Los Angeles Bankruptcy Lawyers

Since 2005, Wadhwani & Shanfeld has helped more than 30,000 individuals and families across Los Angeles and Southern California get out from under debt and start over. Led by two Board-Certified Bankruptcy Specialists with more than 90 years of combined experience, our Los Angeles bankruptcy lawyers handle Chapter 7, Chapter 13, debt settlement, foreclosure defense, wage garnishment, creditor lawsuits, and IRS tax debt from six offices in Sherman Oaks, Los Angeles, Ontario, Long Beach, Lancaster, and Palmdale. Whether you are behind on credit cards, medical bills, personal loans, a mortgage, or taxes, you can call today and speak directly with an attorney about your options, with no runaround and no pressure to come into the office first.

Why Clients Choose Wadhwani & Shanfeld

People come to us when the calls, letters, and lawsuits have become too much to handle alone. They stay with us because of how we handle their cases:

Both founding shareholders are Board-Certified Specialists in Consumer Bankruptcy through the American Board of Certification
More than 90 years of combined legal experience and more than 30,000 clients helped since 2005
Direct access to an attorney from your very first call
Fast action when a garnishment, foreclosure sale, or repossession is days away
Six Southern California offices, plus full remote handling by phone, email, video, and online chat
A plan built around your income, your property, and your goals, not a one-size-fits-all filing
Clear answers in plain English from the first consultation through your discharge

About Wadhwani & Shanfeld

Wadhwani & Shanfeld, APLC is a Southern California consumer bankruptcy and debt relief law firm founded in 2005 by attorneys Raj Wadhwani and Greg Shanfeld. Both partners hold board certification in consumer bankruptcy from the American Board of Certification, a distinction earned by a small fraction of attorneys in the country. Raj Wadhwani, a Southwestern Law School graduate, helped pilot the Best Case Bankruptcy software in 1998 and was the first attorney to file a bankruptcy case electronically in the Central District of California. Greg Shanfeld earned his law degree from the University of Southern California and has handled more than 10,000 bankruptcy cases over three decades. Together with their associate attorneys, paralegals, and legal assistants, they have helped more than 30,000 individuals, families, and small business owners resolve debt through bankruptcy, settlement, and negotiation. The firm files in every division of the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Central District of California and serves clients throughout Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, and San Bernardino Counties.

Bankruptcy Is a Legal Right, Not a Personal Failure

The power to create bankruptcy laws is written into Article I of the U.S. Constitution. It exists because honest people sometimes fall behind through job loss, illness, divorce, a business that did not work out, or simply rising costs that outpaced their paychecks. Filing gives you the protection of federal law, stops collection activity, and lets you either eliminate qualifying debt or restructure it into payments you can actually make.

For most people, the choice comes down to two types of personal bankruptcy. Our Los Angeles bankruptcy attorneys review your income, expenses, property, and debts to determine which one protects you best, or whether a solution outside of court makes more sense.

Chapter 7 Bankruptcy

Chapter 7 bankruptcy wipes out qualifying unsecured debt, including credit card balances, medical bills, personal loans, repossession deficiencies, and some older income tax debt. Most cases are completed in roughly four months. To qualify, your household income generally needs to pass the means test, which compares your income to the California median for a household of your size and then accounts for your actual expenses.

Chapter 7 is often the right fit if you:

Have limited income and cannot keep up with monthly payments
Are receiving collection calls, demand letters, or lawsuits from creditors
Want to eliminate a large amount of unsecured debt as quickly as possible

Although Chapter 7 is sometimes called liquidation, the vast majority of our clients keep everything they own. California’s exemption laws protect home equity, vehicles, household goods, tools of the trade, and retirement accounts, and we work through every available exemption before you file.

Chapter 13 Bankruptcy

Chapter 13 bankruptcy is built for people with steady income who need time and structure rather than a total wipeout. Your debts are reorganized into one monthly payment over three to five years, and creditors are bound by the plan once the court confirms it.

Chapter 13 often makes sense if you:

Are behind on your mortgage or car loan and want to keep the property
Have income above the Chapter 7 means test limits
Owe priority tax debt, support arrears, or other debts that Chapter 7 cannot eliminate
Have home equity or other assets you want to protect beyond what exemptions cover

Many clients use Chapter 13 to stop a scheduled foreclosure sale and catch up on missed mortgage payments over time, and in some cases to strip off a wholly unsecured second mortgage.

Sued by a Creditor or Sent to Collections? You Still Have Options

A lawsuit from a collection firm is not the end of the road. The moment a bankruptcy petition is filed, the automatic stay takes effect and halts lawsuits, judgments, bank levies, wage garnishments, repossessions, and foreclosure proceedings. We move quickly when a court date or sale date is close.

If you have been served by Hunt & Henriques, Reese Law Group, Patenaude & Felix, or another firm that represents creditors in Southern California, call us before your response deadline passes. We can explain whether to answer the suit, negotiate a resolution, or file bankruptcy, and we can help you deal with lawsuits and judgments that have already been entered against you.

Debt Relief Beyond Bankruptcy

Bankruptcy is not always the best answer, and we will tell you if it is not. Our attorneys also resolve debt outside of court through:

Debt settlement and direct negotiation with creditors to reduce what you owe
Loan modification to lower mortgage payments
Representation with the IRS to stop levies and set up payment arrangements
Second mortgage settlements
Student loan debt strategies
Small business bankruptcy and business debt solutions

Because we handle both bankruptcy and its alternatives, you get a recommendation based on what actually works for your situation, not on the only service a firm happens to offer.

