Why does it cost so much to file bankruptcy?
106751
Lawyer fees and filing fees.  The filing fees are for the courts so you can't control that.  The only aspect you can control is the lawyer fees.\n\nThere are many aspects that have to be researched..whom you owe, how much, their legal claim, collaterized, etc.\n\nAlso they have to figure out the mechanism for disbursal of assets and have a person in charge of that process.\n\nLots of complexity and tasks that need to be done to implement the bankruptcy.  The more parties involved the more expensive it will be.
925813
Bankruptcy shoudl be a last resort! \n\nIf you have to file, then make sure you know what your getting into. \n\nHere are some very informative bankruptcy facts. \n\nhttp://www.expert-credit-advice.com/bankruptcy_facts.htm\n\n\nGood luck to you!
342067
Go to the court where your bankruptcy was filed.  They WILL allow you to see the file.  The only cost involved is that for the copy machine.
159556
Want an answer?  Take one look at the number of personal bankruptcy cases file this year. \n\nConsumers are falling into a serious trap when they play around with credit.  It starts with them making minimum payments.  Then they get a second credit card and transfer the balance, only to run up the balance again on the first card.  Then it's off to re-finance their homes.  \n\nI've seen this over and over again!\n\nSo the government is now forced to step in.  Be lucky this is all they did.
1029540
Common reasons that a company is forced into bankruptcy include 1) the inability to pay debts (usually after the company's creditors have already renegotiated the debt more than once), and 2) enormous legal liabilities (actual or contingent).\n\nExamples of companies in 1) include Enron and many others.\n\nThere are times that companies may choose to go into Chapter 11 before they are forced to, in order to allow themselves time to get the business back on track. United is one of those.\n\nExamples of companies in 2) include for example the asbestos companies, implant makers, etc. I haven't really paid attention to whether tobacco companies have done the same
851962
Talk with an attorney.  There might be a way you could still come out of bankruptcy with something left.  You didn't say why you want to go bankrupt.  Do you owe more than $65,000?  If there is a way that you can not file bankruptcy then I suggest that you do not file for bankruptcy.  Do you have relatives you could live with if you lose the house?  Usually if you have a lien then any money that's taken from your pay or from what has been sold that you own first goest to paying the lien on the house.  Debts on the other hand, well you can go to Consulter Credit Counseling who can remove the interest, close your accounts, and help you pay down those bills if you have a job.  Right now there are a lot of part time jobs so you can get a second job for the holiday season and don't buy anything more.  Cut off your cable, get rid of your cell phones, and if things get really tight then sell your expensive car if you have one and get a clunker for a while till you recover.  If there are others in your family they could get jobs too.  And, if you can still have the house for a while longer then maybe you can rent out a room by the week (ask for church attenders who need a room to stay over the holidays).  But first you need to figure out how much time you have left on the house before it goes into foreclosure.  Best of luck to you.
760202
If you are totally desperate, and you have no assets to protect, you can file bankruptcy pro se. Many have done this.\n\nIt's harder now under the George W. Bush-sponsored 2005 Bankruptcy Code amendments. But it can be done. There is help online, especially at the newsgroup alt.bankruptcy http://groups.google.com/group/alt.bankruptcy?lnk=sg&hl=en\n(You need to register with Google. Set up a new Yahoo! or Hotmail account for that, otherwise you'll be bombarded with spam once  your real e-mail address gets online.)\n\nYou need to go through CREDIT COUNSELING first. There is a list of approved agencies, some online. Some of them -- perhaps most -- will waive their fee for really indigent people.\n\nYou CANNOT FILE until you have had that "counseling". It's a waste of time, of course, but it's part of Bush's law -- and the credit card companies bribed Congress to pass it with $40 million in campaign contributions (it didn't help the Republicans win, but it did get them the law they wanted). http://www.usdoj.gov/ust/bapcpa/ccde/cc_approved.htm (list of approved counseling agencies) \n\nSo all you'll need is money for the forms (you can hire a forms-filler person, but really you can do them yourself) and the filing fee ($299 for Chapter 7). Or (best of all) use Blumberg.com http://www.blumberg.com/ -- you may be able to do it for $50 online, although I'm not sure how that Web site works and don't have the time right now to figure it out. (I know the company's other forms very well.)\n\nI suggest you get the Nolo Press book on bankruptcy: http://www.nolo.com -- perhaps your public library has it, or maybe you can get it even cheaper on eBay -- but Nolo is very good for do-it-yourself lawyering.\n\nThere is other free legal help, but really bankruptcy isn't difficult when you have no assets (home, car, valuables) to protect. You get certain exemptions, depending what state you live in. Some states (Florida, Texas ...) are generous; others (Ohio, Illinois ...) not. But when you have nothing, it doesn't matter. Once you get a discharge, you will use debit cards. \n\nOpen an account with a bank where you have no loans or credit cards, and have only a few dollars in it when you file. And make sure you have no money in any bank you have loans or cards with because they will take that money -- even your unemployment check -- as an offset to your debt.\n\nVisit the bankruptcy court. Sit in on some sessions, talk to people there. Even lawyers if you like and if they have time. Also sit in on some "341" meetings of creditors where the bankrutpcy trustee interviews the debtors. You will be less apprehensive if you are familiar with what's going on.\n\nGood luck.
