Are you looking for a bankruptcy lawyer in Bolingbrook, IL?
At Madden Law LLC, we are bankruptcy lawyers with more than 20 years of experience guiding clients through complex matters.
If you're behind on bills, receiving collection calls, or facing wage garnishment or foreclosure in Bolingbrook, bankruptcy can stop most collection efforts and give you a fresh start. Most individuals file under one of two chapters: Chapter 7, which eliminates many debts, or Chapter 13, which sets up a repayment plan. Our Bolingbrook, IL bankruptcy lawyer reviews your income, debts, and property and recommends the option that fits before anything is filed.
Madden Law LLC brings more than 20 years of legal experience to bankruptcy cases. Schedule a free consultation to discuss your options.
Bankruptcy Lawyer Bolingbrook, IL
A bankruptcy lawyer helps individuals and businesses use federal bankruptcy law to eliminate debt or repay it on more manageable terms. Much of that work happens before a case is filed. It includes checking whether you qualify for Chapter 7, identifying which property Illinois law allows you to keep, and spotting debts that bankruptcy cannot eliminate, such as child support.
In the 12 months ending December 31, 2024, the Northern District of Illinois recorded 20,828 nonbusiness bankruptcy filings, the second-highest number of any federal district, according to Congressional Research Service data. Bolingbrook residents file in this same court. A bankruptcy attorney in Bolingbrook, IL who knows its procedures can help keep your case on schedule.
Types of Bankruptcy Cases We Handle in Bolingbrook
Some people come to us needing to stop a specific creditor action, such as a foreclosure or a garnishment. Others know only that their debt has become unmanageable. As bankruptcy attorneys serving Bolingbrook, we handle consumer cases of all kinds, along with Chapter 7 cases for small businesses.
- Chapter 7 bankruptcy. Chapter 7 can eliminate most unsecured debts, such as credit cards and medical bills, often within a few months. Before filing, we confirm that you qualify and identify which of your property Illinois law protects.
- Chapter 13 bankruptcy. Chapter 13 lets you keep your property while you repay some or all of your debts through a court-approved plan. It often fits people with steady income who are behind on a mortgage or car loan, or whose income is too high for Chapter 7.
- Foreclosure. Filing for bankruptcy stops a pending foreclosure. Chapter 13 then allows you to catch up on missed mortgage payments over the length of the plan, as long as you file before the foreclosure sale is completed.
- Vehicle repossession. A bankruptcy filing stops a repossession in progress. We then help you decide whether to keep the car, change the loan terms, or return it.
- Wage garnishment and collection lawsuits. Filing generally stops wage garnishments and pending collection lawsuits. If a creditor has already won a judgment against you, we review whether that debt can be eliminated.
- Medical and credit card debt. These are the most common debts our clients carry. Both can usually be eliminated, and most clients keep their protected property in the process.
- Small business Chapter 7. When a business has closed or cannot continue, Chapter 7 provides an orderly way to wind it down through a court-appointed trustee. We also review how business debts and any personal guarantees affect the owner's household finances.
- Pre-filing evaluations. Bankruptcy is not always the right answer. If a payment arrangement, a settlement with creditors, or simply waiting would serve you better, we will tell you.
Why Choose Madden Law LLC as my Bankruptcy Lawyer in Bolingbrook, IL?
A Practice Built Around Choosing the Right Chapter
Filing under the wrong chapter can cost you property or lock you into payments you cannot afford. Our founder, David Madden, wrote the first two chapters of the 2025 edition of Consumer Bankruptcy Practice, a guide published by the Illinois Institute for Continuing Legal Education for attorneys in this state. His chapters cover what an attorney should evaluate before filing a consumer case and how the means test, the income review that decides Chapter 7 eligibility, works.
We apply that same approach to each Bolingbrook bankruptcy case. We review your numbers first. Then we make a recommendation.
Federal Court Admission and Two Decades of Practice
Before founding Madden Law LLC in 2025, David Madden spent about 20 years at national and regional law firms representing corporations and high-net-worth clients. He is licensed in Illinois and Michigan and admitted to the U.S. District Courts for the Northern and Central Districts of Illinois and the Eastern District of Wisconsin. He is a member of the National Association of Consumer Bankruptcy Attorneys (NACBA) and earned his law degree from DePaul's College of Law. He also served as an infantry Corporal in the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve and was honorably discharged in 2003. Clients who need a bankruptcy attorney in Bolingbrook benefit from all of that experience.
