Yes, many attorneys do offer flexible payment options for Chapter 7 bankruptcy, and with Chapter 13, the payment plan is built right into the process. Typically, attorneys might require an upfront payment and then allow you to pay the rest through a structured plan. If Chapter 13 is something you’re considering, checking out the Chapter 13 payment plan example can help you understand how it might work for you.
How Much Does Chapter 7 Bankruptcy Cost?
Bankruptcy Attorney Near Me Calculator
The Chapter 7 cost and payment plan calculator below will allow you to:
1. Estimate Chapter 7 bankruptcy cost and qualification.
2. Get access to free bankruptcy consultation with a reputable attorney that is near your area who would accept payment plans.
How Does A Payment Plan Work for a Chapter 7 Bankruptcy?
The first step in the bankruptcy filing process is to get a free bankruptcy consultation. When finding a bankruptcy attorney for the bankruptcy consultation, you may want to look at these 5 attributes.
The bankruptcy attorney should discuss the cost near the end of the bankruptcy consultation. There are two main payment plan options.
Recurring Payment Plan
This payment plan is where you pay in full before you file for bankruptcy. You will often make payments either weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly until the attorney fee is paid in full.
Some attorneys charge an all-in cost that covers the filing fee of $300-$350. Others will charge the attorney fee separately from the filing fee. You want to know the all-in cost for whoever you decide.
$0 Down Option
Currently, many bankruptcy attorneys are taking payments through a $0 down payment plan option. With this option, the attorney may file the case without any funds upfront. The bankruptcy attorney may then charge a fee before and after the bankruptcy.
The cost of the $0 down option may be quite a bit more expensive than the payment plan option because the attorney expects some risk if you fail to make payments after the bankruptcy has been filed.
MetLife / Hyatt Legal Payment Plan
Some bankruptcy attorneys also take the Metlife / Hyatt Legal payment plan option. In this option, you would pay monthly fees and get access to a network of bankruptcy lawyers who may cover your attorney fee directly.
Do attorneys take credit card payments?
Another common question for the payment plan is whether a bankruptcy attorney would take credit card payments. While they may take a credit card payment from someone not filing bankruptcy, the attorney may not take your credit card for attorney fee payment to prevent bankruptcy fraud.
How Much Are the Payments that Bankruptcy Attorneys Accept?
Many attorneys will take payments starting as little as $50 per month. That said, you may not get an automatic stay until the bankruptcy has been filed, but you can start the process.
What Type of Payments Do Many Bankruptcy Attorneys Accept?
Many attorneys will take cash, checks, or debit cards. Many attorneys will not take a credit card with your name because that may be discharged in bankruptcy. The reason for this may be because your debt will be discharged in bankruptcy.
You may realize that the bank behind your credit card doesn’t want to pay for the bankruptcy attorney fee to effectively discharge the debt owed to the same bank.
Do You Qualify for Chapter 7 Bankruptcy?
One important question to consider is whether you qualify for Chapter 7 bankruptcy. The Chapter 7 and Chapter 13 bankruptcy attorney fees are vastly different, so you may want to take a free Chapter 7 qualification estimate calculator to estimate Chapter 7 qualification.
How Does A Payment Plan Work for a Chapter 13 Bankruptcy?
In a Chapter 13 bankruptcy, you often make an upfront payment of $500 – $1500 then you make a majority of the bankruptcy attorney fees in the 3 or 5-year payment plan. The payment is spread out in the monthly plan payment.
You will also find that there are trustee fees in Chapter 13 that can be around 10%. Many attorney fees are standardized across the district in what is called a no-look fee.
You often have to pay upfront due to the amount of work that the attorney has to do to file Chapter 13 bankruptcy.
If you’d like to estimate your monthly Chapter 13 payment plan, you can take a free Chapter 13 calculator based on the US bankruptcy forms.
What if a Bankruptcy Attorney takes payments for Chapter 13 But Not For Chapter 7 Bankruptcy?
I would ask why a bankruptcy attorney would take payments for Chapter 13 bankruptcy and not Chapter 7 bankruptcy.
Chapter 7 bankruptcy is often more geared to folks who qualify by being below a certain income limit, while a Chapter 13 bankruptcy is a wage earners plan, often for those who make too much money to qualify for Chapter 7 bankruptcy.
You may see why it may make more sense to have payment plans offered for Chapter 7 bankruptcy, not Chapter 13 bankruptcy.
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