The short answer: it depends on your monthly income and how many dependents you claim.
One of the most difficult things for people planning to file for bankruptcy is finding enough money to pay an attorney to represent them. On top of attorney’s fees, you will have to pay the court a filing fee which is currently $306. That may not seem like a lot of money to some but if you are considering filing for bankruptcy chances are you are carefully watching where every dollar goes.
Fortunately, if you are below 150% of the poverty line you may be eligible for filing fee waiver. You’ll still have to pay your attorney’s fees but at least you can shave off a few hundred dollars off the cost of your bankruptcy.
The amount is determined by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS). Whether you qualify depends on how many people are in your household. The more people in your household, the higher that 150% of the poverty line climbs. The number also depends on which state you live in, although DHHS uses the same numbers for the 48 contiguous and D.C. while Hawaii and Alaska get their own numbers.
At the time of this writing this table shows the maximum monthly income you may have in order to qualify for a fee waiver.
| Persons in family unit | Monthly Income |
|---|---|
| 1 | $1,458.75 |
| 2 | $1,966.25 |
| 3 | $2,473.75 |
| 4 | $2,981.25 |
| 5 | $3,488.75 |
| 6 | $3,996.25 |
| 7 | $4,503.75 |
| 8 | $5,011.25 |
| Each Additional Person | $507.50 |
Links:
- Here is a direct link to the Federal Court’s Table for 150% of poverty.
- You might find NOLO’s article on Fee Waivers to be helpful.
Sean Wood 
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