What are the downsides of filing for Chapter 7 without a lawyer?

MoneyWatch: Managing Your Money What are the downsides of filing for Chapter 7 without a lawyer? We may receive commissions from some links to products on this page. Promotions are subject to availability and retailer terms. .chip { background-image: url('/fly/bundles/cbsnewscore/images/chip-bgd/chip-bgd-moneywatch.jpg'); } By Angelica Leicht Angelica Leicht Senior Editor, Managing Your Money Angelica Leicht is the senior editor for the Managing Your Money section for CBSNews.com, where she writes and edits articles on a range of personal finance topics. Angelica previously held editing roles at The Simple Dollar, Interest, HousingWire and other financial publications. Read Full Bio Angelica Leicht April 23, 2026 / 2:05 PM EDT / CBS News Add CBS News on Google Filing for Chapter 7 without legal help can work in simple cases, but for some, the risks outweigh the savings. Getty Images/iStockphoto Personal bankruptcy inquiries have been climbing recently, driven, in large part, by the persistent debt burdens borrowers are facing, along with elevated borrowing rates and the cumulative toll that years of high inflation have had on living costs. But as more Americans turn to bankruptcy as a viable form of debt relief, a growing number are also exploring what's known as "pro se" filing, meaning they're representing themselves in court without an attorney. The appeal of pro se filing is straightforward: Attorney fees for a Chapter 7 case can be steep, especially for someone already in financial distress. But while filing without a lawyer is allowed, it can introduce complications that may not be obvious at the outset. After all, the bankruptcy code is a technically demanding area of federal law, and courts extend little leniency to filers who make procedural mistakes. In turn, it's worth understanding where things can go wrong before deciding to go at your bankruptcy case alone. So, what exactly are the downsides of filing for Chapter 7 without an attorney? Below,...