How Much Does It Cost to File Bankruptcy?

The amount printed on the bankruptcy petition is only one part of the cost. A filer may also pay for legal representation, required education, property valuations, records, additional motions, or litigation that develops after the case begins.

Chapter 7 and Chapter 13 also handle attorney compensation differently in practice. Chapter 7 is shorter, and attorneys commonly expect most or all agreed fees before filing. Chapter 13 work continues for several years, so local rules often permit some attorney compensation to be paid through the repayment plan.

That does not mean Chapter 13 is automatically cheaper at the beginning or more expensive overall. A Chapter 13 plan sends money to creditors and the trustee as well as counsel. The plan payment is not simply a bankruptcy service fee.

Current Bankruptcy Court Filing Fees

The filing fee is paid to the bankruptcy court when the petition is filed unless the court approves another arrangement.

The Chapter 7 total consists of a $245 filing fee, a $78 administrative fee, and a $15 trustee surcharge. The Chapter 13 total consists of a $235 filing fee and a $78 administrative fee.

A married couple filing one joint case pays one filing fee, not two. Spouses filing separate cases each pay the fee for their own case.

Payment methods differ by court and by whether an attorney files electronically. A local court may accept a cashier’s check, money order, debit transaction, or electronic payment while refusing cash, personal checks, or a credit card issued to the debtor. Check the filing instructions for the correct bankruptcy district before purchasing a money order or attempting payment.

Can You Pay the Filing Fee in Installments?

An individual debtor who cannot pay the entire filing fee at once may file Official Form 103A and ask the court for an installment schedule. This option can apply to Chapter 7 and Chapter 13.

The fee can generally be divided into no more than four payments, with the final installment due within 120 days after filing unless the court permits a different deadline under the applicable rule. The court may set its own amounts and dates rather than approve the schedule exactly as requested.

Missing an installment is serious. The case can be dismissed before the debtor receives a discharge, while the filing remains part of the court record and the automatic stay may already have affected later filing rights.

Installments should therefore be used only when the complete schedule is realistic. Filing with almost no money available for the next payment can exchange one emergency for another.

When Can the Chapter 7 Filing Fee Be Waived?

A complete court-fee waiver is available only to an individual filing Chapter 7. The debtor uses Official Form 103B.

The court may approve the waiver when:

• Household income is below 150% of the applicable official poverty guideline; and
• The debtor cannot afford to pay the fee in installments.

Meeting the income threshold does not make approval automatic. The judge considers the full application, including income, expenses, cash, property, payments to an attorney, and the household’s ability to pay over time.

If the request is denied, the court may require payment in full or set installments. A debtor should not assume that submitting Form 103B permanently eliminates the fee.

Chapter 13 does not have the same statutory filing-fee waiver because a Chapter 13 debtor must have sufficient regular income to fund a repayment plan. Installments may still be requested.

Required Credit Counseling and Debtor Education Costs

Individual bankruptcy filers generally complete two different services:

1. Credit counseling: Completed before filing, subject to limited statutory exceptions.
2. Debtor education: Completed after filing and generally required before discharge.

Only a provider approved for the correct judicial district should be used. The U.S. Trustee Program maintains separate lists for credit counseling agencies and debtor education providers. Alabama and North Carolina use the Bankruptcy Administrator system, so filers there should follow the applicable district instructions.

For each service, a fee of $50 or less is presumed reasonable under U.S. Trustee Program rules. A provider that wants to charge more must obtain advance approval. Many approved providers charge less.

Providers must offer free or reduced-cost service based on ability to pay. A client whose household income is below 150% of the poverty level is presumptively entitled to a waiver or reduction, subject to the provider’s approved policy and the client’s actual financial circumstances.

Before beginning, ask for the total charge, including any certificate fee. A provider cannot advertise its own price as a federally mandated fee.

How Much Does a Bankruptcy Attorney Cost?

There is no national schedule for consumer bankruptcy attorney fees. Quotes vary with the legal market and the work required.

A relatively simple Chapter 7 case may involve wages, ordinary household property, no business, no recent transfers, and no disputed debts. A more expensive case may involve:

• Home equity or other potentially nonexempt property
• Self-employment, a corporation, or rental property
• Recent gifts, sales, repayments, or property transfers
• Tax debts or unfiled returns
• Divorce, support, or property-settlement obligations
• Prior bankruptcy cases
• Creditor claims involving fraud or nondischargeability
• Reaffirmation, redemption, lien, or exemption disputes
• An adversary proceeding or other contested litigation

Chapter 13 quotes also reflect plan preparation, confirmation, trustee objections, claim review, payment changes, motions, and work that may continue for up to five years.

Ask for a written fee agreement that identifies:

• The amount due before filing
• Any balance proposed to be paid through a Chapter 13 plan
• Which hearings, motions, and communications are included
• Which services create an additional charge
• Whether court fees and course fees are included or separate
• What happens to paid fees if the case is not filed
• How conversion, dismissal, or an adversary proceeding is billed

Bankruptcy counsel must disclose compensation paid or agreed to be paid for representation. Official Form B2030 and local requirements help the court review the arrangement, but the filed disclosure does not replace a detailed agreement between lawyer and client.

