While awaiting trial, you won't be able to use the Get Out Of Jail Free card from your Monopoly box if you want to leave jail early.
However, you don't have to stay locked up while waiting for your day in court. You can get out of jail by paying bail, which is the amount set by the judge when you are arrested.
Why is bail so expensive?
Bail isn't always expensive. For very minor crimes, it can be as low as $50 so paying bail might not be a big issue for you.
But if you are charged with a crime that endangered the lives of others, or if you already have a criminal history, the bail amount will likely be much higher than this. In some cases, it could be several thousands of dollars, and in worst-case scenarios, the bail may be over a million dollars. If you commit a crime that can be considered really bad, you might not have the option of paying bail at all.
When determining the bail amount to be set, a judge will usually consider the defendant's…
- Criminal history
- Employment status
- Ties to the community
- Bail Schedule
- The severity of the crime
Such standards will determine the overall risk level of the defendant. Higher bail amounts are owed by those with a higher risk level.
How can I pay bail?
There are a number of ways to pay bail, be that for yourself or somebody you know who has ended up in jail.
You can:
- Pay the court the full bail amount in cash
- Use valuable personal property as collateral
- Hire a bail bondsman
If the bail amount is thousands of dollars (or even in the millions), paying the amount in cash may be out of reach for you.
If you decide to use your property as collateral, the general rule is that the value of your assets should cover 150% of the bail amount. Again, this might be out of reach for you if you don't have the possessions to match the required bail.
The best option to secure bail without having to use your assets or pay a large amount of money upfront is to use the services of a bail bondsman.
Are Bail Bonds The Most Affordable Option To Get Out Of Jail?
Yes, bail bonds are the most affordable to get out of jail while you or your loved one is awaiting sentencing.
It's the most convenient option too. You won't have to sell any of your assets or put them up as collateral, so using the services of a bail bondsman is the option with the least amount of hassle.
Instead of paying the full amount of bail to the court, you pay a small percentage of the total bail amount to the bail bond company instead. The bail premium (the percentage paid to the bail bond company) is usually around 10% and this can often be paid in installments or with a payment plan with 0% financing.
After paying 10%, the bail bondsman will put up the remaining 90% of the full bail amount. So, if the bail was set at $2000, you would have to pay the bondsman $200.
You can learn more about bail bond costs here.
What if I have no money to pay bail?
If you don't have the funds to pay the bail premium, perhaps because you're waiting for your paycheck to come through or because you can't access your bank account until you're out of jail, you may be able to pay the fee at a later date.
Providing you have a good credit score or have a cosigner with a steady job, you may be able to pay the bond company after release using a credit or debit card, cash, wire transfer, bitcoin, Venmo, PayPal, Zelle, or check.
Can I reduce the bail premium?
Bail bondsmen usually ask for 10% of the bail amount but there are situations where you can lower this amount, sometimes down to around 7%.
If you can be considered a low-risk person - i.e. somebody who is likely to turn up for court - you are more likely to qualify for a discount than somebody who has broken the rules of the court in the past.
You may also be able to get a discount on your bail bond if you fall into one of the categories.
People who can get a discount on their bail bonds:
- Home Owners
- Teachers
- Union Members
- AARP Members
- Military Members
- Government Workers
- Law Enforcement Members & Family
If these apply to you, the team at Mr. Nice Guy Bail Bonds will do everything in their power to lower your bail premiums and get you out of jail.
You might also be entitled to a discount if you are an existing client of ours or if you are a family member of somebody we have provided bail for in the past. To learn more about the discounts that may be available to you, get in touch with us today to tell us about your current situation.
Get started with a free bail bonds consultation
You don't need to work with a bail bondsman but if you can't afford the bail and if you're not familiar with the bond system, then working with one of our experts at Mr. Nice Guy may be the best option for you. Not only will we reduce the financial cost to yourself but we will also speed up the bonds process so you (or your loved one) don't have to spend more time behind bars than is necessary.
To learn more, get in touch with our team today. Call us at 844-400-2245 for your free bail bonds consultation and benefit from the services that we can offer you. Awaiting a court date is stressful enough without having to worry about the financial implications but we can remove some of this stress for you with our expert services.
