Filing for Bankruptcy in Ohio: How Much Does it Cost? [2021 Update]

How much does it cost to file for bankruptcy? The cost of filing for bankruptcy in Ohio can be influenced by multiple factors: the type of bankruptcy you are filing, attorney fees, where you live, the complexity of your case, and the details of your income and debts.

Factors That Increase Bankruptcy Cost

As a start, court filing costs are $338 for a chapter 7 case and $313 for a chapter 13 case. The average cost of an Ohio bankruptcy lawyer is affected by the complexity of your case. Since bankruptcy attorneys are compensated for time spent on a case, the more complex the case, the more time needed to work on it. Attorney fees for chapter 7 cases, tending to be simpler, range from $1,000 to $1,500 on average. Because they are typically more complex, chapter 13 cases start from $3,000 to $4,000. In addition, if your attorney has to come back to your case in the years after filing, more fees will be added.

Income can affect bankruptcy costs as well. Having more than one source of income, income above the Ohio household average, and filing for personal and business bankruptcies concurrently can bring on extra charges. 

The amount and type of debt held by the person filing can impact the cost of bankruptcy, too. Having student loans, past-due taxes, a large number of creditors, child support, or any other non-dischargeable debts can increase fees when filing.

Other factors that increase the cost of filing for bankruptcy include stopping a legal action (a bank levy, eviction, and repossession of property that was used as loan collateral), having filed for other bankruptcies in the past eight years, or being suspected or accused of fraud.

All persons who file for chapter 7 or chapter 13 cases are required to take credit counseling courses which can range from $10 to $50. Nonprofit agencies can help you register for online or in-person courses.

Recovering from bankruptcy is not an easy task: bankruptcy impacts your ability to get loans as it affects your credit record for ten years. However, a bankruptcy will be discharged after a successful chapter 7 case petition. A  chapter 13 case, when resolved, requires adherence to a loan repayment plan, whether a court reduces your credits or not.

An important decision which affects the cost of filing for bankruptcy in Ohio is choosing to use a bankruptcy lawyer or not. While it might seem more lucrative to go without one, complex cases and the complications that could have your cases dismissed are difficult to navigate without a chapter 13 or chapter 7 bankruptcy lawyer. Completing documents on time or facing a difficult creditor can leave you ill equipped to handle the case on your own. Contacting us to speak with an experienced Ohio bankruptcy lawyer  will help you navigate bankruptcy and take the best steps for your financial future.