Bounty Hunting is a profession that goes back to the 13th Century. Some of us think of bounty hunters as old west gunslingers searching for outlaws that they find on wanted posters. Others may think of Dog the Bounty Hunter, the reality TV star. The career can be somewhat confusing and how they get paid can be even more so. Let’s dive in and find out how Bounty Hunters make their money.
The Bail Bond Process
Before we can dive straight into what bounty hunters do, it is important to understand how the bail bond process works. When someone is arrested, the court will allow them to be released from custody pending their trial if they pay a certain amount of money to ensure that they do not attempt to flee. This is called bail and is cash only. If this individual does not have enough cash to pay the bail, they can go to a third party, a bail bondsman, who agrees to put up cash for the bail. In order to make a profit, the bail bondsman will take a nonrefundable fee (usually 10-15%). Since the bail bondsman has taken on liability for the bail bond, they usually require the client to provide some form of collateral (property, car deed, etc.).
What Is a Bounty Hunter?
If the person who the bail bondsman put the money up for decides to skip town, then it is the bail bondsman who loses his money. To prevent this, bounty hunters are hired by the bondsmen to catch the skippers and bring them to the proper authorities to avoid losing their bond to the government. A bounty hunter will go searching for the bond skippers and much of their job involves incorporating detective skills to find them. They are usually employed due to low numbers on the police force that can limit their ability to find the bond skippers. The profession can be extremely dangerous as most people who skip out on their bail tend to not want to be found.
How Is a Bounty Hunter Paid?
Bounty Hunters are usually paid a percentage of the total bond. For example, if the bond was $10,000 then the bounty hunter can expect to get around %10 of $1,000. They are only paid if they are able to locate and apprehend the bond skipper so bounty hunters tend to be highly motivated. If they can’t catch their target, they don’t get paid. Despite the high stakes for a paycheck, bounty hunters usually have an extremely high success rate. An experienced bounty hunter can typically make between $50,000 and $80,000 per year.
Get Back Home With AEZ Bail Bonds
Here at AEZ Bail Bonds, we want to make sure that you are able to help you through any legal troubles that you may have. We are open 24/7 so any time you may be in need, we will be there! Give us a call at (214) 749-5600 or fill out our contact sheet for more information.