Current fee for filing a Chapter 7 case is $335; the fee for filing a Chapter 13 case is $310. The issue for most individuals or companies is to know which route is better and if, in fact, filing for bankruptcy is your best course of action. Then, should you file for bankruptcy you may well have to make your argument in court in order to succeed.
Full Answer
Bankruptcy is not automatically free. Generally, it requires a filing fee. You’ll want to look up the fee schedule for the court where you’re filing for bankruptcy. In Ohio, that’d be the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District or the Southern District of Ohio.
Don’t let the fees attached to a bankruptcy deter you. There are ways to factor in these costs and discharge or reorganize your debts. The best way to find an option that works for you is to speak with an experienced bankruptcy lawyer.
An individual with a large number of creditors. You had filed for other bankruptcy cases in the last eight years. Stopping a legal action such as a bank levy, eviction, and repossession of property that was used as loan collateral. You are being suspected or accused of fraud.
A complex case will take longer, leading to higher attorney fees. For simple chapter 7 cases, costs can range from $1,000 to $1,500 on average.
One additional fee that must be accounted for covers credit counseling. The completion of two credit counseling courses is required for those who petition for either Chapter 7 or Chapter 13 cases. A nonprofit credit counseling agency can help you arrange to take the course.
Nonetheless, a bankruptcy will be discharged after a successful chapter 7 case petition. Bankruptcy will reflect in your credit record for ten years, affecting your ability to get loans.
While you might be tempted to file your bankruptcy case without a lawyer, you need to consider the consequences.
If a disability or advanced age prevents you from rebuilding your finances after bankruptcy, your attorney may take that into account when they calculate their fees. Recovering from bankruptcy is not easy.
You can certainly file yourself. Unfortunately, you can also fail to have your debts discharged by the court simply for not following the right procedures for filing, having documents ready, or not properly dealing with other administrative issues.
As we noted, the filing fees are standard. What will vary is how complicated your case is. The more work that your attorney has to do on your behalf the more he will need to charge.
For a local expert in bankruptcy issues, with extensive legal experience and a nearby lawyer in the Central Ohio area, it will be difficult to find a better bankruptcy attorney to represent you than David A. Bhaerman.
In a Chapter 7 case, the fee for a client with primarily consumer debts and with no anticipated litigation can be expected to start at approximately $750 and go up from there based on the complexities of the bankruptcy case and current financial situation of the client. In addition to the fee, the court charges a filing fee of $331 for Chapter 7 cases. This does not go to the attorney but instead is paid to the court. There are always exceptions. Once we have the opportunity to speak with you over the phone or at a free bankruptcy consultation we can provide you with an exact fee and provide payments terms that will not be overwhelming.
Payment of the legal costs can be paid by cash, money order, check, or debit from your checking account.
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Before you file, there are three kinds of information you'll need to get from the court's website:
Courts should serve all taxpayers, not just lawyers. Filing requirements should be clear and accessible to everyone. After all, everyone must follow the law, so why not make the rules clear and in plain English?
In our first review of 90 bankruptcy court websites nationwide in 2007, LegalConsumer.com found only a handful that provided clear, well-organized filing information for those who don't speak legalese.
The role of an attorney in a Chapter 13 bankruptcy is significantly more involved than his role played in a Chapter 7 bankruptcy.
The cost of a Chapter 13 bankruptcy attorney varies geographically, but the typical fee is between $2200 and $3200 for the 3-5 years that the attorney will be representing you.