How Much Does It Cost To File Bankruptcy?

In 2024, the cost to file bankruptcy is $338 for a Chapter 7 Bankruptcy and $313 for a Chapter 13 bankruptcy (source), but an important question is whether you will use a lawyer to work with in your bankruptcy filing.

The filing fee does not cover the cost of attorney fees.

Deciding whether to file with an attorney may depend on your finances, and complexity of the case. For example, the American Bankruptcy Institute conducted a study and found that only 240 individuals out of 10,560 individuals (2.3%) successfully reached the end of a Chapter 13 bankruptcy when filing without a bankruptcy attorney.

If you don't know which bankruptcy you would file, it may be helpful to take a quick look at this guide to understand the difference between Chapter 7 and Chapter 13 bankruptcy.

So, that being said, how much does an attorney charge for Chapter 7 bankruptcy?

How much does a lawyer charge for Chapter 7?

A bankruptcy lawyer can charge $600 - $3000 based on your zip code. For example, a Chapter 7 bankruptcy may cost $2500 in Orlando Florida, but $700 in a remote area of Ohio. There also me a big variance of how much a bankruptcy lawyer charges in Texas which is a larger state with 4 districts. There are other factors such as complexity, attorney interaction time, etc. that may also affect your total cost, but location is a major factor.

Below is a free Chapter 7 attorney fee calculator that considers your zip code to estimate how much your bankruptcy would cost you using a bankruptcy attorney near you. Feel free to click the link below to estimate the cost of filing for your circumstances.

Chapter 7 Bankruptcy Attorney Fee Range Estimates By State:

Alabama: $1,170 and $1,500

Alaska: $1,170 to $1,500

Arizona: $925 - $1,500

Arkansas: $ 800 - 1,500

California: $862 - $2162

Colorado: $800 and $2,000

Connecticut: $1,150 and $1,650

Delaware: $1,170 and $1,250

Florida: $1,000 to $3,000

Georgia: $1,000 and $2,000

Hawaii: $1,170 and $1,500

Idaho: $1,170 and $1,500

Illinois: $1,075 to $2,000

Indiana:  $1,000 and $1,400

Iowa: $1,170 and $1,500

Kansas: $1,075 and $1,500

Kentucky: $1,170 and $2,000

Louisiana: $800 to $1,500

Maryland: $899 and $2,000

Massachusetts: $1,150 to $2,500

Michigan: $1,000 and $1,500

Minnesota: $1,170 and $1,450

Mississippi: $1,170 to $1,500

Missouri: $1,075 to $1,400

Montana: $1,075 and $1,500

Nebraska: $800 and $1,200

Nevada: $1,170 to $2,000

New Hampshire: $1,000 to $1,500

New Jersey: $1,000 to $2,800

New Mexico: $1,170 to $2,000

New York: $1,170 to $1,950

North Carolina: $900 to $1550

North Dakota: $1,170 to $1,450

Ohio: $1,090 and $1,500

Oklahoma: $800 and $1500

Oregon: $1,170 to $1,500

Pennsylvania: $1,000 and $2,000

Rhode Island: $1,170 to $1,500

South Carolina: $1,000 and $2,800

South Dakota: $1170 and $1450

Tennessee: $1,000 and $1,500

Texas: $800 to $2,700

Utah: $1,170 to $1,500

Vermont: $1170 and $1500

Virginia: $800 to $1500

Washington: $1,000 to $2,000

West Virginia: $1,000 and $1,500

Wisconsin: $1,100 to $1,500

Wyoming: $1,170 to $1,500

How much does a lawyer charge for Chapter 13?

A Chapter 13 lawyer can charge between $1800 - $7500 based on your zip code.

While bankruptcy attorneys have some flexibility with how much they charge for a Chapter 7 bankruptcy, there's generally a cap in a Chapter 13 bankruptcy called the no-look fee, which was instituted to relieve courts of reviewing fee applications for routine cases.

This means that Chapter 13 attorney fees may be the exact same in each city. Some bankruptcy attorney do not like this approach, given the potential complications of a Chapter 13 bankruptcy.

This free Chapter 13 calculator considers your zip code to help you estimate what the Chapter 13 attorney fee will be. As mentioned above, feel free to use the calculator to help estimate your potential costs.