How much will this cost?
We certainly understand your concerns about how much it costs to file bankruptcy. Unfortunately, due to the many changes in the bankruptcy law that occurred in 2005, the cost of filing for bankruptcy has increased. We try hard to keep our fees reasonable and we provide unparalleled customer service. Attorney Cutaia offers weekend and evening appointments, and provides all of her clients with her personal cell phone number and email address.
Fee Schedule as of January 1, 2008:
| Individual Chapter 7: | $1500 plus filing fee of $299 |
| Joint Chapter 7: | $1525 plus filing fee of $299 |
| Individual Chapter 13: | $1000 down plus filing fee of $274. $2500 additional, which may be paid through the bankruptcy plan (see below). |
| Joint Chapter 13: | $1000 down, plus filing fee of $274. $2500 additional, which may be paid through the bankruptcy plan (see below). |
Bankruptcy court litigation that is not anticipated at the time we file your petition is an additional fee, based on the hourly rate of $185 an hour. However, bankruptcy litigation is very rare and if there is a chance of it happening we can usually tell even before your bankruptcy is filed.
Payment Plans:
We require attorneys fees bbe paid in full before a Chapter 7 petition is filed. This is because once the petition is filed, the automatic stay kicks in and we are not permitted to "collect" from the debtor just like any other creditor is also not permitted to do. A Chapter 13 allows a portion of the attorney's fee to be paid through the plan, which is why we permit our clients to do so.
We generally charge as follows:
| Initial Half Hour Consult (in person or over the phone); each additional 1/2 hour is $75 | FREE |
| Pre-Bankruptcy Screening (requires you to complete bankruptcy questionnaire) where we determine whether you qualify for a Chapter 7 or 13 | $250.00 |
| Balance due prior to filing petition, which is non-refundable | see fee schedule above to determine balance |
Please note that there is also a fee for the bankruptcy counseling you must obtain, which is paid directly to the counseling agency. Dawn Cutaia does not receive any of the funds paid to the counseling agency.
We encourage our clients to obtain a FREE credit report prior to attending the Pre-Bankruptcy Screening appointment. Please note that you do NOT need your FICO score and therefore should NOT pay to receive it.