43997
Because of the high interest rate, over a period of time you will owe more in interest that the actual amount of your purchase. So.....unless U file bankruptcy (which will also ruin your credit), they CAN and WILL take everything you got.
804531
Chapter 13 is where you basically get on a repayment plan with all of your secure debtors (like mortgage, car, secured loans etc.) and the filling fee in IL is about 300 and then the attorneys fee is about 2200.  Chapter 13 is really only worth it if you are about to lose your house, it will stop foreclosure proceedings.  Chapter 7 is where all of your debt is basically wiped clean.  The fee for that is about 1100.  Make sure you really think it out and figure out which way is the best way for you to go.  When you file chapter 13 you are put on a pretty tight budget and you have to make it work.
16172
Just exactly how did you come into this large sum of money?  If it is something that was yours prior to the bankruptcy and you didn't disclose it to the court, then you have committed bankruptcy fraud.
509464
You have to petition the bankruptcy court.  Check to see if an attorney represent customers like you that also had gift certificates.  This will be in the court documents.  This is worth your time if it was a lot of money, otherwise it is a waste and a lesson learned.
15483
There are different types of bankruptcy, and the rules have just been tightened up by the Republican Congress to make it harder for indiviuals to recieve bankruptcy protection for their personal debts.  The old rule was that there was a 7 year peroid after declaring before you could declare again.\n\nA legal website offers this info: \n\n"A Chapter 7 bankruptcy can be filed every 8 years from a previous chapter 7 filing or 6 years from a prior chapter 13 filing. Chapter 13 can be filed 4 years from a prior Chapter 7 filing or 2 years from a prior Chapter 13 filing. Filing bankruptcy can adversely affect your ability to obtain future credit, rent housing and even negatively impact a job application, so any decision to file must be carefully considered."
76292
Why?  For the same reason the President passess a bill making it much more difficult for Americans to file bankruptcy while, at the same time, takes this country into the worst debt it has ever seen.  It's about power, not what might be right, wrong, or consistant.
805198
Not sure about Chapter 7. But, Chapter 13 you can add to it. Just contact the Attorney that handled your bankruptcy and he should handle it. He may charge you a little for his time and additional fees involved. Just ask when you call him and they tell you.
647921
Yes, you can file for bankruptcy.\nYou will still have to pay the court judgment and according to the new bankruptcy laws probably all of your other debt but it might stop some interest charges and late payment fees.\n\nYou should consult an attorney obviously I do not know what state you live in and the details of your case.
289695
That's a very good question.  And the answer is, in general, no.  You would have to file a complaint to determine dischargeability of debt alleging one of the grounds in Section 523(a) of the bankruptcy code.  And the cost of that complaint might be more than you would ever collect on the check.  But if they bounced a big check intentionally with the intention of defrauding you, for example, you might have reason to pursue that kind of case.
159997
You would want to get in with a company that is non profit as you stated in your question.  Other companies charge you a fee for doing this for you, as much as 50.00 a month.  Consolidated Credit Counselors is a company I used before the only problem I had with them is the agreement they have with the issuing banks it to make payments that is 5% of what you owe.  That was too high for me so I had no other choice but to do a bankruptcy.  In time your credit rating will improve.  But by taking action and just not walking away will definately improve your credit rating.