how much do it cost

The costs associated with each chapter will vary.  Costs such as attorney's fees, pre and post-bankruptcy class, and court filing fees should be considered when choosing to file. You should consult a local bankruptcy attorney.  Most bankruptcy attorneys offer a free initial consultations to determine if bankruptcy is appropriate. This is not intended to be legal advice, and is general in its nature. No attorney-client relationship exists or is formed by this information. Furthermore, this does not represent the views or opinions of LexisNexis or its affiliated companies.

The filing fee for a chapter 7 case is $306.  The two mandatory classes will probably total about $80 to $100.  A credit report will be about $25. Lawyer fees vary throughout the country, so you will want to call around.  They generally run between as low as $1000 to $1500 in some parts of the country, but price alone should not determine who you hire.  You are having a court possibly make important decisions about all of your assets and liabilities.  Hire someone who is experienced and actually practices bankruptcy, not just someone who mindlessly files bankruptcy cases.  If the lawyer does not help you figure out if you should even file, and if you should, when the ideal time would be, you should run from their office.  If the lawyer doesn't educate you so you understand what is happening, and why, so you can make your own decisions, you should hire someone else. If the lawyer is adding to your stress, instead of mitigating it, you have the wrong lawyer.  Finally, you should feel comfortable with the lawyer and trust their judgment.