Putting together a satisfying bail collateral package can be challenging, especially when you don't have very many assets. Here is a step by step guide to meeting your bail amount.

Gather As Much Cash as You Can

The first step is to consider how much cash you can reasonably put towards your bail amounts. Note that this isn't a payment as much as it's a guarantee; if you cooperate in court, you will get back most of the cash minus administrative fees. You may wish to consult friends and family to see if they can loan you some money to put towards your bail amount. 

Putting cash towards your bail amount is a good idea because it reduces the amount that a bail bonds company has to be responsible for your bail. If you are able to go to a bail bondsman with a reduced bail amount, you can benefit in terms of interest rates and the amount of collateral you have to put up. 

Gather Small Assets

Once you've exhausted your cash funds, small assets are the next place to turn. This means anything that is not essential to your livelihood, such as jewelry, electronics, and other luxury goods. You should try to put up enough collateral using these smaller items, since involving your car or house can be a bigger risk if you are unable to complete your court obligations. 

House or Car

A last resort is to put up your own house or car as collateral. If you need to do this, be sure that you read the bail contract carefully to see what's at stake. Make sure that you have chosen a bail company that is reasonable about how they prosecute people for violating their bail terms; you wouldn't want to sign a contract with someone who will foreclose on your house over minor issues. 

Revisit Whether the Bail Amount is Fair

Finally, if you aren't able to meet your bail obligations despite working hard to put together enough collateral, it may be that your bail amount is legitimately too much. The judge should set your bail amount based on how much of a flight risk you are in the trial, while also considering how much is a reasonable amount for you to put up as bail given your financial circumstances. You may be able to appeal the judge's initial decision and try to get your bail set lower if you can show that you've made an effort to meet the current bail amount. 

To learn more, contact a company like Ron's Bonds Co.