The range of attorney’s fees for a Chapter 7 bankruptcy is usually around $1500 – $1850 in attorney fees before costs. For difficult cases with legal issues the fees can be as high as $2500 – $5500 or so for some unusual Chapter 7 bankruptcies. However, depending on the difficulty or ease of a case the fee may be more or less than those amounts. Mr. Hardy’s fees are very reasonable for this area. Please feel free to discuss all fee arrangements with him so that it may fit within your budget. Also, the bankruptcy court shall know exactly what I charge and must approve any fee arrangements as being reasonable.
For a Chapter 13 bankruptcy, the only upfront costs paid by the client directly to the attorney are usually $500-850 total. Some bankruptcy refilling of dismissed cases require more fees upfront, such as $850 – $1500. The attorney fees are put inside the Chapter 13 Plan payment plan so that it is paid through the court over months or years. The Bankruptcy Judge determines the total attorney’s fees to be paid through your Chapter 13 Plan payment. Since almost every Chapter 13 case has the same fee from every lawyer, it is wise to hire a lawyer with plenty of experience. Mr. Hardy has successfully represented thousands of debtors in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court over 25 years. Mr. Hardy has fought for his clients benefit and has had successful cases making and clarifying law reported in the Bankruptcy Reporter. Other attorneys use Mr. Hardy’s reported successful cases to influence bankruptcy judges around the nation to rule in their client’s favor.
We advise and it is best to pay all the attorney fees upfront for a Chapter 7 bankruptcy! However, sometimes with some attorneys’ fees, our office will give you enough time to make payments on attorney’s fees and costs after a down payment. You must pay all of the initial costs before we actually set up the bankruptcy paperwork. We’ll let you refer creditors to us only after the down payment is paid. You must pay your fees with cash, money orders, certified checks, true debits from debit cards or other similar methods. Our office doesn’t take credit cards from any debtor for bankruptcy fees unless it is someone else’s, such as a relative or friend.
In all bankruptcies we do, the initial down payment fee is a Minimum Fee Retainer for reservation of time, dealing with creditor phone calls, advice, being available, and assistance in you gathering your information, amongst other things. This fee is placed into Mr. Hardy’s business account. This fee is earned when paid for that very reason and shall not be returned. This situation I often describe as I am not a bank to make deposits and withdrawals. Do not hire me unless you really intend to be helped and protected by law. Keep copies of all receipts you get from me.
Please remember that YOU are the only person in the world with all the knowledge of your finances and all the information we need to help you, so you must cooperate and gather the information. We cannot possibly get all your information, bills, income, documents, creditors, property information, etc. This is YOUR bankruptcy. If you want it to work and you want Mr. hardy to have the ammunition he needs to file lawsuits against your creditors when they harass you, try to collect from you later, violate law and other reasons, then you must do everything “according to the book” so to speak.
Unless we have agreed to a separate time preparation plan to file bankruptcy a substantial time later, if you do not file within four (4) months, then a separate down payment is required for us to start again for you to file bankruptcy.
The U.S. Bankruptcy Court has approved a fee structure for work done, usually motions, after the filing of the bankruptcy. The U.S. Bankruptcy Court’s local rules fee structure is reasonable and affordable for extraordinary and unusual motions or work within or after the filing of a bankruptcy. Most debtors never need any other work done, but sometimes during the bankruptcy, issues arise in a debtor’s life that require changes while the bankruptcy is in progress (car wrecks, job loss, deaths, etc.). Mr. Hardy will discuss these situations with you if anything arises. Usually, the additional fees can be paid through the Chapter 13 Plan payment and no additional payment is required of the debtors.