There are two main fees to consider when looking at the total cost of filing bankruptcy in Salt Lake City.  You will have to pay a court filing fee ($338 for Chapter 7) and the attorney fee (varies by attorney).

Chapter 7 Attorney Fees

The attorney fees associated with bankruptcy are entirely up to the individual attorney. Bankruptcy attorney fees are separate from court filing fees, so keep that in mind when you are getting quotes from attorneys and be sure to ask if they have included that other fee. My typical fee for the majority of the Chapter 7 claims I make is $3,300 if you pay it up front. If you earn at least $2500 per month then I can offer this payment program for a chapter 7 bankruptcy: Pay just $350 up front to get the case filed, then 12 monthly payments of $270.00 on the attorney fees after the case is filed.

Attorney fees are of course going to be something you think about when looking for a lawyer. Keep in mind, however, the adage that you get what you pay for, and the same goes for attorneys. My rates may be a little higher than some others, but I have decades of experience in the field of bankruptcy law and know how to make those laws work best for you. You want an expert on your case – especially when dealing with something as life altering as bankruptcy – and this is not the part of your budget you want to be cutting corners on!

Chapter 13 Attorney Fees

The attorney fees for a Chapter 13 claim will be different than if you were to file Chapter 7. These fees are actually set by the Utah bankruptcy court, so, unless your case is exceptionally complicated, they will be the same no matter what attorney you choose. Chapter 13 attorney fees vary slightly depending on your income and the kind and amount of debt you are claiming, but it is generally going to run $4,500 to $5,100. The variable that does change depending on the attorney is how much you have to pay up front before your case is filed with the court. How does that make a difference? Here is the scenario:  If you have a typical Chapter 13 claim, then your court-set attorney fee will be $4,500. You choose an attorney who charges $900 before filing your case, of which he will use $313 to pay the court fees and put the remaining $587 toward his overall attorney fees, bringing your new balance down to $3,913.  And what happens to that balance? It gets rolled in with all the other debt you are consolidating, and your trustee will pay him out of your monthly payments.  Whether they charge more initially or wait and get paid over time after your case, the attorneys make the same amount – it’s all about what you can afford and how you want to pay.

Other Fees

The fees above cover most of the normal costs of filing. Sometimes there are extra fees if your case has something unusual about it. We always try to discuss extra fees in advance to avoid surprises.

Call or text me now to discuss your situation and get the answers you need to move forward. 801.721.9633