The cost to file bankruptcy in Virginia is $338 for a Chapter 7 bankruptcy in Virginia and $313 for a Chapter 13 bankruptcy based on that US bankruptcy court fee schedule.
That said, are you going to hire an attorney? Are you going to apply for a fee waiver?
As of 2024, we found that the Chapter 7 attorney fee range can cost between $1000 – $1500, but the free bankruptcy cost calculator below should be able to estimate based on your exact city in Virginia. We got this information from spending approximately $1,000 on PACER, which is public records database that contains bankruptcy attorney fees.
If you are like me, you probably wonder how you can afford the bankruptcy cost in Virginia when it’s difficult to pay bills, especially starting in 2024, as interest rates and inflation are still an issue. Thankfully, most bankruptcy attorneys near you provide initial free consultations and take payment plans to help you afford your bankruptcy.
Many bankruptcy costs, such as the filing fee and the credit counseling courses, are relatively similar. That said, bankruptcy attorney fees may range dramatically depending on whether you are in Virginia Beach or Norfolk. The purpose of this article is to provide you with estimated all-in costs:
- Bankruptcy Attorney Fees
- Bankruptcy Filing Costs
Estimate the All-In Bankruptcy Cost in Your Zip Code
We received the question of how much a bankruptcy costs in Virginia so often that we built a database of attorney fees. Use your zip code below to estimate the bankruptcy cost in your Virginia city.
1. Bankruptcy Attorney Fees Virginia
A Chapter 7 Bankruptcy is often less expensive than a Chapter 13 bankruptcy. You often have to qualify for a Chapter 7 bankruptcy based on the Virginia bankruptcy means test. As stated above, Chapter 7 bankruptcy attorneys in Virginia can cost between $1000 – $1500. The cost may increase or decrease based on the following factors:
The bankruptcy lawyer cost is often based on the following attributes:
- Which type of chapter are you filing (i.e., Chapter 7 vs Chapter 13)
- The complexity of your case (i.e., no asset vs asset)
- Your location (i.e., Virginia Beach vs Norfolk
- Level of attorney connection
- Attorney expertise (i.e., how many years of experience)
Here are some of the ranges of cost in major cities in Virginia.
Attorney Fees in Virginia Beach
Virginia Beach is the most populated city in Virginia, with a population of 450,189. Bankruptcy attorneys in Virginia Beach can cost an estimated $1,500.
Attorney Fees in Norfolk
Bankruptcy attorneys in Norfolk can cost an estimated $1,350.
Attorney Fees in Chesapeake
Bankruptcy attorneys in Chesapeake can cost an estimated $1,000.
2. Chapter 13 Bankruptcy Attorney Fees Virginia
Chapter 13 bankruptcy attorneys’ fees in Virginia can cost between $4750 and $5609, depending on the district.
While Chapter 7 attorney fees have variability, many Chapter 13 fees are relatively similar based on no-look fees, a reasonable cost for the service provided. You may still want to see whether the attorney charges an hourly rate for any additional work after filing the Chapter 13
3. Bankruptcy Filing Costs
Bankruptcy filing costs are similar across the United States, not just in Virginia. Here are the other costs to consider.
Bankruptcy Filing Fees
The US Courthouse has a fee schedule and a bankruptcy form that provides the filing fee.
The Chapter 7 bankruptcy filing fee is $338 ($245 filing fee $78 administrative fee + $15 trustee surcharge).
The Chapter 13 bankruptcy filing fee is $313 ($235 filing fee + $78 administrative fee).
If you cannot afford the filing fee, you may be able to pay the filing fee in installments or it could be waived altogether. For more information, please see the Virginia filing fee information and the information below
Virginia Filing Fee Waiver Guidelines
You may be eligible to have your Chapter 7 bankruptcy filing fees waived if you are below 150% of Virginia poverty guidelines. For example, you can see the guidelines below for cases filed within Virginia in 2022.
| # of People | 150% Poverty Guideline |
|---|---|
| 1 | $15,060 |
| 2 | $20,440 |
| 3 | $25,820 |
| 4 | $31,200 |
| 5 | $36,580 |
| 6 | $41,960 |
| 7 | $47,340 |
| 8 | $52,720 |
| 9 | $58,100 |
| * Add $5,380 for each individual in excess of 9. | |
Mandatory Course Costs
When you file bankruptcy, you have to take an approved credit counseling course in Virginia and a debtor education course. You can often take both courses online. The average cost may is around $10 to $50 per course. Please note that the courses must be approved, so here is the list of approved Virginia credit counseling courses and Virginia debtor education courses that should also have the cost associated with the course.
