Do I qualify for Chapter 7 bankruptcy in Florida? You’ll still hear bankruptcy lawyers refer to it as the “new bankruptcy law,” but BAPCPA (bankruptcy reform) has been around since 2005. The goal of bankruptcy reform was to make it harder for debtors “who could afford to pay something back to their creditors” to file for Chapter 7 bankruptcy. How does the system determine whether you can afford to repay something to creditors? First, it looks at your income. If you earn less than the median for a Florida family of similar size, you’re presumptively entitled to file for Chapter 7. However, if your income is above the median, your income and expenses will be evaluated under the means test. The means test is the signature “accomplishment” of bankruptcy reform. It is a complicated government formula that allows deduction of your actual expenses in some cases and only government allowed expenses in others. Too much disposable income after expenses disqualifies you from the relatively speedy Chapter 7 process. A good bankruptcy lawyer will be able to help you crunch the numbers to determine whether you qualify. If you don’t, there’s always Chapter 13. Cost to file chapter 7 in Florida The chapter 7 filing fees in Florida are $338, but that doesn’t tell the whole story of the real cost to file bankruptcy. Bankruptcy lawyers usually charge between $1,000 and $2,000 to file a chapter 7 case, in addition to the filing fee. Florida Bankruptcy Court Locations Florida, like many larger states, is divided into multiple federal districts: Northern, Middle and Southern. Each district is further subdivided into divisions so that Floridians have relatively easy access to a federal court. Here’s where you may have to file for bankruptcy if you live in Florida. Northern District of Florida Bankruptcy Court Gainesville: 401 SE First Ave., Gainesville, FL 32601, 866-639-4615 Panama City: 30 W. Government St., Panama City, Florida 32401, 866-639-4615 Pensacola: 100 N. Palafox St., Pensacola, FL 32502, 866-639-4615 Tallahassee: 110 East Park Ave., Suite 100, Tallahassee, Florida 32301, 866-639-4615 Middle District of Florida Bankruptcy Court Fort Myers: 2110 First St., Fort Myers, Florida 33901, 813-301-5162, Note: this location does not accept bankruptcy filings Jacksonville: 300 N. Hogan St., Suite 3-150, Jacksonville, Florida 32202, 904-301-6490 Orlando: 400 W. Washington St., Suite 5100, Orlando, FL 32801, 407-237-8000 Tampa: 801 N. Florida Ave., Suite 555, Tampa, Florida 33602, 813-301-5162 Southern District of Florida Bankruptcy Court Miami: 301 N. Miami Ave., Miami, FL 33128, 305-714-1800 Fort Lauderdale: 299 E. Broward Blvd., Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301, 954-769-5700 West Palm Beach: 1515 N. Flagler Drive, West Palm Beach, FL 33401, 561-514-4100 FacebookPinTweetEmail National Bankruptcy Forum Help us match you with a local attorney Free Bankruptcy Evaluation "*" indicates required fields First Name* Last Name* Phone* Email* Δ Leave a Reply Cancel replyYour email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *Comment * Name * Email * Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Δ
Do I qualify for Chapter 7 bankruptcy in Florida? You’ll still hear bankruptcy lawyers refer to it as the “new bankruptcy law,” but BAPCPA (bankruptcy reform) has been around since 2005. The goal of bankruptcy reform was to make it harder for debtors “who could afford to pay something back to their creditors” to file for Chapter 7 bankruptcy. How does the system determine whether you can afford to repay something to creditors? First, it looks at your income. If you earn less than the median for a Florida family of similar size, you’re presumptively entitled to file for Chapter 7. However, if your income is above the median, your income and expenses will be evaluated under the means test. The means test is the signature “accomplishment” of bankruptcy reform. It is a complicated government formula that allows deduction of your actual expenses in some cases and only government allowed expenses in others. Too much disposable income after expenses disqualifies you from the relatively speedy Chapter 7 process. A good bankruptcy lawyer will be able to help you crunch the numbers to determine whether you qualify. If you don’t, there’s always Chapter 13. Cost to file chapter 7 in Florida The chapter 7 filing fees in Florida are $338, but that doesn’t tell the whole story of the real cost to file bankruptcy. Bankruptcy lawyers usually charge between $1,000 and $2,000 to file a chapter 7 case, in addition to the filing fee. Florida Bankruptcy Court Locations Florida, like many larger states, is divided into multiple federal districts: Northern, Middle and Southern. Each district is further subdivided into divisions so that Floridians have relatively easy access to a federal court. Here’s where you may have to file for bankruptcy if you live in Florida. Northern District of Florida Bankruptcy Court Gainesville: 401 SE First Ave., Gainesville, FL 32601, 866-639-4615 Panama City: 30 W. Government St., Panama City, Florida 32401, 866-639-4615 Pensacola: 100 N. Palafox St., Pensacola, FL 32502, 866-639-4615 Tallahassee: 110 East Park Ave., Suite 100, Tallahassee, Florida 32301, 866-639-4615 Middle District of Florida Bankruptcy Court Fort Myers: 2110 First St., Fort Myers, Florida 33901, 813-301-5162, Note: this location does not accept bankruptcy filings Jacksonville: 300 N. Hogan St., Suite 3-150, Jacksonville, Florida 32202, 904-301-6490 Orlando: 400 W. Washington St., Suite 5100, Orlando, FL 32801, 407-237-8000 Tampa: 801 N. Florida Ave., Suite 555, Tampa, Florida 33602, 813-301-5162 Southern District of Florida Bankruptcy Court Miami: 301 N. Miami Ave., Miami, FL 33128, 305-714-1800 Fort Lauderdale: 299 E. Broward Blvd., Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301, 954-769-5700 West Palm Beach: 1515 N. Flagler Drive, West Palm Beach, FL 33401, 561-514-4100