Bankruptcy Costs And Fees
The catch-22 of bankruptcy is that you have no money to spare but are forced to hire an attorney because of the sheer complexity of bankruptcy. Simon Fitzgerald LLC is sympathetic to your situation.
Chapter 13 — No Upfront Attorney Fees
(For Chapter 13 Bankruptcy Only)
In most cases, we do not require you to pay the fees and expenses in advance because the fees and expenses are included in the monthly payments made to the Chapter 13 trustee. Court costs are normally paid prior to filing but in some cases, may be paid in installments.
We invite you to a free consultation at one of our three offices statewide.
Shreveport (Also serving Monroe area) • Alexandria • Lafayette (Also serving Lake Charles area)
One of our experienced bankruptcy lawyers will sit down with you in a no-cost, no-obligation consultation to discuss your financial situation and options for debt relief. If you decide to go ahead with a Chapter 7 bankruptcy filing or Chapter 13 filing, the costs and fees are outlined below.
If you decide to retain us, the initial consultation services will be included in the fee quoted to you, which will be contained in a separate contract signed when you retain our office.
Court Costs
A fixed fee must be paid to the clerk of court upon filing any bankruptcy case.
- Chapter 7 court costs are $338. After your free consultation, we require advance payment before we begin preparing your bankruptcy petition. This is standard practice.
- Chapter 13 court costs are $313. You can pay the costs upfront.
Chapter 13 — No Upfront Fee — Fees Not Paid In Advance
We usually do not require the payment of any attorney fees prior to filing. This fee must be approved by the court and is paid to us as an administrative claim from the money you pay each month to the bankruptcy trustee. In other words, in most cases, there are no attorney fees upfront. In some circumstances, a portion of the attorney fee will be required in advance. Free Case Evaluation.
Chapter 7 Fees Required Before Filing
We are paid upfront in a Chapter 7 filing. This is generally true of all firms handling Chapter 7 cases. Our base attorney fee for a typical Chapter 7 proceeding is between $1,450 and $1,950, depending on the complexity of your case. We will quote an exact fee at your initial consultation.
Free Consultation On Chapter 13
The majority of bankruptcy filings in Louisiana are Chapter 13s. With very little out-of-pocket expense required until your repayment plan starts (30 days after filing), are you ready to get the information you need to make an informed decision? Contact us by calling 318-868-2600 (Shreveport (Also serving Monroe area)), 318-625-7505 (Alexandria) or 337-984-1584 (Lafayette (Also serving Lake Charles area)).