Protecting Your Home, Car, and Paycheck

Fear of losing a home or a car keeps many people from getting help until a sale date is already scheduled. Filing stops foreclosure, repossession, and wage garnishment immediately, giving you room to make decisions without a creditor’s deadline over your head.

California does not use the federal bankruptcy exemptions. Instead, filers choose between two state exemption systems, one that offers a large homestead exemption for homeowners and another that offers a flexible wildcard exemption that often works better for renters. Choosing the right system is one of the most important decisions in your case, and it is one our board-certified attorneys make with care for every client.

Life After Bankruptcy

A discharge is a fresh start, and rebuilding can begin right away. Many of our clients see their credit scores start to recover within the first year by using a secured card responsibly, paying every bill on time, and keeping balances low. Depending on the loan type, buying a home can be possible within a few years of discharge. We give every client guidance on rebuilding credit so the fresh start actually lasts.

Los Angeles Bankruptcy FAQs

How quickly can a bankruptcy stop a garnishment, foreclosure, or lawsuit?

Immediately upon filing. The automatic stay goes into effect the moment the petition is filed with the court, and creditors must stop collection activity. In an emergency, we can often prepare and file a case very quickly to stop a sale or levy.

What debts can be eliminated in bankruptcy?

Most unsecured debts can be discharged, including credit cards, medical bills, personal loans, payday loans, and deficiency balances after a repossession or foreclosure. Some older income taxes can also be eliminated if they meet specific timing rules. Child support, alimony, most student loans, most government fines, and debts for injuries caused by drunk driving generally cannot be discharged.

Will I lose my house if I file for bankruptcy?

Most of our clients keep their homes. In Chapter 7, the question is whether your equity is protected by California’s homestead exemption. If it is, and you stay current on the mortgage, you keep the home. If you have more equity than the exemption covers or you are behind on payments, Chapter 13 lets you keep the home and catch up over time.

How much will my credit score drop after bankruptcy?

It depends on where your score starts. People with higher scores typically see a larger drop, while many filers already have low scores because of missed payments and collections, so the impact is smaller. Either way, scores can begin to recover soon after discharge with steady, responsible credit use.

How long does bankruptcy stay on my credit report?

A Chapter 7 bankruptcy can remain on your credit report for up to 10 years from the filing date, and the credit bureaus typically remove a Chapter 13 after 7 years. Its impact on your score fades well before then.

Can I file bankruptcy if I filed before?

Yes, subject to waiting periods. You must wait 8 years between Chapter 7 filings, 4 years to file Chapter 13 after a Chapter 7, 2 years between Chapter 13 filings, and generally 6 years to file Chapter 7 after a Chapter 13, although that last period can be shortened if your Chapter 13 plan paid enough to your unsecured creditors.

Will my employer find out?

Your employer is not automatically notified. They may learn of it if they are a creditor, if your wages are being garnished and must stop, or if your Chapter 13 plan payments are deducted from your paycheck. California and federal law prohibit an employer from firing you solely because you filed for bankruptcy.

Do I have to come into the office?

No. We handle cases fully by phone, email, video, and online chat for clients anywhere in Southern California. If you prefer to meet in person, you are welcome at any of our six offices.

Can a paralegal or notary file my bankruptcy for me?

A bankruptcy petition preparer can type your information into the forms, but cannot give legal advice, choose your exemptions, or represent you if a creditor or trustee raises a problem. Mistakes in a bankruptcy filing can cost you property or your discharge, which is why representation by an experienced bankruptcy attorney matters.

Serving Los Angeles and All of Southern California

Wadhwani & Shanfeld has offices in Sherman Oaks, downtown Los Angeles, Ontario, Long Beach, Lancaster, and Palmdale, and represents clients across Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, and San Bernardino Counties, including:

From our Sherman Oaks office, we help clients throughout the San Fernando Valley and the Westside, including Encino, Woodland Hills, Reseda, Northridge, Granada Hills, North Hollywood, North Hills, Mission Hills, San Fernando, Sylmar, Hollywood, and Santa Monica. Our Ontario office serves the Inland Empire and the eastern San Gabriel Valley, including Fontana, San Bernardino, Pomona, Chino, Chino Hills, Montclair, Claremont, Glendora, and West Covina.

Our Long Beach office works with clients in Norwalk, Bellflower, Paramount, Gardena, Cerritos, Cypress, Signal Hill, and Huntington Park, as well as throughout Orange County, including Anaheim, Santa Ana, Garden Grove, Buena Park, Fullerton, Huntington Beach, Westminster, Costa Mesa, Newport Beach, Tustin, La Habra, Placentia, Mission Viejo, and Laguna Niguel. Our Lancaster and Palmdale offices serve the Antelope Valley, including Acton.

Talk to a Board-Certified Los Angeles Bankruptcy Attorney Today

You do not have to spend another night worrying about the next call, letter, or court date. Call Wadhwani & Shanfeld for a free consultation and speak directly with an attorney right away. We will review your situation, explain every option inside and outside of bankruptcy, and tell you honestly which path gives you the best fresh start. Visit any of our six Southern California offices or handle your entire case remotely, whichever is easier for you.