What is the fee to file a Chapter 7 petition?
The filing fee for a Chapter 7 petition is $306.00. The court does not accept cash or personal checks. EXCEPTION: Attorneys may pay by personal check bearing Esquire, Attorney at Law or any other designation that identifies you as an attorney. Payment may be made by money order, certified check, or bank check. Payments must be made payable to the Clerk, United States Bankruptcy Court. The court will also accept credit cards previously approved by the court. A Credit Card Payment form must be completed and attached to the pleading you are filing if filing conventionally.
If the full filing fee cannot be paid at the time the petition is filed, individual Chapter 7 debtors may apply for an installment schedule or a waiver of the fee.
To pay the filing fee in installments, file Form 3A Application to Pay Filing Fee in Installments. Debtors can make up to four installment payments. The final installment must be made within 120 days after the petition is filed. If the debtor fails to pay any installment when due, the case may be dismissed and the debtor will not receive a discharge of debts.
To apply for a waiver, file Form B3B - Application to Waive Chapter 7 Filing Fee (In Forma Pauperis). By law, the judge may waive the filing fee only if the debtor's income is less than 150 percent of the official poverty line for a specific family size and the debtor is unable to pay the fee in installments.
E:FILING GUIDANCE: (1) E:Filing attorneys must pay by credit card via the internet. (2) If you are requesting an installment schedule, e:file Form 3A using the Pay Filing Fees in Installments event located in the Motions/Application category. Click here for docketing instructions. (3) If you are requesting a waiver of the fee, e:file Form B3B using the Waiver of Ch 7 Filing Fee event located in the Motions/Application category. Click here for docketing instructions.
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Click here for the complete Fee Schedule