How Much Does it Cost to File Bankruptcy?

If you are thinking about filing bankruptcy or you have to file bankruptcy you probably are wondering how much it cost to file bankruptcy. So how much does filing bankruptcy cost? There are two different types of fees associated with filing bankruptcy, bankruptcy filing fees paid directly to the bankruptcy court, and attorney fees, should you decide to hire a bankruptcy attorney.

Chapter 7

Depending on what type of bankruptcy you have to file, filing fees are as follows. Filing a chapter 7 bankruptcy will cost $299.00 to the court, and if you hire a bankruptcy attorney most bankruptcy attorneys in California will charge between $1500 - $3500 depending on the complexity of the bankruptcy filing.

Chapter 13

If you have to file chapter 13 bankruptcy the fee is $274.00 to the court and bankruptcy attorney fees will typically run around $4,000 depending on the bankruptcy attorney.

Less Common Bankruptcies

As for a chapter 11 bankruptcy, the court’s filing fee is $1,039 and for farmer’s filing a chapter 12 bankruptcy the court fee is $239.00. As for attorney fees for filing a chapter 11 business bankruptcy fees can vary significantly from case to case. Contact your local bankruptcy to review your chapter 11 bankruptcy case to determine the attorney’s fees for filing a chapter 11 bankruptcy.  

Varying Legal Fees

While we see plenty of clients at the end of their financial rope and looking to cut costs wherever they can, the court’s filing fees are the same throughout the U.S. Courts. Attorney fees for filing bankruptcy will vary from attorney to attorney, state to state, and county to county. For example: In Riverside County, CA. bankruptcy attorneys typically charge about $2,000 for filing chapter 7 bankruptcy while Orange County, CA.  Bankruptcy Attorneys charge around $2,500 for a basic chapter 7 filing. While these fees might sound expensive to someone filing bankruptcy, they are very reasonable for the work and the bankruptcy attorneys liability.

Chapter 13 bankruptcy fees are regulated by the county and bankruptcy attorney fees are pretty much the same from attorney to attorney. Most bankruptcy attorneys will offer you a free consultation and discuss their fees for filing your bankruptcy petition after they have met with you and determined the complexity of your case. As bankruptcy attorneys we may be bias when advising consumers to hire a bankruptcy attorney rather than trying to save money with a petition preparer or going it alone.

Why Expert Representation is Important

The truth is, we have heard the horror stories from improperly filed petitions from “do it yourselfers” and paralegals giving filers the wrong advise. Yes; we’re bankruptcy attorneys, so we believe in hiring a bankruptcy attorney to see your bankruptcy is filed properly so your assets are well protected while your unsecured debt get’s properly discharged. If you are having a difficult time making ends meet and need to file bankruptcy, the bankruptcy attorneys at the Law Offices of Zhou & Chini understand your dilemma.

Should I hire a bankruptcy attorney or try it by myself? The truth is, you can cut your own hair and mow your own lawn, but if you need to file bankruptcy you might want to consider hiring a bankruptcy attorney. A bankruptcy attorney will see your bankruptcy petition is filed properly and you have attorney representation at your 341 creditors meeting. Call the Law Offices of Zhou & Chini for a free bankruptcy consultation today, we will be happy to discuss or fees for filing bankruptcy as well as set up a convenient payment plan to help you get back on track.