Bail Bond Lawsuit Dismissed

SANTA BARBARA, CA – Judge Thomas Anderle has dismissed a lawsuit alleging that Sheriff Bill Brown hurt bail agencies.  The lawsuit was brought about by a bondsman and alleged that Brown and others prevented inmates from making free calls to bail bond businesses, thereby depriving those companies of business. Judge Thomas Anderle made a final ruling, determining that the the lawsuit was without legal basis. Read the full story here.  Read More →

Is the Bail Bond Industry Becoming Less Lucrative?

SOLANO, CA – According to bondsman Michael Bowman of Calvin Elam Bail Bonds, the bail bond industry is becoming a less profitable business proposition. He notes that the recent economic downturn caused many local bondsmen to go out of business. Businesses like his who remained in business had to adjust and change tactics to survive. According to Bowman, even though crimes seem to be on the increase, lack of money among defendant’s families and huge bail bond firms are pushing many bondsmen out of business. In his four decades in the business,... Read more

Bondsmen Take to the Airwaves

Fredericksburg, VA – Bondsmen worried about the state of the bail bond industry in Virginia has formed a group called Virginians for the Preservation of Bail. The group is now taking to radio airwaves, running radio spots and ads on radio stations as the General Assembly session sits. Virginians for the Preservation of Bail is led by bondsman Bill Weisband, who is worried about the growing power of pretrial release programs in the state – programs he claims cost him and other bondsmen business. Read the full article.  Read More →

Start 2010 Right with These 10 Tax Tips!

With the holidays right around the corner, now is the perfect time to begin making end-of-the-year tax preparations for your business. To prevent a large tax bill in April, spend money now on things your business will need in the upcoming year. Always remember to consult with your tax professional before the end of the year to make sure you are complying with state and local tax laws while not overlooking deductions or claiming ineligible deductions. 1. The limit on Section 179 deductions was supposed to decrease to $125,000 from $250,000 for this... Read more

10 Simple Ways to Improve Your Bail Business

Improving your bail business can be as easy as a fresh coat of paint! The bail industry can be very challenging to break into, but a properly managed agency can be very lucrative. There are a number of things that bail bondsmen must do to ensure professionalism and success. 1. Answer your phone. At the risk of offending or being redundant, we are going to preach the obvious. Answer your phone. Making sure your calls get answered is the easiest and least expensive way of gaining more business. You may have to forward your calls to your cell phone,... Read more

No Business Is Recession Proof - Even Bail Bonds

You’ve probably heard it from your non-bail friends, “Bail bondsmen must be thriving in this economy!” Conventional wisdom says that when the economy goes down, crime goes up. And when crime rises, bail bond bondsmen prosper. Actually, neither of these assumptions is correct. Some states have seen an increase in certain types of crimes, but not all. And yes, the economy has affected bail bondsmen too. Remember, we “sell” a product just like other merchants. If people don’t have money to pay their mortgages,... Read more

Are You Marketing Your Bail Agency Online?

It is important to develop a web presence for your bail agency. When we were first talking about Collateral, we spent a lot of time debating whether or not to do a print magazine or an electronic magazine.  We (obviously) decided to go with a magazine hosted on the Internet. The question you may ask yourself is, what does the internet have to do with the bail industry? The answer is - a lot. The Professional Bail Agents of the United States have recently decided to “go green,” which involves switching to more electronic communication... Read more