3 WAYS A CRIMINAL RECORD CAN HURT YOUR FINANCES

3 WAYS A CRIMINAL RECORD CAN HURT YOUR FINANCES
On behalf of Law Office Of Scott G. Cerbin, Esq., PLLC on Friday, November 2, 2018.

When it comes to how they affect your life, criminal charges are an extremely serious matter. Even a low level conviction can have some unexpected consequences.

Higher level charges, such as a felony, will often include penalties such as prison time and probation. In addition, you might find that you have trouble getting a job, renting an apartment and various other activities that used to be normal and easy.

The financial consequences of a criminal conviction can devastate your pocketbook and affect you for years. Here are a few ways a criminal record is financially damaging.

Court fees

In many areas, even New York, criminal convictions carry a financial cost. For instance, even a speeding ticket comes with a minimum fine that you will have to pay. And, the more serious the offense, the higher the fines. A simple case can cost several hundred dollars and more serious cases can cost the offender thousands.

Employment

As mentioned above, employment can become an issue if you are facing criminal charges or already have a conviction on your record. For example, if you have to take time off of work to go to court, your employer might decide to fire you due to your absences.

If you have a conviction, it could be difficult to find a job where the boss is willing to hire someone with a criminal record. You could suffer a loss of income and become unable to comply with the conditions of your probation, such as having a job. As a result, you could face more jail time due to a probation violation.

Other financial issues

Having to pay high court fines, legal fees and possibly losing your job, could have a domino effect on your finances. For example, if you have a driving under the influence (DUI) conviction, you could lose your license which could keep you from driving to work and result in the loss of your job.

If you lose your job, you may not be able to make the required payments toward your court fees. This could cause the court to charge you with additional offenses and impose more penalties which will further damage your ability to earn income.

If you are facing criminal charges, it is important to remember that you still have rights. With a proper defense, you might be able to win your case and avoid the long-lasting financial consequences of having a criminal record.