By Michael A. Ziegler, Esq. | Ziegler Diamond Law
If you’re considering bankruptcy in Florida, the first question is almost always the same: how much is this going to cost me? Most people I sit down with have heard a wide range of numbers — and most of those numbers don’t include the same things. Some firms quote you a “fee” that only covers preparing the petition. Some advertise “$0 down” plans that aren’t really $0 down once you read the contract. We don’t do $0-down filings at Ziegler Diamond Law, and I’m going to tell you exactly why, what we do instead, and what the actual cost of a Chapter 7 or Chapter 13 bankruptcy in Florida adds up to.
The two costs you’re actually paying
Bankruptcy has two separate price tags. They get blended together in advertising, and that’s where the confusion starts.
- The court filing fee — set by the federal courts, paid to the court, the same regardless of which attorney files for you. As of 2026, the filing fees in the Middle District of Florida are $338 for Chapter 7 and $313 for Chapter 13. You can check the current schedule on the Middle District’s filing fees page.
- The attorney fee — what your lawyer charges to handle the case. This is where firms differ. Every firm charges a different amount depending on the complexity of your case, how they staff cases, and what’s included in the scope.
When someone says “bankruptcy costs $1,500,” they almost always mean attorney fee only. The court fee is separate. So is the credit counseling course you have to take before filing (about $15-$25, paid to a third party) and the financial management course after filing (another $15-$25).
Why we don’t offer $0-down bankruptcy
You’ve probably seen ads from Florida bankruptcy firms offering “$0 down” or “no money down” filings. Here’s how that actually works: those firms file your case before you’ve paid them, then collect their fee over time inside the bankruptcy itself. It sounds great. The catch is that in Chapter 7, the law doesn’t allow most attorney fees to be collected after filing — so what those firms really do is push you into a Chapter 13 plan even when Chapter 7 would have served you better, because Chapter 13 lets them get paid through the plan.
Chapter 13 with a 5-year plan instead of a clean Chapter 7 discharge is a real cost. It means 5 years of monthly trustee payments, ongoing court oversight, and a longer credit recovery. For some clients that’s the right call. For most, it isn’t — and it shouldn’t be driven by how the firm gets paid.
We charge for our work upfront because it lets us recommend the chapter that’s actually best for your situation, not the one that lets us collect later.
How our payment plans work
“Upfront” doesn’t mean “lump sum on day one.” We offer payment plans. The structure depends on which chapter you’re filing:
Chapter 7: Your attorney fee has to be paid in full before we file your petition. We’ll set up a payment plan that fits your budget — typically 3 to 6 months of monthly payments — and we file once the balance is cleared. This is a federal requirement for Chapter 7, not a firm policy. Once filed, no more attorney fees come out of your pocket.
Chapter 13: Federal rules are different here. You pay part of the attorney fee before filing, and the balance gets paid through your Chapter 13 plan over time. That means you can start your case with less cash on hand, then the rest comes out of your monthly plan payments to the trustee.
The exact split depends on your case. We tell you the number after the initial consultation — once we’ve seen your lawsuit papers, pay stubs, and account balances — not before.
What our fee actually covers
When you hire Ziegler Diamond Law for a Chapter 7 or Chapter 13 case, the fee covers everything from intake through the 341 meeting and discharge in a routine case:
- The initial Free Debt Freedom Strategy Session
- Reviewing your documents and running the means test
- Preparing your bankruptcy petition, schedules, and statements
- Filing your case with the bankruptcy court
- Attending the 341 meeting of creditors with you
- Handling routine amendments and creditor communications
- For Chapter 13: drafting the plan, attending the confirmation hearing
What’s not included in a routine fee:
- The court filing fee ($338 for Chapter 7, $313 for Chapter 13)
- Credit counseling and financial management courses ($30-$50 total)
- Adversary proceedings — separate lawsuits filed inside the bankruptcy, like fighting a creditor objection
- Conversions between chapters mid-case
- Property valuation disputes that require an appraiser
Most cases never need anything beyond the routine scope. When they do, we tell you the additional fee in writing before any work starts.
What changes the price
Why two clients with similar debt loads can end up with different fee quotes:
- You have a pending debt-collection lawsuit. Adds urgency and pre-filing work.
- You own non-exempt assets. A vehicle worth more than Florida’s exemption, real estate beyond your homestead, business interests — each adds preparation time.
- You’re self-employed or own a business. Business income, business assets, and 1099 reporting add complexity to schedules and the means test.
- You have recent transfers. Pre-bankruptcy transfers within the 90-day or 1-year look-back periods need to be analyzed and disclosed carefully.
- You’ve filed before. Prior cases affect timing eligibility and may add complexity.
- Wage garnishment is already running. We need to file faster to stop it.
None of these are reasons not to file. They’re reasons the fee in your case may not match the fee in your neighbor’s case.
Frequently asked questions
Will you tell me the fee at the consultation?
Yes. We don’t give phone-quote estimates because we can’t run the means test or check for non-exempt assets over the phone, but after the initial Strategy Session, we tell you the fee in writing and what it covers.
Can the court waive my filing fee?
In some Chapter 7 cases, yes. If your household income is below 150% of the federal poverty line, you can apply for a fee waiver. Chapter 13 doesn’t have a waiver — but the fee can be paid in installments after filing.
What if I file on my own to save money?
Pro se Chapter 7 filings (without an attorney) have a much higher rate of dismissal than represented cases. The most common reason: means-test math errors or missing exemption claims that cost more than the attorney fee would have saved. We do not recommend filing pro se if you have any assets to protect or any pending lawsuits.
Do you offer free consultations?
Yes. We call ours a Free Debt Freedom Strategy Session. It’s 30-45 minutes, we look at your situation, we tell you what chapter (if any) makes sense, and we quote the fee. No pressure to hire on the call.
If you want a straight answer about what bankruptcy will cost in your specific situation, call us at (727) 538-4188 for a Free Debt Freedom Strategy Session. We’ll run the math, tell you which chapter fits, and quote you the fee in writing.
For more on what happens after you file, see our guide to your 341 meeting in Florida or the Florida Chapter 7 means test.
This article is general information, not legal advice. For Florida residents, contact Ziegler Diamond Law for a Free Debt Freedom Strategy Session.
