Filing Chapter 7 bankruptcy usually costs between $1,500 and $3,000 when you hire an attorney. Roughly $1,200 to $2,500 of that is legal fees for a straightforward case, $338 is the court’s filing fee, and two required financial courses add another $20 to $100. If you file on your own and qualify for a fee waiver, your out-of-pocket cost can drop below $100.
The $338 Court Filing Fee
Every Chapter 7 case carries a $338 filing fee paid directly to the bankruptcy court.1Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 28 U.S. Code 1930 – Bankruptcy Fees It’s the same amount whether you have a lawyer or file yourself, and it’s the same in every district. The fee is not refundable if your case is later dismissed.
If you can’t pay $338 upfront, you have two ways to reduce that burden, both covered further down.
Attorney Fees
Legal fees are the largest expense for most filers. A straightforward case with mostly unsecured debt and no significant assets runs roughly $1,200 to $2,500 in most parts of the country. Complex situations — business debts, real property, secured creditors, a prior bankruptcy filing — push that range toward $3,500 or higher. Attorneys in major metropolitan areas also tend to charge more than those in smaller markets.
Nearly all bankruptcy attorneys charge a flat fee for Chapter 7 rather than billing by the hour. That flat fee usually covers the initial consultation, preparing and filing the petition and supporting schedules, communicating with creditors, and representing you at the required meeting of creditors (the “341 meeting”).2Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 11 U.S. Code 341 – Meetings of Creditors and Equity Security Holders Extra charges can appear if the case hits complications like objections to your discharge or disputes over exempt property.
One thing worth knowing: most attorneys require full payment before they file your petition. Chapter 7 would discharge their fee as an unsecured debt if it were still owed when the case was filed, so they have a practical reason to collect upfront. Some firms offer modest payment plans that let you spread the fee over a few weeks or months before filing.
Filing Without an Attorney
You have the legal right to file Chapter 7 on your own, which the courts call filing “pro se.” The federal courts acknowledge this option but strongly recommend hiring a lawyer, because mistakes in the process can affect your rights and your discharge.3United States Courts. Filing Without an Attorney Court clerks and judges are prohibited by law from giving you legal advice, so you’re genuinely on your own once you choose this path.
A middle-ground option is hiring a bankruptcy petition preparer, a non-attorney who types your forms and files your documents but cannot give legal advice. Preparers can’t tell you which chapter to file under, how to list your exemptions, or whether specific debts are dischargeable. Their fees vary by district, and courts have the authority to reduce or entirely forfeit those fees if the preparer acts incompetently or crosses the line into practicing law. If your case is simple and you’re comfortable doing your own legal research, a petition preparer plus the $338 filing fee can keep total costs well under $500.
Local legal aid organizations also represent low-income filers for free or at reduced cost. Eligibility usually depends on your income falling near or below the federal poverty guidelines. Your local bankruptcy court’s website typically lists legal aid resources in the area.
Required Course Fees
Federal law requires two separate financial education courses at different stages of your case. Skipping either one can block your discharge entirely, meaning you’d pay all these costs and get nothing.
The first is a credit counseling session completed within 180 days before filing your petition.4Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 11 U.S. Code 109 – Who May Be a Debtor It reviews your financial situation and walks through alternatives to bankruptcy. It usually 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.5Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 11 U.S. Code 727 – Discharge It focuses on budgeting and money management going forward. If you don’t file the certificate of completion, the court must deny your discharge.
Both courses must be taken through agencies approved by the U.S. Trustee Program.6United States Department of Justice. Credit Counseling and Debtor Education Information Most providers charge between $10 and $50 per course, so plan on $20 to $100 total. Many agencies waive or reduce fees for filers whose income falls below 150% of the federal poverty guidelines. For a single-person household in 2026, that threshold is $23,940 per year; for a family of four, it’s $49,500.7HHS ASPE. 2026 Poverty Guidelines
Paying the Court Fee in Installments
The court can authorize you to split the $338 into up to four payments. All payments must be made within 120 days of filing your petition. If you have a good reason, the court can extend that deadline to 180 days, but no further.8Legal Information Institute. Federal Rule of Bankruptcy Procedure 1006 – Filing Fee You request the installment plan by filing the appropriate form with your petition.
The court won’t approve installments if you’ve already paid an attorney. The logic is that if you could pay a lawyer, you can pay the filing fee.
Getting the Court Fee Waived
You can ask the court to waive the entire $338 if your household income is below 150% of the federal poverty line and you genuinely cannot afford to pay even in installments.1Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 28 U.S. Code 1930 – Bankruptcy Fees For 2026, that means annual income below $23,940 for a single person or below $49,500 for a household of four.7HHS ASPE. 2026 Poverty Guidelines The waiver is not automatic. You submit an application, and the court decides. If you genuinely meet the income threshold and can’t scrape together installments, the odds are reasonable.
Small Costs That Can Add Up
A handful of smaller expenses appear during the process. You’ll want copies of your credit reports from all three bureaus to make sure your petition lists every creditor accurately; these are free through AnnualCreditReport.com. Postage for mailing documents, notary fees where required, and charges from banks for copies of old statements can add a modest amount. If you own property that needs a professional appraisal to establish its value for exemption purposes, that appraisal could cost a few hundred dollars, though this is uncommon in straightforward cases.
The Cost of Filing and Getting Dismissed
Dismissal is the most expensive outcome because you lose your filing fee and any attorney fees you paid, and you get nothing in return. The $338 is not refundable. Worse, the automatic stay that stopped creditors from calling, suing, or garnishing your wages lifts immediately upon dismissal, so collection activity resumes right where it left off.
Common reasons for dismissal include failing to file all required documents by the court’s deadline, not completing the mandatory courses, and failing the means test that screens whether your income is low enough to qualify for Chapter 7 in the first place.9Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 11 U.S. Code 707 – Dismissal of a Case or Conversion to a Case Under Chapter 11 or 13 A dismissed case can also affect your rights in a future filing: the automatic stay in your next case may be shortened or eliminated entirely, depending on how recently the dismissal occurred. Confirming you qualify before you spend the money is the cheapest step in the whole process.