What does everyone pay for Ch 7?

[StaciMM]

Just curious!

I'm in GA, filing fee is $209. The attorney we talked to charges $1,000, and requires you pay $200 + $209 filing fee in advance. Then you give them 4 postdated checks for $200 each to make a monthly payment on the balance of the attorney's fee.

I thought it pretty generous that they allow payments, but with so many filing these days I'm guessing discharge takes several months and the attorney may not finish the process if you don't pay? (In all honesty, I'm not impressed with the skill of the attorney but we don't really have to time to find a 'good' one... I would miss time from work, we wouldn't be guaranteed better results, and a creditor has started garnishing my husband's check-can't afford to let that continue. Not to mention October is right around the corner...)

[LostInTexas]

That is pretty much what it costs in the Dallas area. My lawyer charges $1200 + filing fee. $409 up front to file plus four postdated checks spread over 4 months. I called several places and the fees were all similar. My attorney is Board Certified in bankruptcy. He explained everyhing in great detail and has been pretty responsive to our questions after our 2 meetings. Another member of the firm attended our 341 meeting.

[Pinktiger]

Right now I'm pretty steamed about what my lawyer is charging, and I told him today. He is charging me $1500 plus the filing fee. I checked on Pacer, and none of his other clients are paying anywhere near that. One, an "exotic dancer," is paying $600. The most anyone else is paying him is $1,000 -- and most of the other lawyers are charging $750-$1000.
So I called him today and I told him I would like to revisit the fee.
He said my case was more complicated. I asked him in what way. He said it was because i was a "high income filer." I am not a high income filer. I work as a University instructor and I make about $30,000 a year. I also sell real estate part time, which I started doing last year to help make things work; it hasn't helped. In fact, it has moved me to desperation, because you are out all kinds of expenses waiting for deals to close.
My husband, who is not filing, is on social security and is retired.
Our combined income is about $3,600 a month. Expenses are more than that.
He also brought up the part about my husband not filing, and that the trustee was going to look harder at that.
The only peep I've had from the trustee is that I need to bring the deed of trust, my car and truck titles, my TIAA-Cref pension, and personal property and property tax statements for the last year.
I gather it was a form letter.
Anyway, after our discussion, he said he would look at the fees again and get back with me.
I told him I saw what others were paying on Pacer. I told him that should this become complicated, I was willing to pay more.
I think he had me in some "rich *****" category.
Most of his clients are rather low-heeled. I should have chosen another lawyer. I really should have.
I'm starting to get really nervous.

[rockbottom]

I'm in Ohio an paid like 850.00-900.00. We also paid for the service where they gather your credit. So that way we wouldn't forget about any bills we had out there.

[bankruptsaluki]

$859 for everything here....I'm comfortable, and that is all that counts. It is worth the $859 because if I didn't have a lawyer I wouldn't be able to do it because of how nuts I would drive myself

[dmg]

We paid our attorney $960 for everything in Florida.

[Tatetytiffany]

Filed in Kansas $209 filing $1000 for attorney.

[TreadNwater]

$500 + $209 in Utah

[GuitarPlayer321]

$880.00 in Michigan. This includes everthing including credit reports.

[herekitty]

809 for all - filing and credit reports ... $475 up front.

[originalhealer]

This is why I filed Pro Se. These lawyers ask for all this money and they still make mistakes, delay your filing, lose documents, etc. If all of that is going to go on anyway, I may as well file for myself.

If I met an attorney that I got a good vibe from, that I thought could really help me, and that I could afford, that would be ideal. But unfortunately, that wasn't the case for me.

[Whittio]

WOW, that's a LOT of money!
I did this all for my mom, the filing charges were $209 and I bought the www.form7.com software (based on experiences from this forum) and it was VERY simple. The software was $35.

After I did everything, I was worried I might have missed something, so finally got ahold of a paralegal and asked what she would charge to look over our papers. She only charges $125 to do EVERYTHING!

As it turned out, I took the papers to her, she looked them over, had my mom come sign them, the paralegal then made 2 copies of each page, and then sent them to the court for us. She charged mom $75. She was going to charge $25 and I refused to not pay her more then that. I think $75 was VERY fair for the peace of mind it gave me, knowing that it was "OK".

[StaciMM]

The more I read on here, the more I'm considering doing just that. Was planning on paying $409 to the attorney next week but have not given him a cent yet.

Ours is simple-no property-but there is a judgement/garnishment against my husband and an old judgement. I read something here earlier today about having to file extra motions regarding judgements.

One thing, I want to try to re-negotiate our vehicle loans-and I'm not sure an attorney would really bother. (Unless he charged more, of course.)

WOW, that's a LOT of money!
I did this all for my mom, the filing charges were $209 and I bought the www.form7.com software (based on experiences from this forum) and it was VERY simple. The software was $35.

After I did everything, I was worried I might have missed something, so finally got ahold of a paralegal and asked what she would charge to look over our papers. She only charges $125 to do EVERYTHING!

As it turned out, I took the papers to her, she looked them over, had my mom come sign them, the paralegal then made 2 copies of each page, and then sent them to the court for us. She charged mom $75. She was going to charge $25 and I refused to not pay her more then that. I think $75 was VERY fair for the peace of mind it gave me, knowing that it was "OK".

[sunshine08]

We paid $750 to attorney, $80 for credit reports, etc., and $209 for the filing fee and it was worth every penny of it. She deserved that for all the questions we emailed her and the phone calls. They were very patient with us and never made us feel like we were stupid. Good luck in whatever way you decide to go, just remember time is growing short.

[Whittio]

I got my mom's credit reports for free. Another tip I got from the members here. So by getting the credit reports, I was able to make sure there was nothing else on her credit that we needed to file on.

My mom's case was extremely simple. She makes $20k a year, her expenses are almost every penny she makes, she has no assets. So it really would have been a waste of money to hire an attorney.

I would check with paralegals in your area, the one we went to, she said she is regulated by the State, and can't charge more then $125 because she isn't an attorney. BUT, she's been doing them a LONG time, and knows enough to get them done! She was wonderful! And I would have gladly paid her $125 for what she did!