i met with an attorney for the first time today and she said it was $3000 to file a chapter 13 with $850 upfornt and it was $2250 to file for chapter 7. Can anyone tell me if this seems reasonable. My case is pretty simple i think. Is it worth trying to do it yourself? Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
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Should I hire an Attorney or File myself (Pro Se)?
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do it yourself
I'm prepared to do it myself but I'm also ready to just let it ride for years and years. I'm pretty bullet proof because I can live on very little.
Just get all the necessary forms and books from the library. Fill in all the blanks and become sure of what each item means and that you are accurate. Then you have confidence going into it. Don't file for bankruptcy if you have tax skeletons in your closet, or any other illegal doings in the past, or property you want to keep that exemptions won't cover.
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Chpater 13 is 2200 and Chapter 7 is 1120, Im able to file 7.Last edited by mystiquemia; 04-10-2006, 04:47 PM.Filed: 4/28/06
341 Meeting: 6/21/06
Discharged : 8/29/06
Closed: n/a
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Ours was $1,200 in December 2004 (Chapter 7). It was worth it, IMO, because I personally wouldn't have had a clue what I was doing. We were self-employed at the time, too, which complicated things even further.Filed Chapter 7 (Medical Bills) - 12/16/04
341 Meeting - 1/28/05 | Discharged - 3/31/05 | Case Closed, No Assets - 7/5/05
Update 2/15/11 - Still totally debt-free except for the mortgage, which we're paying down quickly!
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Where we are, attnys charge $700 to $1000 for Ch 7. The fee for Ch 13 is $2500 to $2800.
We are hoping, and so is the attny, that we'll file Ch 7. He charged us a Ch 7 filing fee. But our attny charges more for his services as well. The fee was $2000 to hire him.
With BK, cheaper may not always be better.
We have to use Old State's exemptions, so our attny is gonna Consult with an attny in the Old State for clarification of the statutes before we file and go to Court.
Most of the attnys had a "Contract" of what services their fees paid for. If you encounted Adversarials or something else came up, they quoted their billable hourly rate to represent you as their client for those things.Filed Ch 7 - 09/06
Discharged - 12/2006
Officially Declared No Asset - 03/2007
Closed - 04/2007
I am not an attorney. My comments are based on personal experience and research. Always consult an attorney in your area to address concerns related to your particular situation.
Another good thing about being poor is that when you are seventy your children will not have declared you legally insane in order to gain control of your estate. - Woody Allen...
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2003, Chapter 7, 2000.00 which included letters and several hearings and a deposition (2 hours), original cost was 1100.00. (225.00 per hour is normal in Broward). In my case the Judge would have tossed me without an Attorney, Judges get ticked if you come in front of them without a rep. If you are no asset you can do it yourself, assets, best use a lawyer."You once asked me for advice. You want some now? Never pass up a good thing." Lieutenant Jean Rasczak, Starship Troopers
Join the Mobile Infantry and save the world. Service guarantees citizenship.
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It cost me $250 to file chap 7 pro se. With no assets, 40k in debt was successfully discharged. Your scenario is, if you have anything above and over exemptions to lose, beyond the cost of hiring an attorney, than hire one. If you have less to lose than the cost of hiring an attorney, than go pro se.
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