What Can You Do if You Don't Have the Money to Pay for Bail?

If you're ever taken into custody by the police, there's a good chance that you're going to have to post bail to get out of jail. Only the most minor of crimes allow for someone to be released without having to pay bail. If you had bail set in an amount that you don't have enough cash to cover, here's what you should do.

Try a Credit Card

Believe it or not, many jails now take credit cards. If you had your wallet on you when you were arrested, you're in luck.

Once your bail amount is set, you can tell the jail officers that you want to pay bail with your credit card. They'll be able to retrieve your wallet from the police and run your credit card for you. Once your credit card is approved, you'll be free to go.

This also saves you the trouble and embarrassment of having to call someone to bring money for you.

Get a Loan

If you don't have cash or a credit card, getting a loan is your next most cost effective option if you're able to arrange it. You can ask friends or family members, prearrange a loan with a bank if you're under investigation and know you might be arrested, or use one of your existing lines of credit.

If you take out a loan from a private lender, it's as same as paying cash to the jail because they receive a cash payment. Your only costs are whatever interests and loan fees you end up paying.

Use a Bail Bond Service

Your next best option is a bail bond service. A bail bond service charges you ten percent of your bail amount and promises the court that it will cover your bail if you don't return to court. This allows you to get out of jail by paying only pennies on the dollar of what you would have had to pay in cash.

The downside is that unlike with bail where you get all of your money back when your case is over, you don't get the ten percent bond back. That's the bail bond service's fee for taking the risk of covering your bail.

However, there are several advantages over other options. One is that bail bond services are available 24/7. Another is that you don't have to call people you know. To many people, these more than make the cost of a bail bond service worth it, and many end up making bail bond services their first choice.

To learn more, contact a local bail bond service like A A ABBA Bail Bonds.