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The Benefits and Drawbacks of Using Bail Bonds

Admin • Jul 12, 2022

If a loved one is in jail, you may need to post bail in order to secure their release until the trial. However, the bail amount could be quite high - so high that it's hard to afford. In a situation like this, using a bail bond service may be your best option. Below are some benefits and drawbacks of using a bail bondsman to help you decide.

Benefit #1: Payment Options

The biggest benefit of using bail bonds is the payment options available to you. The main reason that a person would use a bail bond is if they cannot afford the bail amount at the current moment. Rather than letting a loved one sit in jail, you can use a bail bond service to get the money you need upfront. Then, most bail bond services will allow you to repay the amount using a payment plan.

With a system like this, you can pay off your bail in smaller increments, rather than trying to save up enough money. Before deciding on which bail bond service to use, you should talk to them about their payment options so that you can see what is available to you.

Benefit #2: Cheaper Option

Besides offering payment options, bail bonds are cheaper than cash bail. This is because the bail bondsman is the one putting out the money for the bail. Instead of paying the entire bail amount, you will instead pay a percentage of the bail as a fee to the bail bondsman. In many cases, the amount you pay as a fee is less than the original bail amount, making it significantly easier to afford.

Benefit #3: Constant Availability

The other major benefit of bail bonds is their availability. Most bail bond services are open 24/7. This means that if you need to post bail in the middle of the night, bail bond services are there to help. Now you won't have to let a loved one spend the night in jail while you wait for your bank to open in the morning.

Benefit #4: Jail Release

Finally, using bail bonds is all about securing jail release. Spending any amount of time in jail is unpleasant, and using a bail bond service helps ensure your loved ones don't spend a minute more than they need to there.

Bail bond services work quickly to get you the money that you need and secure release from jail. If you're in a hurry to post bail and you don't have the money on you at the moment, turn to a bail bonds service.

Drawback #1: Non-Refundable Bond Fee

There are, of course, a few drawbacks with using a bail bond service. Perhaps the biggest drawback is that you will not receive all of your money back. When you pay for bail yourself, you receive this money back after the defendant appears for their court date. Bail is essentially collateral that the court holds to ensure that the person released from jail returns to court.

When you use a bail bond service, they charge you a fee. This fee is typically about 10% but will also depend on other factors. No matter what happens within the court, you will not receive this fee back at the end. Therefore, you have to decide whether you would rather pay a smaller, but non-refundable, fee as bail or the entire bail amount, which you can then get back later.

Drawback #2: Bail Agent Quality

Finally, not all bail bondsmen are created equal. It's important that you find a bail bondsman you can trust before you decide to use a bail bond.

We here at Albert Ramirez Bail Bonds have a track record of quality and timely service. We do everything we can to help your loved one get released from jail in a timely fashion so that they can return home to you while they await their court date. To take advantage of our bail bonds service, or to ask us any questions, please contact us today.

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