So how much does it cost to declare bankruptcy, anyway?

You may be considering bankruptcy as a way to solve your debt problems. This is certainly an option that you should consider if you’re facing an overwhelming amount of debt and don’t see any other way out. Of course, you should speak to a lawyer and not rush into things prematurely. However, if you decide to go this route, you may be wondering how much does it cost to declare bankruptcy.

You have to pay the court a fee of $274 when filing chapter seven bankruptcy, while the fee for chapter 13 bankruptcy is $189. Chapter seven bankruptcy, by the way, is what most people are looking for since it aims to wipe out your debts completely. Chapter 13 bankruptcy, on the other hand, establishes a repayment plan for you to pay off your debts over time.

This may or may not seem like a large amount to pay. On the one hand, you’re getting a chance to get on top of your debt and get some breathing room, so to speak. Still, if you’ve come this far in your financial journey, then you probably don’t have much money to speak of. This can make it quite difficult to cover the costs of a bankruptcy case.

It is important to point out, however, that the filing fees are not the only cost that you have to worry about when it comes to bankruptcy. You’ll also have to pay your lawyer.

Unfortunately, the recent bankruptcy reform law has made the need for legal help more obvious, and attorneys may even charge a little higher these days.

This may be discouraging for you, and you may think that you will not be able to pay for the bankruptcy process. At this point you might be wondering how to get out of credit card debt (or other kinds of debt for that matter) through some other means. However, if you and your lawyer have decided the bankruptcy is the best option for you, you shouldn’t despair over the cost.

When you first declare bankruptcy, the court will temporarily stop all collections from taking place. Until your case is settled, bill collectors are not allowed to contact you.

Moreover, if your case is successful, then you know what that means. You don’t have to worry about your previous debts at all if your chapter seven bankruptcy case is successful. Even if you file chapter 13, you’ll still get some relief by using a payment plan. Either way, bankruptcy should make your financial burden lighter and make it easier to cover the cost of an attorney.