Parents make mistakes, and sometimes those mistakes may lead to an arrest or jail time. As a grown child, you likely want your parent bailed out as soon as possible. Thankfully, plenty of ways exist to post bail, get a bail bond, and ensure your parent goes free as quickly as possible after their arrest.
Follow our guide to learn about posting bail for your parents and important things you should know. The roles reverse as the responsibility you now take on forces you to act as guidance for your parent through the difficult circumstances.
Bail Bonds Ages
No matter what age we are, a parental arrest is tough to take. Unfortunately, age guidelines exist to getting a bail bond for your parent. So even if you are 17 years old, have a job, and can afford the bail bond fee, you cannot pay and take on the responsibility of a bail bond.
In most cases, the minimum age of a bail bond is 18 years old. The age guidelines also depend on the business itself. Some bail bonds companies require a person to be 21 and over to get a bail bond. The company often assumes an older person has more maturity, collateral, and the ability to pay.
If you are under the age of 18 and want to help a parent out, then you would need to rely on a trusted family member or your other parent. In some cases, you may offer them the money to give for the bail bonds.
Bail Bonds Fees
When you make the decision to help your parent out with bail, the total bail amount is not the amount you have to pay. In the state of Nevada, a 15% fee is often required for getting a bail bond. So, if your parent’s bail gets set at $10,000, then the 15% fee you pay would equal out to $1,500. The $1,500 is a non-refundable fee that covers the services of the bail bond companies.
No negotiating this fee is allowed. In the State of Nevada, the fee is set at 15% no matter what. All of the bail bonds companies are licensed and must follow these guidelines. Many bail bond companies have financing available to cover the fee if you do not have all of the cash at once.
When you choose to finance the bail bond payment, you will typically have a second form to apply for as a credit check is completed to see if you get approval.
Collateral
Along with the 15% fee for the bail bond, you also must put up some type of collateral to cover the rest of the bond. The collateral is an additional guarantee that the whole bond will be covered in case the parent does not show up for court or follow the court guidelines.
If the bail does not get refunded, then the bail bond company will seek out the collateral to cover the additional money they spent on the bail. You have several different items and assets you may put up for collateral.
For smaller amounts of bail, you may have to put up things like jewelry, an expensive electronic, or a video game console. The bail bond company will determine the value of the items based upon various market values and the resale value of items.
For larger bail amounts, you may need to put up a vehicle or real estate for collateral. If you are younger, you may not have certain types of collateral, so a bail bond company will guide you through the process to cover enough collateral for the bail bond.
A Child’s Responsibility
As you go through the process of acquiring bail for your parent, the roles you face will reverse. Once your parent is out on bail, you now have to guide them, keep an eye on them, and follow through to ensure the bail is not revoked.
Keep up with court cases, encourage your parent to follow through, and give them rides if you need to. The payment of your parent’s bail bond is a huge thing, but they could still feel the pressure and worry about serving any possible jail time.
Stay positive and use your family connections to help keep your parent on the straight and narrow as each court date approaches. Set family calendars, have digital reminders, and lay out the consequences of skipping out on important court dates.
In the end, you may use the experience to grow closer with your parents, help guide them through a tough time, and be in a better place once the court case is over with.
For more information on bail bonds, payments, and co-signed documents, contact us at All Star Bail Bonds. We have multiple decades of experience and can guide you through every step needed to release a parent from jail quickly.