The chapter choice

Chapter 7 vs Chapter 13, in Numbers

Every figure sourced and dated. Updated 2026-09-01.

Chapter 7 liquidates and discharges fast; Chapter 13 restructures over three to five years. Costs differ ($338 + upfront attorney fees vs $313 + $3,000 to $5,000 through the plan), and so do the credit clocks: 10 years for 7, seven years for 13.

The real chooser

Income (the means test), assets you want to keep, and debt types. Back to Bankruptcy.

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Sources for every figure on this page

$338: U.S. courts via Upsolve 2026: Chapter 7 filing fee (published estimate, retrieved 2026-09-01).
$313: U.S. courts via Upsolve 2026: Chapter 13 filing fee (published estimate, retrieved 2026-09-01).
$3,000 to $5,000: Nolo 2026: typical Chapter 13 attorney fee, usually paid through the plan (published estimate, retrieved 2026-09-01).
10 years: Experian 2026: Chapter 7 duration on a credit report (published estimate, retrieved 2026-09-01).
seven years: Experian 2026: Chapter 13 duration on a credit report (published estimate, retrieved 2026-09-01).
three to five years: standard Chapter 13 repayment-plan length (Upsolve 2026) (published estimate, retrieved 2026-09-01).