Miscellaneous Costs
You may have to pay for transportation to the meeting of creditors at the courthouse, but most 341 meetings of creditors are still online even after COVID. You may also have to pay for a credit report for your attorney (although they may be able to help you with the credit report).
You can estimate the cost of transportation to one of the bankruptcy courts below:
Eastern District
- Albert V. Bryan U.S. Courthouse
401 Courthouse Square
Alexandria, VA 22314 - Walter E. Hoffman
United States Courthouse
600 Granby Street
Norfolk, VA 23510 - Spottswood W. Robinson III and Robert R. Merhige, Jr., Federal Courthouse
701 East Broad Street
Richmond, VA 23219 - United States Courthouse
2400 West Avenue
Newport News, VA 23607
Western
- 180 W. Main Street
Room 104
Abingdon, VA 24210 - 312 Cummings Street
Suite D
Abingdon, VA 24210
Will Inflation Affect the Cost To File Bankruptcy in Virginia?
With subsiding inflation in 2024, a question I’ve heard is whether inflation will slow to the extent that attorney fees may not rise. Let’s cover whether inflation may affect the filing fee and the attorney costs in Virginia.
The Chapter 7 bankruptcy filing fee was updated from $335 to $338, and the Chapter 13 bankruptcy filing fee was updated from $310 to $313 effective December 1st, 2020. Based on the very slight change, I would not expect the filing fee to negatively impact you.
You may see some inflation in attorney fee costs as inflation may force bankruptcy attorneys to pay more to employees and face higher costs of living themselves in cities such as Norfolk or Chesapeake or across Virginia.
Would My Bankruptcy Cost Be Higher Virginia Beach Than Chesapeake?
You may live in a suburb in Virginia and wonder if you should hire a local attorney or an account in a bigger city like Norfolk to save on bankruptcy costs.
As Virginia Beach has the highest population in Virginia of 450,189, you may expect that the cost of bankruptcy attorney fees may be higher in Virginia Beach than Chesapeake.
While the cost may be higher in Virginia Beach, there also may be more bankruptcy attorneys increasing competition and dropping prices. So, you actually could find that the total cost to file bankruptcy including bankruptcy fees could be actually much higher in your city than in Virginia Beach.
One thing to be aware of is that most bankruptcy attorneys offer free bankruptcy consultations, so you can get multiple perspectives. Also, our bankruptcy cost calculator below takes into consideration those variables when providing you with an all-in cost estimate.
Why Do Some Attorneys Charge Higher Chapter 7 Bankruptcy Fees?
You may compare prices from two different bankruptcy attorneys in Norfolk, and find attorney costs vary between two attorneys.
The Chapter 13 bankruptcy attorneys often charge the same amount regardless in Chesapeake due to the no-look fee (a normal fee for the services provided). That said, the Chapter 7 bankruptcy attorney fee can vary greatly, so it’s important to understand what you are getting for the additional cost.
For example, let’s say you make $10,000 above the median income for Virginia and still want to file a Chapter 7 bankruptcy. The attorney may then have to spend additional time looking over your expenses to see whether you would qualify for a Chapter 7 even though you are above the median. Additional attorney time generally means a higher overall bankruptcy cost.
Conclusion
As you can see, the cost to file bankruptcy in Virginia is often based on the city in which you live and the type of bankruptcy that you are filing. The biggest variable that affects all-in bankruptcy cost is the attorney fee, which may range between $1000 – $1500 for a Chapter 7 bankruptcy and $4750 and $5609 for a Chapter 13 bankruptcy.
Hopefully, this article provides helpful information to help you understand the all-in costs to file bankruptcy with a bankruptcy lawyer. Please reach out if you have any questions or take the free Virginia bankruptcy cost calculator.
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