The cost to file bankruptcy in New Jersey runs roughly $1,500 to $3,500 for a Chapter 7 case and about $4,800 or more for a Chapter 13 case once you add court fees, the two required courses, and attorney fees. The court portion is fixed by federal law. The attorney portion is where most of the money goes, and where the range is widest. Several pieces can be reduced, paid in installments, or waived outright if your income is low enough.
The Court Filing Fee
Every case begins with a fee paid to the United States Bankruptcy Court for the District of New Jersey. The amount is the same at every courthouse in the state.
- Chapter 7: $338 total ($245 filing fee, $78 administrative fee, $15 trustee surcharge).
- Chapter 13: $313 total ($235 filing fee, $78 administrative fee).
These amounts have not changed since 2006, and the Bankruptcy Administration Improvement Act of 2025 left the Chapter 7 fee untouched.1United States Bankruptcy Court District of New Jersey. Court Fees Payment must come by corporate check, attorney check, certified check, money order, or a court-approved credit card.2Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 28 USC 1930 – Bankruptcy Fees
Credit Counseling and Debtor Education
Federal law requires two short courses, and skipping either one can get your case dismissed or your discharge denied. Treat them as non-optional.
The first is a credit counseling session you must complete within 180 days before you file. It reviews your income, expenses, and debts, and looks at whether an alternative to bankruptcy might work. The certificate goes in with your petition.3Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 11 US Code 109 – Who May Be a Debtor
The second is a personal financial management course you take after filing. Without it, no discharge in either Chapter 7 or Chapter 13.4Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 11 US Code 727 – Discharge Each course typically runs $15 to $50 depending on the provider, and can be taken online, by phone, or in person. Some approved agencies waive the fee for filers at or below 150 percent of the federal poverty guidelines. Budget $30 to $100 for both.
Attorney Fees
Legal representation is almost always the biggest line item. What you pay depends on your chapter, how complicated your finances are, and where in New Jersey your lawyer practices.
Chapter 7
Most Chapter 7 attorneys in New Jersey charge a flat fee between $1,000 and $2,800. A straightforward case with wage income, no real estate, and few creditor disputes sits at the lower end. Business ownership, significant assets, or likely creditor litigation push it higher.
One detail matters for your cash flow: Chapter 7 attorneys almost always require the full fee before filing. Once the case is filed, any balance you still owe your lawyer becomes a dischargeable debt, so you need to come to the table with the money in hand.
Chapter 13
Chapter 13 fees work differently and are easier on your wallet upfront. The bankruptcy judges in the District of New Jersey have set a “presumptively reasonable” fee of $4,500 for representation through plan confirmation.5United States Bankruptcy Court District of New Jersey. Presumptively Reasonable Fees in Chapter 13 Cases This is often called a “no-look” fee, because the court approves it without requiring a detailed billing breakdown as long as the work falls within the normal scope of a Chapter 13 case.
The no-look fee covers preparing and filing the petition, attending the meeting of creditors, dealing with objections to your plan, and handling routine post-filing matters. Unusually complex cases, such as contested motions or business debts, can run higher, but the attorney has to file a detailed fee application and get court approval for anything above the baseline.
You do not need to pay the full fee before filing. Most Chapter 13 attorneys take a portion upfront and fold the balance into your three- to five-year repayment plan. That structure makes Chapter 13 workable for people who cannot pull together several thousand dollars at once.
Filing Without an Attorney
You are allowed to file on your own. The court calls this filing “pro se,” and it cuts the attorney fee entirely, bringing total out-of-pocket costs down to roughly $350 to $415 for the court fee and the two courses.
The District of New Jersey’s own website warns that pro se bankruptcy is “extremely difficult to do successfully” and recommends hiring a competent attorney. The rules are technical. If your case is dismissed for something like a missing credit counseling certificate, you can lose the protection of the automatic stay in any future case.6United States Bankruptcy Court District of New Jersey. Filing Without an Attorney Chapter 13 is especially rough without a lawyer, because you have to draft a repayment plan that satisfies the court, the trustee, and your creditors. Pro se filing realistically fits only the simplest Chapter 7 cases filed by people comfortable with legal paperwork.
If You Can’t Pay the Court Fee Upfront
The system has two options for filers who cannot write a check for the full court fee on day one.
Pay in Installments
You can file an Application to Pay the Filing Fee in Installments, which splits the fee into up to four payments, with the last one due within 120 days of filing. The court has to approve the application, and missing a scheduled payment can get your case dismissed.7United States Courts. Official Form 103A – Application for Individuals to Pay the Filing Fee in Installments This option is available in both Chapter 7 and Chapter 13.
Full Waiver (Chapter 7 Only)
If you file Chapter 7 and your household income is below 150 percent of the federal poverty guidelines, you can apply to have the entire filing fee waived.2Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 28 USC 1930 – Bankruptcy Fees A waiver is not available in Chapter 13. The application asks for detailed financial information so the court can confirm you qualify.
For 2026, the 150 percent threshold for New Jersey households (which follows the 48 contiguous states guidelines) is:8Department of Health and Human Services. 2026 Poverty Guidelines – 48 Contiguous States
- 1-person household: $23,940
- 2-person household: $32,460
- 3-person household: $40,980
- 4-person household: $49,500
If your income is at or below these thresholds and installments are still out of reach, the court has discretion to waive the $338 fee entirely.
The Hidden Cost of a Dismissed Case
A dismissed case can be more expensive than never filing. The automatic stay lifts immediately, and creditors can resume lawsuits, garnishments, and collection calls as if the bankruptcy never happened. You get no discharge. The court fee you paid is not refunded.
Refiling gets harder, too. Under federal law, a debtor whose case was dismissed at the request of a trustee or creditor, or by the court, can be barred from filing a new case for 180 days.3Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 11 US Code 109 – Who May Be a Debtor Even past that window, refiling within one year of a dismissal cuts the automatic stay on the new case to 30 days unless you file a separate motion and show good faith, which is a tough case to make when your prior filing fell apart.
The usual culprits are missed installment payments on the filing fee, a skipped credit counseling course, or in Chapter 13, falling behind on plan payments. All avoidable, which is why the modest savings from cutting corners rarely pay off.