The DC Bankruptcy
Attorney Who
Files and Fights Back.
The moment your case is filed, the calls stop. The garnishment stops. The fear stops. And when creditors cross the line after that, Attorney Fraser pursues them personally in federal court.
A DC bankruptcy practice that pairs filing with active federal-court enforcement of your rights as a debtor.
Garnishment active? Foreclosure scheduled? The automatic stay stops both, sometimes within 24 hours. Call: 202-417-8128
Start Here
Select what applies to your situation
Since 1998
Quick Answer
Steven C. Fraser, Esq. is a bankruptcy attorney licensed in Washington, DC (DC Bar No. 460026) and Florida (FL Bar No. 625825), practicing exclusively in Chapter 7 and Chapter 13 bankruptcy, automatic stay enforcement, FDCPA debt collector violations, and FCRA credit report disputes. His DC practice is entirely virtual, consultations by phone or video, documents via secure portal. He is also a Florida Supreme Court Certified Mediator (Cert. No. 37256 CFR). His Florida Chapter 7 and Chapter 13 practice, named a 2026 Best of Florida winner in Bankruptcy Advisors, is at ibankruptcy.net. Free consultation: 202-417-8128.
The Moment You File,
Everything Stops.
The phone stops ringing. Those bright red past-due notices stop filling the mailbox. The wage garnishment that has been draining your paycheck every two weeks, gone. The foreclosure sale date that has been keeping you awake at 3 a.m., stopped. The threat of a vehicle being repossessed from the parking lot at work, eliminated.
With that weight removed, something remarkable happens: you can think clearly again. You can make good decisions. You can begin to rebuild, with a lawyer who is not done fighting for you the moment the discharge order is signed.
Creditor Calls
All collection contact must stop immediately, calls, texts, letters, emails.
Wage Garnishment
Your employer must stop deducting from your paycheck as of the filing date.
Foreclosure
Any pending foreclosure sale is halted, including DC Superior Court proceedings.
Repossession
Vehicle repossession is prohibited. Already repossessed? Recovery may be possible.
Lawsuits & Judgments
Active lawsuits are frozen and judgment enforcement is immediately prohibited.
Bank Levies
Creditors cannot seize funds from your bank accounts once the stay is in effect.
What If a Creditor Ignores the Stay?
After filing, many cases simply move toward discharge. Attorney Fraser actively monitors for stay violations, and when creditors willfully ignore the federal court order, he pursues them. Under 11 U.S.C. § 362(k), you may be entitled to actual damages, punitive damages, and attorney’s fees, paid by the creditor who violated your rights.
Two Powerful Paths to a Fresh Start
Chapter 7 eliminates most unsecured debt in 4–6 months. Chapter 13 lets you keep your home, catch up on arrears, and repay on a structured plan. Both begin with immediate federal protection.
Chapter 7
The fastest path to discharge. Most unsecured debt, credit cards, medical bills, payday loans, eliminated.
Flat fee, no hidden costs. Filing fee paid directly to the court.
Student loan modifications, tax resolution, and mortgage modifications are not included in the base fee and are quoted separately.
Need time to get the fee together? We can work with you.
The full fee must be paid before your case is filed, but you don’t have to pay it all at once. Make payments at your own pace using our secure online payment portal. When the balance is paid in full, we file immediately.
Ready to start? Call 202-417-8128 or pay online below.Chapter 13
Keep your home. Cure mortgage arrears. Repay what you can afford over a court-supervised plan.
Flat fee. Most of the attorney fee is paid through the Chapter 13 plan rather than at filing.
Student loan adversary proceedings, tax resolution, and mortgage modification work are not included in the base fee and are quoted separately.
Estimate My Plan Payment →DC Advantage, Two Exemption Systems: DC filers may choose between federal exemptions under § 522(d) (homestead: $31,575; wildcard up to $17,475 for renters) or DC’s own unlimited homestead under D.C. Code § 15-501, no dollar cap on home equity if owned 1,215+ days. Attorney Fraser analyzes both systems for every client before filing.
