Serving Los Angeles, California from Beverly Hills
Bankruptcy Attorney for Los Angeles, California Residents
Los Angeles is a city of renters, and rising rents squeeze many families between paychecks. Law Offices of John Asuncion is a bankruptcy attorney serving Los Angeles, California from our Beverly Hills office. Call (310) 362-9071 for a free consultation, in person or by video.
- Cases go downtown or to Woodland Hills by ZIP code
- Flat fees from $1,200 plus the court filing fee
- Meet in Beverly Hills or by video
- Emergency filings to stop a garnishment or sale
Los Angeles, California by the numbers
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS 2020-2024 5-year), QuickFacts for Los Angeles, California.
What these numbers mean for a Los Angeles, California bankruptcy
Half of Los Angeles, California households earn less than $81,939 a year. That falls between California's medians for one person ($79,253) and two people ($102,797). Many families of two or more pass the first step of the means test on income alone.
About 36% of homes in Los Angeles, California are lived in by their owners, and the median owner-occupied home is valued at $921,200. At those values, an owner with a small mortgage can have more equity than California's homestead exemption protects. When that is true, Chapter 7 could put the house at risk, and Chapter 13 is often the safer way to keep it. California's homestead exemption rises with inflation each year. In Los Angeles County, owners generally get the top amount, which is about $744,000 in 2026.
Median rent in Los Angeles, California is $1,933 a month. A year of that rent equals about 28% of the city's median household income. Even so, a job loss or medical bill can push rent and other bills onto credit cards fast. Many Los Angeles apartments are covered by the city's Rent Stabilization Ordinance and just-cause eviction rules.
Debt and the Los Angeles, California economy
Los Angeles runs on a mix of trade, entertainment, health care and service jobs. The Port of Los Angeles alone handled about $333 billion in cargo in 2024 and supports about 186,000 jobs in the Los Angeles and Long Beach area.
About 64% of Los Angeles homes are rented. When a landlord raises the rent or a job ends, the gap often goes on a credit card. From Boyle Heights to Van Nuys, we see the same pattern: steady people who fell a few months behind and could not catch up.
Zillow's typical home value in Los Angeles, California was $927,891 in September 2026. The unemployment rate in Los Angeles, California was 4.5% in September 2026, according to preliminary U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics figures.
Chapter 7 or Chapter 13 in Los Angeles, California?
Because most Angelenos rent and do not have a house to protect, Chapter 7 is often the quickest fix. Homeowners in places like Silver Lake or Westchester, where homes are worth far more than the homestead exemption covers, often look at Chapter 13 instead.
- Chapter 7 attorney for Los Angeles, California: wipes out most credit card, medical and personal loan debt in about four months.
- Chapter 13 attorney for Los Angeles, California: a 3 to 5 year payment plan that can save a home or car.
Courts that handle Los Angeles, California cases
Bankruptcy cases from most of Los Angeles, California, including the Westside, Hollywood, downtown and South Los Angeles, are assigned to the Los Angeles Division of the U.S. Bankruptcy Court, Central District of California, at the Roybal Federal Building, 255 East Temple Street, downtown. Cases from many San Fernando Valley ZIP codes go to the San Fernando Valley Division of the U.S. Bankruptcy Court, Central District of California, at 21041 Burbank Boulevard in Woodland Hills.
If a creditor has already sued you, that lawsuit is usually in Los Angeles Superior Court. Which courthouse hears a case depends on your ZIP code. Small claims cases from central Los Angeles go to the Stanley Mosk Courthouse on North Hill Street, and Westside cases often go to the Beverly Hills Courthouse. Collection lawsuits under $35,000 from Los Angeles are filed at the Chatsworth or Norwalk courthouse, depending on your ZIP code. Filing bankruptcy pauses those lawsuits.
Meeting with us from Los Angeles, California
Our only office is at 9454 Wilshire Blvd., Penthouse Floor, in Beverly Hills. From downtown, take the 10 west and head north on Beverly Drive to Wilshire, about 11 miles. From Hollywood or the Westside, Santa Monica or Wilshire Boulevard gets you here. If the drive is hard to fit around work, we meet by video, and you can sign most papers online.
Los Angeles, California bankruptcy questions
Do I have to go to Beverly Hills to file bankruptcy from Los Angeles, California?
No, you do not have to come to Beverly Hills to file bankruptcy from Los Angeles, California. We meet by video, and most documents can be signed online. Many clients still like to meet once in person at our Wilshire office.
Which bankruptcy court hears cases from Los Angeles, California?
Most Los Angeles, California cases are heard at the Los Angeles Division at 255 East Temple Street, but many San Fernando Valley ZIP codes go to the Woodland Hills courthouse. Your ZIP code decides the division, and we confirm it before filing.
How much does a bankruptcy attorney cost for Los Angeles, California residents?
Our flat fees for Los Angeles, California residents start at $1,200 plus the court filing fee, with payment plans. Chapter 13 fees are different, and you get the fee in writing at your free consultation.
Does it matter where in Los Angeles I live?
Yes, where you live in Los Angeles can change which bankruptcy courthouse hears your case. Most of the city goes to downtown Los Angeles, but many San Fernando Valley ZIP codes go to Woodland Hills.
Free consultation
Talk to a bankruptcy attorney about your Los Angeles, California case
Call (310) 362-9071 or send the form. We will tell you which chapter fits and what it costs.
Law Offices of John Asuncion9454 Wilshire Blvd., Penthouse Floor
Beverly Hills, CA 90212
(310) 362-9071
Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.