November 20th, 2008 by Reed Allmand 
When filing for chapter 7 bankruptcy, many debtors find that money is so limited that they cannot afford the bankruptcy filing fee. If a debtor filing for Chapter 7 bankruptcy is in this situation, he/she may be able to have the bankruptcy filing fee waived. A provision of the Bankruptcy Abuse Prevention and Consumer Protection Act (BAPCPA) allows the bankruptcy court to waive the bankruptcy filing fee for individual debtors if the debtor’s income is less than 150% of the poverty line in their state of residence. Some debtors whose income is above this limit may be able to pay a reduced bankruptcy filing fee. When a debtor files for Chapter 7 bankruptcy he/she must submit the petition with an application for this "fee waiver" program. Filing for this waiver shouldn’t delay the bankruptcy procedures because according to the bankruptcy law, the court is required to process the bankruptcy the same way it would if the debtor was paying the filing fee.
If you’re filing for Chapter 7 bankruptcy and can’t afford the fee speak with your bankruptcy attorney immediately about this "fee waiver" program. You may also have access to other fee waivers throughout the bankruptcy process, depending on your income.
About Reed Allmand
Allmand's vision is rooted in his own financially precarious childhood in Abilene "My father always had difficulty holding a job and supporting our family, so after my parents divorced when I was 12, my sister and I got jobs to help make ends meet," he recalls. "I remember what it felt like as a child to worry that our car would be repossessed or home foreclosed on."
View all posts by Reed AllmandSubscribe
Subscribe to our e-mail newsletter to receive updates.
