Learning of a loved one’s arrest can be devastating and stressful. During these difficult times, the financial obligations of securing pretrial release through bail can make the defendant's family feel hopeless and guilty. For the active military members, veterans, and their families who are already having a difficult time because of their sacrifices for the security of the country, a loved one’s arrest can be overwhelming.

Fortunately, many bail bond services recognize the sacrifice members of the military and their families make, extending military discounts for bail bond services to show appreciation. If you are serving in the military and you or a loved one has been arrested, you want to know what military discount bail bonds are, how to qualify, and other available discounts to help lower the cost of posting bail.

California Military Service

California’s total active duty and reserve military members as of September 2017 were at least 184,000. The state also accounts for the second-largest number of civilian military workers nationwide. These military members serve the country from various military bases in California. The largest military bases in the state are:

Fort Irwin

Fort Irwin is situated on the outskirts of Barstow. The military base was created in 1940 as the Mojave Anti-Aircraft Gunnery Range but was later renamed Fort Irwin in 1961. The military base is considered the top training center for the US military and houses at most 9,000 residents. On average, 4,000 to 5,000 visit the base for training every month. When the members leave base when not on duty, Barstow is the nearest city they visit for fun.

Beale Air Force Base

Another military base located in California is Camp Beale, located near Marysville. The camp is the largest on the West Coast, with a population of 4,000. Based in the camp is the 9th Reconnaissance Wing, whose mandate is to gather intelligence that affects the president's or Congress’s national defense decisions.

Camp Pendleton

Located in San Diego, CA, Camp Pendleton has the most intense amphibious training in the US military. It was established during World War II, occupying at least 125,000 acres. It is the most extensive Corps training in the West Coast, producing Marine Corps, active duty, and reserve army and navy units.

If you serve in any of these bases or any other of the 29 military camps within the state and need help posting your bail or that of a loved one, you should contact a reputable bail bonds firm that offers military discount bail bonds.

Understanding Military Discount Bail Bonds

Upon arrest, the court might order you to post bail, depending on the case, to secure your freedom. Bail is a guarantee set by the court that allows the defendant to secure temporary freedom pending trial. The cash or property is deposited to guarantee that you will show up later for scheduled hearings upon temporary release. When you attend all court proceedings, you will receive a refund.

Unfortunately, the bail system in California is money-based. The court sets expensive bail depending on the case’s facts, which many defendants cannot afford. Because arrests are unplanned, consolidating thousands or tens of thousands in a short period can cause financial stress for many families who want to reunite with their loved ones. Bail bond companies come in at this point to help detainees who cannot afford bail, and they post it at only a small nonrefundable fee of 10% of the 100% bail amount.

The fee to the bail bondsman is a small amount compared to depositing the entire figure upfront. However, a premium can prove challenging to consolidate, so you should ask for a discount or repayment plan to make the initial cost of securing pretrial release more affordable.

Not every bail bondsman offering a discounted rate is trustworthy. Some use the low rates to appeal to new clients, only to introduce hidden charges that significantly increase the cost of bail. The standard hidden charges used by companies are:

  • Notary fees
  • Annual premiums
  • Charging interest on financing plans
  • Processing charges
  • Travel costs
  • Late file fees
  • Travel costs

Therefore, when hiring, request quotations from various companies and compare them to pick the firm offering affordable rates with no hidden costs or compromised services.

If you are an airman, soldier, marine, or sailor arrested off base in California, hire a bail bondsman who offers military discounts. Bail bondsmen offer a discount to military personnel and their families as a sign of appreciation. Military members dedicate their lives to protecting the nation, and extending discounts to them in their hour of need is a way to show appreciation. If you qualify for the discount, it will significantly reduce the cost of bail bonds, saving you the financial stress of consolidating the bail premium. Additionally, bail bondsmen offer flexible financing plans to military personnel to avoid causing financial distress.

The Structure of Military Discount Bail Bonds

The standard fee for bail bond services in California is 10%. However, there is no standard discount for military members. The qualification for the discount and the discount percentage are discretionary and depend on your bail bondsman's choice. Some companies offer a discount of as low as 7%, roughly 30% off the standard bail bond cost.

Even consolidating the discounted fee can be a problem when bail is substantial. Under these circumstances, your bail bond firm should develop a repayment plan that matches your budget. The plans and bail bond conditions consider the lives of military personnel, deployment, and pay structure.

1% Down Military Bail Bonds

When negotiating your bail bond premium repayment plan, be truthful about your financial situation. If you honestly convince the bail bondsman to offer you the best repayment plan, they can give you the 1% military bail bonds. You only need to deposit 1% of the total bail premium for the company to approve your repayment plan and deposit a bond for your release. You will pay the balance in flexible installments after you or the defendant secures freedom. You should honor all payments because default might affect your credit rating. Also, the company will hold on to the collateral used to secure the bond after the case closes until all the instruments have been made.

