Discovering that a friend or family member has been arrested can be shocking. If the thought of your loved one spending time in jail gives you chills, then posting bail on his or her behalf can be a great course of action.

Many people utilize the services of licensed bail bond agencies to help post bail. A bail bondsman gives you the ability to pay only a percentage of the total bail amount, making it more affordable to obtain your loved one's release. There are some things that you can do on your end to help expedite the bonding process.

1. Gather pertinent information about your loved one's arrest.

In order to facilitate the bonding process, it can be helpful to provide your bail bondsman with a wealth of information regarding your loved one's arrest. If you receive a call from your loved one after they have been booked into jail, you need to ask some important questions.

Determine when the arrest occurred and what your loved one is being charged with. Ask for the amount of bail that has been set, and clarify the location of the jail in which your loved one is being held. This information will help a bail bondsman quickly locate your loved one and work swiftly with law enforcement to obtain his or her release.

2. Determine how you will pay the bond fee.

Before you contact a bail bondsman, you need to determine how you will be paying the bond fee. Individual states are responsible for setting maximum bond rate fees, but the typical amount is 10% of the total bail.

Once you find out the bail amount from your loved one, you can multiply that by 10% to find out how much money you will need to pay a bail bondsman. Being prepared with cash or collateral prior to contacting a bail bondsman will help you expedite the bonding process.

3. Gather important financial documents.

When you make the decision to post bail on behalf of a loved one, you are taking on a significant financial and legal risk. Documentation will be required to ensure that you are established, have a decent credit rating, and have steady income before a bail bondsman will agree to take on your case.

Taking the time to gather pay stubs, tax returns, and bank statements prior to calling a bail bondsman will help you streamline the bonding process and obtain your loved one's release as quickly as possible. For more information, visit sites like http://www.bradsbailbonds.com.