Understanding Bankruptcy Cases
Chapter 7 vs. Chapter 13 and What Qualifies
Both chapters end with a discharge, which is a court order that releases you from paying certain debts. They reach that point in different ways, and your income largely decides which one is available to you.
- Chapter 7 (liquidation). In Chapter 7 liquidation, a court-appointed trustee may sell property the law does not protect and use the money to pay creditors. In most individual cases, all of the filer's property is protected and nothing is sold.
- Chapter 13 (repayment). You keep your property and make monthly payments to a trustee under a Chapter 13 plan that lasts three to five years.
- The means test. If your household income is above the Illinois median, the means test compares your income and expenses to decide whether you can file under Chapter 7 or should file under Chapter 13.
- Exemptions. Illinois exemption laws protect certain property from creditors, including some of the value in your home and vehicle, up to set limits.
- Debts that remain. Child support, most student loans, and certain taxes generally cannot be eliminated under either chapter.
What Are Important Aspects of a Bankruptcy Case?
Complete and accurate paperwork is essential. You must list every asset, debt, and source of income, and you sign those forms under penalty of perjury. People who file without a lawyer often leave something out, and even an honest mistake can put the discharge at risk.
Timing also matters. The trustee reviews recent financial activity, including property transferred to relatives, large payments to a single creditor, and heavy recent credit card use. We review the past few years of your transactions before choosing a filing date.
Debts tied to property, such as a car loan, need a decision of their own. You can usually keep the car and continue paying, restructure the loan through Chapter 13, or return the vehicle. If your lender has already started the repossession process, filing sooner leaves you with more options.
Bankruptcy also affects your credit. The filing stays on your credit report for years, but rebuilding your credit can begin as soon as the court enters your discharge.
What Is The Bankruptcy Case Timeline?
A Chapter 7 case usually closes within a few months. A Chapter 13 case stays open until every plan payment is made.
- Credit counseling. Before filing, you complete a required counseling course with an approved agency.
- Filing. We file your petition and supporting forms with the court. The automatic stay, a court order that stops most collection activity, takes effect immediately.
- Meeting of creditors. A few weeks later, you answer the trustee's questions under oath at the meeting of creditors. Most of these meetings are short.
- Plan confirmation (Chapter 13 only). The judge reviews your repayment plan and decides whether it is realistic and meets legal requirements.
- Debtor education and discharge. After you complete a personal finance course, the court enters your discharge. In Chapter 13, this happens after your final plan payment.
What Should You Bring to Your Bankruptcy Consultation?
These documents allow us to review your eligibility and your property during the consultation.
- Recent pay stubs and your most recent tax returns
- A list of the people and companies you owe, with recent statements, collection letters, and any court papers
- Mortgage, car loan, and lease documents
- Bank and retirement account statements
- Any foreclosure, garnishment, or repossession notices
The consultation is free. When you meet with a bankruptcy lawyer in Bolingbrook, you will leave with a recommendation on whether to file, which chapter fits, and what the next steps would be.
Northern District of Illinois Bankruptcy Court and Local Resources
Bolingbrook is mostly in Will County, with a smaller portion in DuPage County. Bankruptcy cases from both counties are filed in the Eastern Division of the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of Illinois.
- Judges' hearing locations. This chart lists the judge assigned to each county. Will County and DuPage County cases are currently heard at the Dirksen U.S. Courthouse on South Dearborn Street, and parties may appear by Zoom.
- Trustee Zoom meetings. Meetings of creditors in this district are held by video. This page lists the Zoom meeting information for each trustee.
- Will County Courthouse. Foreclosure cases begin in state court. Owner-occupied home foreclosures filed in Will County go through the 12th Judicial Circuit's mandatory mediation program in Joliet, and a Bolingbrook bankruptcy attorney can help you coordinate mediation with a bankruptcy filing.
Reach Out to Madden Law LLC to Schedule a Consultation
A sound decision about bankruptcy starts with a clear view of your income, debts, and property. Madden Law LLC offers a free consultation to review those details and explain which chapter, if any, makes sense for you. Evening and weekend appointments are available. Contact us to schedule a time with a bankruptcy lawyer serving Bolingbrook, IL.