Bankruptcy Attorney in Rialto

Hedtke Law Firm represents Rialto residents in Chapter 7 and Chapter 13 bankruptcy. Our office is on Cherry Avenue in Fontana, roughly ten minutes from downtown Rialto. Rialto sits in San Bernardino County, and consumer bankruptcy cases from here are filed in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Central District of California. The first consultation is free.

Wage Garnishment and the Rialto Logistics Corridor

Rialto’s employment base leans heavily on warehousing, distribution and transport along the I-210 and Riverside Avenue corridors. That matters for one specific reason: these are W-2 jobs with regular, predictable paychecks — which makes them straightforward for a creditor with a judgment to garnish.

California caps how much of your disposable earnings can be taken, but for a household already stretched, even the capped amount is the difference between making rent and not. Filing bankruptcy triggers the automatic stay, and the garnishment must stop. The date you file determines which paychecks you keep, which is why waiting costs money in a way few other decisions do.

How we stop wage garnishment →

Keeping a Home in Rialto

California’s homestead exemption protects a substantial amount of equity in your primary residence — and the figure adjusts annually, so it is worth checking the current amount rather than relying on an older number. For many Rialto homeowners, that exemption covers their equity entirely, which means Chapter 7 does not put the house at risk.

If you have fallen behind on payments, Chapter 13 is usually the stronger tool. It lets you cure the arrears across a three-to-five-year plan while resuming normal payments, and the court confirms the plan whether or not your lender agrees.

Stopping foreclosure →

Which Chapter Fits

Chapter 7 discharges credit cards, medical bills, personal loans and most judgments, usually within a few months. Eligibility turns on the means test, comparing your household income to the California median for your household size.

Chapter 13 suits higher earners and homeowners catching up on a mortgage. It also handles vehicle arrears and certain tax debts inside the plan.

Chapter 7 →  |  Chapter 13 →

Rialto Bankruptcy Questions

Do I have to travel far to file if I live in Rialto?

No. Your case is filed electronically by your attorney. You will need to attend a 341 meeting of creditors, and we attend with you. Our Fontana office is about ten minutes from central Rialto.

Will bankruptcy cost me my job in Rialto?

Federal law prohibits an employer from firing you solely because you filed bankruptcy. In most consumer cases your employer is never notified at all — the exception is Chapter 13 where plan payments come via wage order, and even then the order says nothing about why.

I am already being garnished. Is it too late?

No. Filing stops an active garnishment going forward, and in some circumstances recently taken funds can be recovered. Speak to someone quickly — the sooner you file, the more you keep.

Can I file without my spouse?

Yes, but California is a community property state, which changes the analysis considerably. Whether filing individually or jointly is better depends on whose name the debts are in and what property you hold together. This is worth getting advice on rather than guessing.

Free Consultation for Rialto Residents

Bring six months of pay stubs, your last two tax returns, a rough list of your debts and any court papers or garnishment notices. That is enough for us to tell you which chapter fits, what you would keep, and what it would cost.

Hedtke Law Firm
7426 Cherry Ave, Suite 210-312, Fontana, CA 92336
Phone: (909) 457-0054
Monday to Friday, 9:00am – 6:00pm

Call (909) 457-0054

Also serving Fontana, Colton, Jurupa Valley and Bloomington.

General information about California bankruptcy law, not legal advice for your specific situation.