Attorney Costs and Fees for Filing Bankruptcy

Learn about approximate Lawyer and Attorney costs, filing fees and other related expenses you’ll pay for various types of personal, and business bankruptcy.

If you’re considering personal bankruptcy or your business is struggling and a business bankruptcy looks like your last option, this page of www.legalpriceguide.com will help you learn approximately how much it’s going to cost you to file for bankruptcy. This guide covers the following topics:

• Personal Bankruptcy (Chapter 7, Chapter 13)
• Business Bankruptcy (Chapter 7, Chapter 11, Chapter 13)
• Court Costs and Filing Fees (Court filing)
• Incidental Expenses Related to Bankruptcy (Credit Report, Credit Counseling, Debtor Education)
• Actual Bankruptcy Costs Paid by other Visitors (Consumers who have shared actual bankruptcy costs)

Personal Bankruptcy Costs

Personal bankruptcy, whether you file chapter 7 or Chapter 13, will have a few variables in what you pay your attorney. Choosing to file a personal bankruptcy, in simple terms, is a way to manage debt that you can no longer afford to pay. Personal bankruptcies are quite simple and straight forward but vary depending on your end goal. Chapter 7 bankruptcy is meant for individuals who have a large amount of debt and their income is too low to pay for it, which means you will most likely lose most of your property. A Chapter 13 bankruptcy shows that although you can’t afford all of your debt, you can and are willing to re-pay it. The cost incurred for a Chapter 7 is usually much lower than a Chapter 13 because your attorney will not have to deal with creditors.

Bankruptcy Attorney Fees		Average Cost
Chapter 7 Bankruptcy		$2,000 – $2,500
Chapter 13 Bankruptcy		$3,500 – $4,000

Business Bankruptcy Costs

Filing for bankruptcy with a business is much different than personal bankruptcy and will require a specific type of attorney who specializes in handling business bankruptcies. When choosing to file a business bankruptcy, you have several options. A Chapter 7 bankruptcy is usually reserved for a company that is going out of business and has no future, thus, attorney fees will not be as high. A Chapter 11 bankruptcy is a true business reorganization and requires repayment of all creditors. They are very complex and your attorney will need to spend a lot of time on the case, which can make it quite expensive. A Chapter 13 Business bankruptcy is used for sole proprietor businesses and will be completed as a part of personal bankruptcy.

Attorney Fees for Business Bankruptcy		Average Cost
Chapter 7 Bankruptcy (Business Liquidation)		$2,000 – $2,500
Chapter 11 Bankruptcy (Business Reorganization)		$10,000 – $15,000
Chapter 13 Bankruptcy (Sole Proprietorship)		$2,000 – $2,500

Bankruptcy Court Costs and Filing Fees

In addition to your bankruptcy lawyer cost, you may be faced with the additional expense of court filing fees. Court filing fees are set forth by the U.S. Federal Courts and will be the same regardless of which state you reside when you file. The court filing fee may already be included in the attorney fees you pay, especially in the case of business bankruptcies. However, you should ask your attorney upfront if you will be responsible for the fee over and above the fees they are charging to handle your case. You should always make sure there is a separate line item in your bankruptcy case that is specific to court filing fees so you can’t be held responsible if it was not fully explained upfront.

Court Costs and Legal Filing Fees		Average Cost
Chapter 7 Filing Cost		$335
Chapter 13 Filing Cost		$310
Chapter 7 Business Filing Fees		$335
Chapter 11 Bankruptcy Filing Fees		$1,717
Chapter 13 Bankruptcy Filing Fees		$310

Other Incidental Bankruptcy Expenses

Aside from the legal fees to an attorney and other court related costs, you could find yourself having to pay for incidentals like counseling, credit reports and much more.  Obtaining a current credit report is the first step that will be completed before you have a consultation with your attorney. Couples filing bankruptcy will each need a credit report and they range from $25 – $35 each.  Or, you can choose to get a Free Annual Credit Report as long as you have not already requested one. Before filing a Chapter 7 or Chapter 13 bankruptcy, individuals must complete both credit counseling (completed prior for filing) and debtor education (completed before your discharge of debt). Most counties have their own approved vendors for these and the cost will range from $40 – $100 per person for both counseling sessions.

Along with the above fees, if filing a business bankruptcy, there will be accounting fees involved. The court will appoint a bankruptcy trustee or you can have your current accountant apply to be approved by the court for your case. Most trustees charge $100/hr minimum. For a personal bankruptcy there is no requirement from the courts for you to have an accountant, however, if you use an accountant for your taxes you should have them involved in your bankruptcy.

Incidental Bankruptcy Related Expenses		Average Cost
Credit Counseling		$20 – $40
Debtor Education		$40 – $60
Credit Reports		$25 – $75
Accountant Fees (Business)		$100/hr, $3,000 total
Accountant Fees (Personal)		$45/hr, $250 total

Visitor Submitted Bankruptcy Costs

Visitors from all around the country have used our website to learn about the cost of bankruptcy. They often share what it cost to file bankruptcy themselves, and we post the information for future visitors like you.

The comparison table below is separated into sections for the type of bankruptcy or related expense, the City and State of the submitter, as well as the actual cost they paid for the service. Scroll to the bottom of the page to submit your information for inclusion to the table.

Bankruptcy Costs Paid by Others	City, State	Actual Cost
Chapter 7 Personal Bankruptcy	Charlotte, NC	$2,850
Note: Filed Chapter 7 and eliminated $27k worth of credit card debt and a home we could not sell in the down market.
Chapter 13 Personal Bankruptcy	Greenfield, MA	$3,600
Note: Filed Chapter 13 with $60k in debt for car loans and credit cards. 5-yr repayment plan set up for debtors and kept vehicles
Chapter 7 Business Bankruptcy	Amherst, VA	$2,350
Note: Filed Chapter 7, closed the company and eliminated $91,000 in business debt.

Submit your Bankruptcy Cost to the Comparison Table

** We never share your personal information. We do edit the wording in our visitor submissions for spelling and grammar errors before posting onto the website.