If you are searching for a New York bankruptcy attorney, a good place to start would be to perform a Google search for New York bankruptcy courts. Each individual website lists the filing fees associated with the different chapters of bankruptcy and the general cost you can expect to pay for a New York bankruptcy attorney.

Once you have located a New York bankruptcy attorney to work with, he or she can give you more detailed information about each chapter of bankruptcy so you can decide if one of them is right for you. A Chapter 7 bankruptcy is one in which all eligible debts are discharged and do not have to be repaid. In order to qualify for a Chapter 7, your New York bankruptcy attorney will give you the paperwork for a means test to see if your income falls below the median income for the state of New York. If it does, you can proceed with filing, but if it does not, your New York bankruptcy attorney will recommend that you file a Chapter 13 bankruptcy instead.

A Chapter 13 bankruptcy is also referred to as a reorganization plan, because it gives you three to five years to pay off your creditors with terms that are easier for you to manage. You will work very closely with your attorney and creditors in this type of filing, and the creditors must approve the plan in order for it to be considered valid. There are income guidelines for a Chapter 13 as well, which you attorney will let you know about during your consultation.

Regardless of the type of bankruptcy you file, you will be required to complete debtor education and a personal budgeting class. These requirements were made mandatory when the bankruptcy reform law was passed in October of 2005.