Every client asks that question.  My friend Susanne Robicsek walked her readers through the timeline of a Chapter 7. But the real gating issue is “how long will it take you to get your attorney all the needed information”.

It is getting the raw information to us that is the real slow down in most cases.  Cases lag when the client fills out as much of our questionnaire as they find convenient;  provides most of the paystubs; promises the tax return; and has to search for information on the insurance policy.  We hustle to get the schedules done, and the client then doesn’t have all the necessary funds to finish paying us.

As Susanne describes, once filed, a Chapter 7 marches fairly predictably to discharge.  The time required for the debtor to empower the attorney with a full deck of cards is unknowable, to the attorney, and  within the control of the client.