The cost to file Chapter 7 bankruptcy usually lands between $1,500 and $3,000 when you hire an attorney. Legal fees are the largest piece. On top of that, the court charges a $338 filing fee, and two mandatory financial courses add roughly $20 to $100 combined. If you file on your own and qualify for a fee waiver, the total can drop below $100.
The $338 Court Filing Fee
Every Chapter 7 case carries a $338 filing fee paid directly to the bankruptcy court. It’s built from three pieces:
- A $245 case filing fee set by federal statute.1Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 28 U.S. Code 1930 – Bankruptcy Fees
- A $78 administrative fee set by the Judicial Conference of the United States.2United States Courts. Bankruptcy Court Miscellaneous Fee Schedule
- A $15 trustee surcharge that funds the trustee system administering cases.2United States Courts. Bankruptcy Court Miscellaneous Fee Schedule
The $245 statutory portion has held steady for years. The administrative fee and surcharge get adjusted periodically by the Judicial Conference. If $338 upfront isn’t realistic, you can ask the court for installments or a full waiver. More on both below.
What an Attorney Costs
Legal fees are where most of your money goes. A straightforward case with mostly unsecured debt and no significant assets typically runs $1,200 to $2,500. Complex situations — business debts, real property, secured creditor disputes, a prior bankruptcy — push the number toward $3,500 or higher. Major metro areas run higher than smaller markets.
Nearly all bankruptcy lawyers charge a flat fee for Chapter 7 rather than billing hourly. That flat fee usually covers the initial consultation, preparing and filing the petition and schedules, dealing with creditors, and representing you at the required meeting of creditors, known as the 341 meeting.3Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 11 U.S. Code 341 – Meetings of Creditors and Equity Security Holders Extra charges can show up if the case runs into objections to your discharge or fights over exempt property.
Expect to pay the full fee before the petition is filed. If any fee were still owed at filing, Chapter 7 would discharge it as unsecured debt, so attorneys collect upfront. Some firms will spread the fee over a few weeks or months before filing.
Filing Without a Lawyer
You have the right to file Chapter 7 on your own, which courts call filing pro se. The federal courts acknowledge the option but strongly recommend hiring a lawyer because mistakes can affect your rights and your discharge.4United States Courts. Filing Without an Attorney Court clerks and judges are prohibited by law from giving you legal advice, so you’re on your own once you choose this route.
A middle option is a bankruptcy petition preparer, a non-attorney who types and files your forms but cannot give legal advice. Preparers can’t tell you which chapter to file under, how to claim exemptions, or whether specific debts are dischargeable. Fees vary by district, and courts can reduce or forfeit those fees if the preparer acts incompetently or crosses into practicing law. For a simple case where you’re willing to do the research, a petition preparer plus the $338 filing fee can keep total costs under $500.
Local legal aid organizations also represent low-income filers for free or at reduced cost. Eligibility usually tracks the federal poverty guidelines. Your local bankruptcy court’s website typically lists legal aid resources in the area.
The Two Required Course Fees
Federal law requires two separate financial education courses at different points in the process. Skipping either blocks your discharge.
The first is a credit counseling session completed within 180 days before you file.5Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 11 U.S. Code 109 – Who May Be a Debtor It reviews your finances and covers alternatives to bankruptcy, takes about an hour, and can be done online or by phone.
The second is a debtor education course completed after you file but before the court grants your discharge.6Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 11 U.S. Code 727 – Discharge It covers budgeting and money management. If you don’t file the completion certificate, the court must deny your discharge.
Both courses have to be taken through agencies approved by the U.S. Trustee Program.7United States Department of Justice. Credit Counseling and Debtor Education Information Most providers charge $10 to $50 per course. Many waive or reduce fees for filers whose income is below 150% of the federal poverty guidelines. For a single-person household in 2026, that threshold is $23,940; for a family of four, $49,500.8HHS ASPE. 2026 Poverty Guidelines
Smaller Costs to Expect
A few incidentals can add up. Copies of your credit reports from all three bureaus help make sure the petition lists every creditor, but those are free through AnnualCreditReport.com, so don’t pay for them. Other small costs include postage for creditor mailings, notary fees if your attorney or the court requires notarized documents, and charges from banks for copies of old statements. If you own property that needs a professional appraisal to establish value for exemption purposes, that appraisal can run a few hundred dollars, though it’s uncommon in straightforward cases.
Waiving or Splitting the Court Fee
If the $338 is a barrier, you have two options.
Installment Payments
The court can let you split the fee into up to four payments. All of them must be made within 120 days of filing. With a good reason, the court can extend that to 180 days, but no further.9Legal Information Institute. Federal Rule of Bankruptcy Procedure 1006 – Filing Fee You request installments by filing the appropriate form with your petition. The court won’t approve installments if you’ve already paid an attorney — the reasoning being that if you could pay a lawyer, you can pay the court.
Full Fee Waiver
You can ask the court to waive the entire $338 if your household income is below 150% of the federal poverty line and you can’t afford even installments.1Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 28 U.S. Code 1930 – Bankruptcy Fees For 2026, that means annual income below $23,940 for one person or $49,500 for a household of four.8HHS ASPE. 2026 Poverty Guidelines The waiver isn’t automatic. You submit an application and the court decides. Approval rates vary by district.
Confirm You Qualify Before Spending
Before putting money into a filing, make sure you actually qualify for Chapter 7. The means test screens out filers who earn enough to repay a meaningful portion of their debts through Chapter 13 instead.
Start by comparing your household income over the six months before filing to the median income for your household size in your state. At or below the median, you pass automatically.10Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 11 U.S. Code 707 – Dismissal of a Case or Conversion to a Case Under Chapter 11 or 13 Above the median, the court runs a more detailed calculation of projected disposable income against your unsecured debt. If the result crosses a statutory threshold, Chapter 7 is presumed abusive and the court will likely push you toward Chapter 13 or dismiss the case.11United States Courts. Chapter 7 – Bankruptcy Basics You can rebut that presumption with special circumstances, but the math and arguments get complex fast. This is where an attorney earns their fee.
The Cost of a Dismissal
A dismissed case is the most expensive outcome. The $338 filing fee is not refundable, and any attorney fees you already paid are gone. The automatic stay that had stopped creditor calls, lawsuits, and wage garnishment lifts immediately, so collection resumes.
Common reasons for dismissal include missing court deadlines for required documents, failing to complete the mandatory courses, and failing the means test. A dismissal can also weaken your position in a future case: the automatic stay in your next filing may be shortened or eliminated depending on how recently the dismissal happened. Getting the filing right the first time is much cheaper than doing it twice.