Do You Qualify? Find Out in 3 Minutes.
The DC Chapter 7 means test calculator applies the official federal test to your income and household using 2026 DOJ median income data for the District of Columbia. No account required. No credit check.
Filing in Florida? Use the Florida calculator on ibankruptcy.net.
The Lawyer Behind Every Case
I became a bankruptcy attorney because I believed people in financial crisis deserved a real advocate, someone in the room when they need help most, not after the crisis has passed. Most people see bankruptcy as an end. I see it as a strategic financial tool used by some of the most famous leaders and innovators in history, Walt Disney, Abraham Lincoln, Henry Ford, Mick Fleetwood, Marvin Gaye, Meat Loaf, 50 Cent, and MC Hammer all used bankruptcy to restructure and come back stronger, and I am honored to help you do the same. Financial collapse carries a shame the system does nothing to ease, but the law is powerful when someone who knows it is standing in your corner. A fresh start should feel like one.
Florida: U.S. Bankruptcy Courts for the Northern, Middle & Southern Districts · U.S. District Courts for the Northern, Middle & Southern Districts
Where Many Bankruptcy Filings End,
This One Doesn’t.
Many firms consider their work complete when the discharge order enters. They file your petition, attend your 341 meeting, and move on to the next case. What happens after, how creditors treat you, how your credit report reflects the case, whether collectors respect the court’s order, is not their concern. It is ours.
DC Bankruptcy Guides & Insights
Plain-English answers to the questions DC residents actually ask
Inheritance After Filing Bankruptcy in DC: The 180-Day Rule, Life Insurance, and Your Duty to Report
Filing bankruptcy does not end the trustee's interest in what you receive next. An inheritance, a life insurance payout, or a divorce property settlement you become entitled to within 180 days after filing becomes part of the bankruptcy estate and must be reported. Here is how the rule works in a DC case, what changes in Chapter 13, and why hiding a windfall is the one mistake that can cost the entire discharge.
Read More →Paying Family Back Before Bankruptcy in DC: Insider Preferences and Why the Trustee Can Sue Your Relatives
Repaying a parent, sibling, or friend before you file feels like the honorable thing to do, but federal bankruptcy law treats it as a preference the trustee can take back from the person you paid. Relatives are insiders, so the look-back is a full year, and gifts or below-value transfers reach back two years. Here is how the rules work in a DC case and what to do instead.
Read More →Recently Moved to DC? The 730-Day Rule Decides Which Bankruptcy Exemptions You Get
If you moved to the District from Maryland, Virginia, or anywhere else within the last two years, DC's exemptions may not be the ones that protect your property in bankruptcy. Federal law looks back 730 days to decide which jurisdiction's exemptions apply, and a separate 180-day rule decides where you file. Here is how both rules work and why they so often point in different directions.
Read More →Bankruptcy Questions,
Plain-English Answers
Schedule a Consultation, Sign Your Contract, and Make a Payment
Three simple steps to get started, securely, from wherever you are.
Schedule a Consultation
Powered by Calendly
Book your free consultation directly on Attorney Fraser’s calendar. Phone or video, your choice. Same-week appointments typically available. No commitment required to schedule.
📅 CalendlyFreeBook a Time →Sign Your Contract
Powered by SignNow
Review and sign your engagement agreement electronically via SignNow, no account required, sign from any device.
✍️ SignNowe-SignatureMake a Payment
Powered by Confido Legal
Pay your retainer or filing fee securely online. Confido is a PCI-compliant, bar-approved payment platform built for law firms. Credit card, debit card, and LawPay Pay Later (Affirm financing) accepted.
🔒 Confido LegalIOLTA CompliantPay Now →Upload Your Documents
What to Gather Before Your Consultation
Uploading in advance allows Attorney Fraser to review your complete picture before your call, so you receive specific, actionable advice rather than general information.