In the Eastern District Bankruptcy Courts, the local rules allow an attorney’s fee up to $3,500 for a chapter 13 reorganization bankruptcy, unless the attorney files an application with the Court for more attorney’s fees. If an attorney files a written application for more than $3,500, then the Court must give its written approval of the application for attorney’s fees.
In many chapter 13 reorganization bankruptcies (sometimes called debt consolidation bankruptcies), some of the debtors’ attorney’s fee is added to the chapter 13 plan. The debtors’ attorney is paid out of the monthly payment made by the debtors to their chapter 13 trustee.
Chapter 7 attorney’s fees varies based on the complexities of each case. After a free office consultation with me, a base attorney fee will be provided.
In all Chapter 13 Reorganization Bankruptcy cases, the current court filing fee is $274. The current filing fee for a Chapter 7 fresh start (sometimes called liquidation bankruptcy) is $299. Filing fees are paid by the Debtors to their attorney before their case is filed. Their attorney pays the court filing fee online immediately following the filing of their case or at the end of the day, after all cases have been filed by the Debtors’ attorney.
Whether filing a chapter 7 or chapter 13, Debtors must obtain Consumer Credit Counseling from a United States Trustee approved agency within 6 months before filing a Chapter 7 or a Chapter 13 bankruptcy case or their case will be dismissed, except for very exceptional circumstances. The current fee charged by the Consumer Credit Counseling agency I use is $50, for a joint case or a single filer.