If you're facing criminal law charges or have been convicted of a felony, you may be wondering how your conviction — or potential conviction — could affect your life and future. Given the seriousness of a felony, it's not unheard of for a convicted person to encounter issues with everything from housing to employment. Below, the criminal attorney at The Law Office of Christopher J. Swatosh in Ava, MO, discusses a few of the ways a felony might impact you.

3 Ways a Felony Conviction Will Affect You

1. Rental Housing

On many rental housing applications, you will be asked if you have ever been convicted of a felony. Even if you try to conceal the fact, the landlord will likely find out about it anyway since most property owners run comprehensive background checks on renters. As a way of minimizing their risk and liability as a landlord, they may refuse to rent to you because of your criminal history.

2. Employment

Employers will often ask on a job application whether the applicant has been convicted of a felony crime. There is a stigma that comes with a felony conviction that can be hard to shake. An employer may see you as an untrustworthy person and deny you a job. Again, trying to hide your criminal past could come back to haunt you since any potential employer will find out about your conviction when they run a background check. Always be honest on your application and in your interview, and try to seek out employers who are more open to hiring workers with criminal convictions (yes, those employers exist!).

3. Federal Assistance

If you require some extra financial support from a federally funded program, you may have a difficult time getting approved. Depending on the state where you live, those with certain felony convictions won't qualify for federal assistance. This can include food assistance, federal student loans, and other types of government aid. Your ability to collect Social Security, however, is not affected by a felony conviction.

In any criminal matter, you want a quality criminal attorney on your side. The Law Office of Christopher J. Swatosh serves clients throughout Douglas County in criminal, personal injury, and family law cases. Call (417) 683-2987 or contact Christopher J. Swatosh on Facebook to make an appointment with a criminal attorney today.