Transparency is a core value at A Bankruptcy Law Firm, LLC and that core value of transparency extends to the way we structure our pricing as well. A question almost all clients ask is
“How much does filing for bankruptcy cost?”
Unfortunately, other bankruptcy attorneys try to hide their fees so that they appear to be the “cheapest” around. The purpose of providing our pricing is not only to give you a better understanding of our fees, but also to demystify the pricing and fees associated with filing for bankruptcy. Below is a cost breakdown for Chapter 7 and Chapter 13 bankruptcies, along with an explanation of fees.
Chapter 7 Bankruptcy Pricing
Total Fee: $908.76
The Breakdown:
Court Fee: $335
Attorney Fee: $564
Other associated fee(s): $9.76
Why?
No matter what state you file in the Chapter 7 court fee is $335.
Most attorneys charge a flat fee or at least they make it appear that they do so. A flat fee is a total amount that covers the entire bankruptcy. However, be very careful of the fine print in a retainer agreement that spells out an extra fee if your spouse is filing with you, if you wish to reaffirm (keep) your car loan, and/or if the attorney has to prepare the means test.
My fee is a true flat fee; $599.00, period. No gimmicks, no additional fees.
If you have a spouse, we add his or her name and social security # and income without any additional cost. Moreover, if you require the means test calculation, guess what? Michael Benson is a CPA and attorney, which makes performing the means test a breeze. Therefore, there is no additional cost for a means test calculation as well.
You are required to take 2 courses, one course before you file and one after you file. The first course costs from $25 to $100 and we pay this for you. The second course costs $9.76 to $100 and is completed after we file your case. You take this course and pay the fee, which is currently only $9.76.
You will also need to obtain all 3 credit reports. We can do this for you by purchasing all 3 credit reports in one easy-to-read report. The report provides you with your current credit score and your estimated score one year after filing the bankruptcy to help you with planning life after your case. This report costs $40 for an individual and $80 for a married couple.
Note: There is a free federal website to obtain all 3, but the quality of the reports is extremely low and most of our past clients are only able to obtain 1 or 2 of the necessary 3 reports, so we do not recommend this as an option.
Adding the costs together, the total price for you to file a Chapter 7 bankruptcy with A Bankruptcy Law Firm, LLC is
$335 court fee + $564 attorney fee + 9.76 second course fee = $908.76
The only time this fee could be more, which you would find out in our free consultation, is if you own a business. Depending on your business, there could be exponentially more planning and work required in your case.
Chapter 13 Bankruptcy Pricing
Total Fee (Southern District of IL): $4,819.76
Total Fee (Eastern District of MO): $4,319.76
Cost Breakdown:
Court Fee: $310
Attorney Fee (Southern District of IL): $4,500
Attorney Fee (Eastern District of MO): $4,000
Other associated fee(s): $9.76
Why?
No matter what state you file in the Chapter 13 court fee is $310.
In the Southern District of Illinois, the Court sets a flat attorney fee of $4,500 (paid over a period of 3 to 5 years) to pay the attorney you choose to represent you. In the Eastern District of Missouri, the flat attorney fee is $4,000.
Some attorneys charge a portion of this flat fee upfront before your case is filed in addition to the $310.00 court fee. For example, if the attorney says their fee for a Chapter 13 is $810, then $310 goes to the Court and $500 gets paid to the attorney. They then charge you the other $3,500 or $4,000 during the monthly payments throughout your case. In almost every Chapter 13 case, we do not request any of the attorney fee upfront.
You are required to take 2 courses, one course before you file and one after you file. The first course costs from $25 to $100 and we pay this for you. The second course costs $9.76 to $100 and is completed after we file your case. You take this course and pay the fee, which is currently only $9.76.
You will also need to obtain all 3 credit reports. We can do this for you by purchasing all 3 credit reports in one easy-to-read report. The report provides you with your current credit score and your estimated score one year after filing the bankruptcy to help you with planning life after your case. This report costs $40 for an individual and $80 for a married couple.
Note: There is a free federal website to obtain all 3, but the quality of the reports is extremely low and most of our past clients are only able to obtain 1 or 2 of the necessary 3 reports, so we do not recommend this as an option.
Adding the costs together, the total price for you to file a Chapter 13 bankruptcy in Illinois is
$310 court fee + $4,500 IL attorney fee (over 3 to 5 years) + $9.76 second course fee = $4,819.76 (IL)
Adding the costs together, the total price for you to file a Chapter 13 bankruptcy in Missouri is
$310 court fee + $4,000 MO attorney fee (over 3 to 5 years) + $9.76 second course fee = $4,319.76 (MO)
