Bankruptcy Filing Fees IncreaseThe Judicial Conference of the United States Bankruptcy Court has announced an increase in bankruptcy filing fees effective November 1, 2011.  The filing fees are paid directly to the court usually in full at the time a debtor’s case is filed.  The filing fee for a chapter 7 bankruptcy case will increase from $299.00 to $306.00.  The filing fee for a chapter 13 bankruptcy case will increase from $274.00 to $281.00.  All chapters of bankruptcy and miscellaneous filings have been effective.

Rising costs is nothing new to today’s debtors.  The website Gas Buddy reports gas prices per gallon for Kansas City at $2.21 in October 2006 to $3.30 in October 2011.  The Bureau of Labor Statistics website reports the following goods in October 2001 cost the following: loaf of white bread $1.01; 100% beef ground chuck $2.14/lb; dozen large eggs $0.92/dozen; red apples $0.90/lb; bananas $0.50/lb; and ground coffee $3.02/lb.

The cost of filing bankruptcy may have increased $7.00; however, for many debtors the benefits of filing for bankruptcy still greatly outweigh the costs.

Debtors contemplating debt relief and a fresh start need to contact a Kansas City bankruptcy attorney for a free bankruptcy consultation to get real answers.