disclose the amount. If the amount is large enough, the bankruptcy trustee has the power to get the money back from the relative and spread it out equally among all the creditors. While there is no set rule as to what amount is "large enough," if the amount were $2,000 or more, that would definitely be "large enough." There are other factors that go into the trustee's decision, including whether you have any other assets which exceed the exemption amounts and how likely it is the trustee can obtain a return of the money from the relative. A relative who has already spent the money and whose only source of income is Social Security is not likely to be a target for the trustee. If you have a loan from a relative and are considering filing bankruptcy, stop paying on the loan until you consult with OREGON FRESH START.
  • CAN I TRANSFER PROPERTY TO A FRIEND OR RELATIVE TO PROTECT IT FROM BANKRUPTCY?
    If you transfer any of your property to a relative, even by selling it, within 1 year of filing for bankruptcy, the bankruptcy trustee can reverse that transfer if it was transferred for less than the fair market value of the property. For example, if you gave Uncle Joe your car 30 days prior to filing bankruptcy because you did not want it to show as an asset in your bankruptcy, the trustee has the power to sue Uncle Joe and get the car back. Unfortunately, some people engage in such an activity before consulting with an attorney. It is also not advisable if you have already made the transfer to attempt to transfer it back without first obtaining expert legal advice.

What Sets Us Apart

  • Available When You Need Us
  • Over 43 Years of Legal Experience
  • More Than 11,000 Cases Handled

Get Your Fresh Start Today

Our goal is to make the process as easy as possible for you. You can do everything from the comfort of your own home.

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Awards & Associations

  • National Association of Consumer Bankruptcy Attorneys
  • Oregon State Bar Association