Why Chapter 7 and Chapter 13 Quotes Work Differently

Chapter 7

Chapter 7 attorneys often request payment before the petition is filed. This avoids leaving the lawyer with an unpaid pre-filing claim inside the same bankruptcy case and reflects the short timeline of a typical Chapter 7.

Some firms offer lawful payment structures, but the details can affect the scope and timing of representation. Confirm who will prepare the petition, attend the 341 meeting, respond to the trustee, handle reaffirmation, and address post-filing problems.

Chapter 13

In Chapter 13, part of the attorney fee may be paid before filing and part through the court-approved plan. Local courts commonly use fee guidelines, presumptive amounts, or rights-and-responsibilities agreements, but the procedures and amounts differ by district.

Paying counsel through the plan reduces the amount needed before filing, but it does not make the representation free. Attorney compensation becomes one claim funded by the debtor’s plan payments.

The Chapter 13 Trustee Percentage

A standing Chapter 13 trustee collects plan payments and distributes money under the confirmed plan. The trustee deducts a percentage fee from payments received.

Federal law caps the percentage at 10% for an ordinary Chapter 13 debtor who is not a family farmer. The actual authorized percentage varies by trustee and can change as the U.S. Trustee Program adjusts it based on compensation and necessary operating expenses.

The trustee percentage is not added to the court filing fee. It is part of the economics of the Chapter 13 plan and should be included when testing whether the monthly payment is feasible.

Ask the attorney which obligations will be paid through the trustee, which will be paid directly, and whether the estimated plan payment already includes trustee compensation.

Other Costs That May Arise

Not every case requires additional spending, but possible costs include:

• Credit reports or creditor-account research
• Home, vehicle, business, or personal-property valuations
• Tax transcripts and replacement financial records
• Certified copies, court record searches, or PACER access
• Postage, document delivery, or local administrative charges
• Additional attorney work for motions or objections
• Adversary proceedings involving dischargeability, liens, or other disputes
• Conversion to another bankruptcy chapter
• Reopening a closed case

Property value is one area where a cheap estimate can become expensive. An unsupported online value may not be enough when significant equity, exemptions, or a trustee sale is at issue. Paying for a defensible appraisal can be appropriate when the result affects whether property is protected.

Likewise, a low initial attorney quote can become more expensive when the included services are narrowly defined. Compare the scope, not only the upfront amount.

Is Filing Without a Lawyer Cheaper?

An individual may file without an attorney, known as filing pro se. Bankruptcy forms are available free from U.S. Courts, so avoiding an attorney eliminates one immediate expense.

It also means the filer is responsible for choosing the chapter, applying exemptions, listing every asset and creditor, completing income forms, following local rules, responding to the trustee, and protecting legal rights. Court employees and bankruptcy judges cannot provide legal advice.

A non-attorney petition preparer is not a lower-cost lawyer. The preparer may type information supplied by the debtor but cannot recommend a chapter, select exemptions, determine whether property is safe, explain dischargeability, or represent the debtor in court.

A filing mistake can create costs larger than the attorney fee, including:

• Dismissal before discharge
• Loss of nonexempt property
• Failure to address a lien or secured loan
• An unnecessary Chapter 13 plan
• Loss of the automatic stay in a later case
• Additional motions, amendments, or litigation

U.S. Courts strongly recommends qualified legal advice because bankruptcy has long-term legal and financial consequences. The decision should consider case complexity and property risk rather than attorney cost alone.

Ways to Reduce the Cost Safely

• Request a filing-fee waiver or installments when eligible. Use the official court forms rather than an informal promise to pay later.
• Ask course providers about waivers before enrolling. Compare only agencies approved for your district.
• Check legal aid and pro bono programs. U.S. Courts links to Legal Services Corporation and lawyer-referral resources.
• Organize records before meeting counsel. Complete income, debt, asset, tax, and transaction information reduces avoidable follow-up work.
• Compare written scopes of representation. The lowest quote may exclude services another attorney includes.
• Do not hire a petition preparer for legal advice. Paying a typist does not resolve exemptions, strategy, or contested issues.
• Avoid emergency filing when planning is possible. Last-minute cases may require extra work and leave less time to correct asset or eligibility problems.

The article on when to talk to a bankruptcy attorney explains which documents to bring and which questions to ask. The bankruptcy means test guide covers the income calculation used in many Chapter 7 cases.

Summary

The current federal filing fee is $338 for Chapter 7 and $313 for Chapter 13. Individual filers also generally complete pre-filing credit counseling and post-filing debtor education. A fee of $50 or less for each session is presumed reasonable, and eligible clients must have access to free or reduced-cost service.

Attorney fees are usually the largest variable. Chapter 7 fees are commonly paid before filing, while some Chapter 13 compensation may be paid through the plan under local rules. Chapter 13 also includes a trustee percentage taken from plan payments, capped by federal law at 10% for a typical non-farmer debtor.

Ask for a written quote that separates the court fee, courses, legal services, additional litigation, and plan-related charges. The cheapest filing is not necessarily the least expensive outcome when property, secured loans, taxes, or discharge rights are at risk.