You have likely seen ads for bail bond agents on television or billboards in your hometown and wondered how it is that they make their money. An uninformed person might almost think that the bail bonds companies were performing some kind of public service for their clients. Of course, this is not the case at all, but it can seem that way when it is not spelled out clearly how they do what they do.
Bail bond companies make money by charging their clients ten percent of the total bond that the court has set for that person. In other words, if the court sets a bond of $5,000 to have the person released from jail pending trial, the bail bonds company will require the individual to put up $500 in cash to secure the remainder of that bond from the company. The bail bond company always has the protection of the court refunding their money as long as the client shows up for all of their scheduled court appearances. Once that happens, the court gives the bail bonds company back their funds, and they are allowed to keep the $500 in cash that the client put up to receive that bond.
