Attorney Fees and Filing Fees in Illinois and Missouri Chapter 7 and Chapter 13 Bankruptcies

Attorney Fees and Filing Fees in Illinois and Missouri Chapter 7 and Chapter 13 Bankruptcies

It is important for debtors to know about the attorney fees and filing fees associated with filing bankruptcy before their bankruptcy petition is submitted to the court. In Missouri – Eastern District, the attorney fees charged for a Chapter 7 will vary depending on the lawyer. Debtors can call attorneys and get price quotes and possibly do consultations to determine the exact amount each individual attorney charges for a Chapter 7 bankruptcy.

Some attorneys will allow clients to pay in installments while they work on their paperwork; however, the entire amount must be paid before the case can be filed. Attorneys are required to fill out a compensation form with the filing of the petition, which asserts their fees and how much they have been paid, and those two numbers must match and show $0 still owed in a Chapter 7. Otherwise, the attorney would be one of the debtor’s creditors. In Missouri, the court sets the price for a Chapter 13 bankruptcy at $4,000 unless the attorney works on an hourly rate fee. The attorney must alert the court which option they prefer on a case by case basis. What the attorney charges up front varies, and the rest is paid through the plan. The filing fee for a Chapter 7 in Missouri is $306, and the entire amount must be paid before filing and attached with the petition. In Missouri, the filing fee for a Chapter 13 is $281, which also must be paid when the petition is filed.