How Much Does It Cost to File Bankruptcy?

PORT RICHEY, FLORIDA CLIENT ASKS BANKRUPTCY ATTORNEY

Hillary C from Port Richey, Florida asks the Bankruptcy Attorney, How much does it cost to file Bankruptcy?  Thank you for your question.  Here is a Video we created in response to this query.

At the writing of this Article, November 8, 2016, the filing fee charged by the US Bankruptcy Court, for a Chapter 7 Bankruptcy is $335 and for a Chapter 13 Bankruptcy the filing fee is $310.  In addition, most Debtors are also required to obtain a Credit Counseling Certificate before filing either Chapter 7 or Chapter 13 Bankruptcy.  The charge imposed by the Organizations authorized to distribute such Certificate ranges from $9.95 to almost $100.

These are basic fees that must usually be paid, irrespective of whether you hire a Bankruptcy Attorney to represent you. In the Tampa Bay region most Bankruptcy Attorneys usually charge $800 to $1500 for full representation in a Chapter 7 Bankruptcy.  If the Bankruptcy Attorney needs to provide more legal representation than is ordinarily required in a Chapter 7 Bankruptcy, he will usually charge additional monies based upon an hourly rate.  Examples may include representation in an Adversary Proceeding, or representation with respect to a Chapter 7 Bankruptcy Trustee seeking to take or liquidate the Assets of the Debtor.  The Retainer Agreement presented by the Bankruptcy Attorney should delineate what matters are included in his basic representation and what matters require additional monies in furtherance of representation.

At Weller Legal Group we usually will charge a flat fee.  If some additional matter is presented in the Bankruptcy Case, often we will continue representation without demand for additional monies.

In a Chapter 13 Bankruptcy, most Bankruptcy Attorneys will charge a certain fee before the filing of the Bankruptcy, again ranging from $800 to $1500.  Upon Confirmation or Approval of the Chapter 13 Plan by the Bankruptcy Judge, the Attorney or his Office, is generally entitled to additional fees.  In the year 2016 in the Tampa Bankruptcy Court, the total fees that a Bankruptcy Attorney is permitted to receive for representing a Debtor in a Chapter 13 Bankruptcy is $4,250.  However, the Bankruptcy Attorney and his Office may be entitled to Attorney Fees exceeding $4,250 if he can demonstrate that the Legal Services provided in such Chapter 13 Bankruptcy are outside the bounds of a typical Chapter 13 filing.