Will the U.S. Trustee Program (USTP) provide guidelines on what constitutes a “reasonable fee”?
The USTP has not set a dollar amount for what constitutes a reasonable fee for the pre-bankruptcy counseling required by the Bankruptcy Abuse Prevention and Consumer Protection Act of 2005. Based on information provided by the industry, we believe this service generally will be available for a fee ranging from free to $50. There are, however, numerous variables that may impact an agency’s fee structure, including geography, types of services, administrative costs, and alternate funding sources. The USTP will give due consideration to these factors and to the fees customarily charged in the industry for similar services in determining the reasonableness of a particular agency’s fees.