Before approving the 1% deposit, the company will consider the risk of depositing the bond on your behalf. The elements they consider are:

  • Your criminal past
  • Offense’s nature
  • The jail or prison sentence is at stake if you are found guilty
  • Your financial position and credit rating
  • Your employment status

For military personnel, your job is your credit, meaning that you do not have to have the best rating to qualify for the 1% military bail bonds repayment plan. Your company will accept real property, bonds, vehicles, boats, stocks, jewelry, or investments as collateral. If you need a low-payment repayment plan, talk to your bail bondsman to understand the requirements.

The Process of Obtaining Military Discount Bail Bonds

Many people assume that because you are in the military or a veteran, you will receive preferential treatment from law enforcement after arrest. However, this is not true. The truth is that military personnel are held to a higher standard than civilians, meaning jail confinement after arrest is a possibility.

  1. Off Military Camp Arrests

When you leave camp and unfortunately find yourself on the wrong side of the law, do not panic or resist arrest. Control yourself and stay calm because any confrontation with the arresting officer will lead to additional charges of resisting arrest or assault on a police officer. Speak calmly and answer any questions asked by the officers. If the arrest results from an altercation with another person, do not speak or yell at them as the arrest is happening. Conduct yourself in a dignified manner so that the police officers can see you are a person of character and that you were only defending yourself or another party. After arrest, the officer will recite your Miranda rights before taking you into custody.

  1. Booking and Processing

The officers will move you to the nearest station for booking and processing. They will record your information, including name, mugshots, and fingerprints. Your file will then be prepared, containing the evidence of your alleged offense, and sent to the local prosecutor, who will decide whether to file formal charges.

If you are charged, you can check the local county bail schedule to know the amount you should pay as bail. If you are to secure release, you must post the bail figure. Raising the full bail can be a problem for most defendants. Even those who can afford it do not want considerable amounts held up for months or years without generating interest.

You have the alternative to use your property as a bond, but the challenge is that it must be twice the bail value. This leaves you with bail bonds as your only option. For a small fee, a bail bondsman promises to repay the full bail if you skip court. The judge then issues a bond for your release, making the bail bondsman responsible for your appearances.

The advantage of partnering with bail bondsmen as military personnel is that they offer military discounts, further reducing the cost of pretrial release.

  1. Military Discount Qualification

Defendants eligible for military discounts include:

  • Active duty military personnel like the Marine Corps, Air Force, Army, Navy, or Coast Guard
  • Veterans who have been honorably discharged from military service
  • National Guardsmen and reservists
  • Immediate family of military personnel, like spouses, children, or dependents

Claiming you are a military member is not sufficient to access the discounts. You must provide documentation. You can use your valid military identification, ID, or driver’s license with a veteran designation, or a National Guard or reservist card.

In most cases, bail bondsmen will provide the military discount if you are the indemnitor or cosigner helping an arrestee secure freedom. A few companies offer discounts when the defendant is an eligible military member, even when the cosigner is ineligible. However, you must ask the company when the discount applies and whether the defendant or cosigner qualifies.

If you qualify for the discount, you will pay the premium or the required down payment and sign the contract, after which the company will process the release.

Other Available Bail Bond Discounts

Bail bond discounts are not only available for military personnel. Other parties that can receive discounts are:

Homeowners

If you own a home, your bail bond firm considers you stable, and the property can serve as collateral. Therefore, some bail bondsmen are willing to offer a discount on the bail bond premium, as the financial risk of the bail bond is minimal.

Attorney Discount

You also qualify for a discount if you have a defense attorney helping you purchase the bail bond. Besides, you could qualify for an attorney discount if your cosigner is an attorney. Again, if you have been referred to the bail bondsman by a legal expert, you could be eligible for the discount. Some companies give attorneys a discount because of existing trust or professional relationships between them and the commercial bail bonds industry.

Qualified Union Members

Members of specific labor unions with a strong presence can receive discounts for bail bonds. Speak to your company and find out if they offer these discounts and whether it is the defendant or indemnitor that is qualified. If the union discounts are available, you should produce a valid membership card.

If you or your loved one is qualified for the military or other available discounts, do not hesitate to use them to lower the cost of the bail premiums. The discounts will reduce the hassle of consolidating hefty sums of money in a short time and save you some money. However, you should find a reputable bail bonds firm for a quick, streamlined release process. The right company will offer a flexible repayment plan on the premium in addition to the discount, making bail more affordable.

Find a Reputable Bail Bonds Service Near Me

The bail bonds process is complex, but learning your options can reduce the strain associated with the process. Military discount bail bonds can offer financial relief during these challenging times if you are military personnel. Contact an experienced bail bondsman to determine if you are qualified.

At Alana’s Bail Bonds, we recognize that bail is expensive, so we offer bail bond services to lower the cost of posting bail. Because the premium can also be hefty, we further reduce costs through military, attorney, union, or homeowner discounts. Contact us at 619-468-9333 to determine the discount you qualify for to make posting bail in San Diego affordable.