Chapter 7 and Chapter 13 bankruptcy costs are fundamentally different in structure — not just amount. Chapter 7 is a one-time front-loaded fee paid before filing. Chapter 13 spreads most of the attorney fee across a 3- to 5-year court-supervised plan. Here is the side-by-side breakdown of total cost in Washington DC, what gets paid when, and what each fee actually buys.
Total Cost — At a Glance
| Chapter 7 | Chapter 13 (Standard) | Chapter 13 (Business) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Attorney fee (flat) | $1,750 single / $2,000 joint | $5,499 | $6,499 |
| Court filing fee | $338 | $313 | $313 |
| Pre-filing credit counseling | $10–50 | $10–50 | $10–50 |
| Post-filing debtor education | $10–50 | $10–50 | $10–50 |
| Total cost (incl. courses) | ~$2,108–$2,188 | ~$5,832–$5,912 | ~$6,832–$6,912 |
| Out-of-pocket before filing | $2,088 / $2,338 | $1,850 | $1,850 |
| Paid through the plan | $0 | $3,649 + $313 filing fee | $4,649 + $313 filing fee |
The hidden insight: Chapter 13 actually requires less cash before filing than Chapter 7 — $1,850 versus $2,088. The total is higher, but most of the difference is paid by the trustee out of your monthly plan payment.
Chapter 7 — Cost Structure
Chapter 7 is a liquidation chapter. It eliminates most unsecured debt — credit cards, medical bills, payday loans — in 4 to 6 months. The fee is paid upfront because there is no plan to pay it through.
- $1,750 single / $2,000 joint attorney fee, flat, covering the full case from petition through discharge
- $338 court filing fee (Judicial Conference of the United States rate)
- Most filers complete the case for ~$2,088 single or ~$2,338 joint, plus ~$20–$100 for the two required education courses
For low-income filers, the $338 court filing fee can be waived under Official Form 103B if your income is below 150% of the federal poverty guidelines.
Full breakdown: How Much Does Chapter 7 Bankruptcy Cost in DC?
Chapter 13 — Cost Structure
Chapter 13 is a reorganization chapter. It is designed for filers who need to keep a home in foreclosure, restructure secured debt, or earn too much to pass the Chapter 7 means test. The plan runs 36 months for below-median filers or 60 months for above-median filers.
- $5,499 standard / $6,499 business flat attorney fee, set within the DC Bankruptcy Court’s presumptively reasonable fee framework under proposed Local Rule 2016-5
- $1,850 upfront retainer — the only out-of-pocket attorney cost before filing
- $3,649 (standard) or $4,649 (business) remaining attorney fee — paid by the trustee from your monthly plan payment over the life of the plan
- $313 court filing fee, also typically folded into the plan
Full breakdown: Chapter 13 Attorney Fees in DC
What You Are Actually Paying For
| Service | Chapter 7 | Chapter 13 |
|---|---|---|
| Petition and schedule preparation | Included | Included |
| Means test analysis | Included | Included |
| DC vs. federal exemption analysis | Included | Included |
| 341 Meeting of Creditors representation | Included | Included |
| Plan drafting and confirmation | N/A | Included |
| Vehicle cramdown analysis | N/A | Included (uncontested) |
| Routine plan modifications under § 1329 | N/A | Included |
| Trustee communication through discharge | Included | Included (3–5 years) |
| Mortgage Modification Program (MMP) work | N/A | Quoted separately |
| Student loan § 523(a)(8) adversary proceeding | Quoted separately | Quoted separately |
| FDCPA / FCRA / § 362(k) creditor enforcement | Often contingency | Often contingency |
Which One Is Right for You?
The cost comparison alone does not pick the chapter — eligibility and goals do. Briefly:
- Choose Chapter 7 if you pass the means test, your home equity is protected by the available exemption, and your goal is to eliminate unsecured debt fast.
- Choose Chapter 13 if you need to cure mortgage arrears to stop a foreclosure, you have non-exempt assets you want to protect, you have above-median income, or you have priority tax debt that must be paid through a plan.
For a deeper look at the eligibility and strategic differences (not the cost), see Chapter 7 vs. Chapter 13: Which Is Right for You? in the blog.
Free Cost Estimate
The means-test calculator on the homepage gives a free estimate of which chapter you qualify for and what a Chapter 13 plan payment would look like in your specific situation. It uses the official 2026 DOJ median income figures effective November 1, 2025. Run the calculator →
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does Chapter 13 cost more than Chapter 7 if you keep the house?
The cost differential reflects time, not house. Chapter 7 takes 4–6 months from filing to discharge. Chapter 13 runs 36 to 60 months and requires plan confirmation, ongoing trustee correspondence, plan modifications when life changes, and post-confirmation oversight throughout. The fee structure tracks the actual attorney work involved over a much longer period.
Can I switch from Chapter 13 to Chapter 7 if my situation changes?
Yes — conversion from Chapter 13 to Chapter 7 is permitted under § 1307. Whether it is strategically wise depends on what changed. The original Chapter 13 attorney fee paid through the plan up to the conversion date is generally retained. The Chapter 7 attorney fee for the converted case is quoted separately and is typically lower than the original Chapter 7 flat fee because much of the petition work is already done.
Are there cheaper alternatives than hiring an attorney?
Pro se (self-represented) filing eliminates the attorney fee but creates real risk: errors in schedules can result in loss of property, missed exemptions, or denial of discharge. Petition preparers can fill out forms but cannot represent you at the 341 meeting or respond to trustee inquiries — they are not attorneys. Online services like Upsolve serve simple Chapter 7 cases for free but explicitly do not handle Chapter 13, contested matters, or jurisdictions where they do not operate. For most DC filers, the cost of getting it wrong exceeds the attorney fee.
Are these fees negotiable?
The court filing fee ($338 / $313) is set by the U.S. Judicial Conference and cannot be negotiated by anyone. The flat attorney fees are set as published rates — but installment payment of the upfront amount is available, and Chapter 7 fee waivers are available for filers below 150% of the federal poverty guidelines. For Chapter 13, the upfront retainer is fixed, but the through-plan portion is structurally paid by the trustee from the plan payment, which is calculated based on disposable income — so the effective burden is built into a payment you can afford.
What is the cheapest possible bankruptcy in DC?
For a single Chapter 7 filer below the federal poverty threshold, the absolute floor is approximately $20–$100 — the cost of the two required education courses if a fee waiver is granted on the $338 court filing fee and the case is filed pro se. For full attorney representation, $2,088 (Chapter 7 single filer) is the standard floor at Steven C. Fraser, P.A.