"How much is this going to cost?"
For a lot of bankruptcy callers, it's the first question. Sometimes it's the only one they ask before deciding whether to keep talking. They're calling because they can't pay their bills, and now they're worried they can't afford the way out either.
That fear is real, and intake has to respect it. But intake also can't quote fees on its own or negotiate. Here's how to handle the question honestly and still get the caller to a consult.
Why this question is hard for intake
Bankruptcy fees depend on things intake doesn't know yet. Which chapter fits, how complicated the case is, whether there's a business, whether there are urgent issues like a garnishment. How fees are handled can also differ between Chapter 7 and Chapter 13, and local court rules can affect it.
So a receptionist who says "It's usually around..." is guessing. If the guess is low, the caller feels misled at the consult. If it's high, they hang up and you never hear from them again.
At the same time, dodging the question entirely feels evasive. A caller who hears "I can't discuss that" three times in a row will hang up too.
The answer is a written fee policy and a script that follows it.
Start with a written fee policy
Before you can train intake on fee questions, your attorneys need to decide what intake is allowed to say. Write it down in a few lines. It should answer:
- Can intake share any fee information at all? If yes, exactly what (for example, a published flat fee for a standard case)?
- Is the consult free, and how long is it?
- Does the firm offer payment arrangements, and can intake mention them?
- Who answers detailed fee questions, and when?
- What does intake say when the caller pushes?
Some firms publish flat fees for standard cases and are happy for intake to share them. Others prefer the attorney to discuss fees after reviewing the case. Either approach works. What doesn't work is letting each staff member improvise.
The core script
Here's a script that fits a firm where the attorney discusses fees at the consult. Adapt it to your policy.
"That's a really fair question, and I'm glad you asked it up front. The fee depends on your situation, like which type of bankruptcy fits and how involved your case is. The attorney goes over the cost clearly at the consult, before you commit to anything."
If the firm offers a free consult, say so right away. It's often the thing the caller most needs to hear.
"The consult itself is free, so you can find out exactly what it would cost without paying anything to ask."
If the firm offers payment arrangements and the policy allows intake to mention them:
"A lot of people worry about this. The firm does work with people on how to pay, and the attorney will go over the options with you."
Notice what's missing. No numbers, no "usually," no "don't worry, it's affordable."
When the caller pushes for a number
Some callers won't book without a figure. That's understandable. Try once more, warmly, and then give them a real reason.
"I hear you. I don't want to give you a number that turns out to be wrong for your case. That wouldn't be fair to you. The attorney can give you the actual figure, and if it doesn't work, you've lost nothing."
If your policy allows intake to share a published fee for a standard case, this is where it goes, read exactly as written in the policy, with the caveat that the attorney confirms it.
If they still won't book, don't chase them off the phone. Offer to send the firm's information by text and follow up.
"Would it help if I texted you our info and a couple of times that are open? No pressure, just so you have it."
What intake should never do
- Quote a fee that isn't in the written policy. Even a range.
- Negotiate. "I'm sure the attorney could do it for less" creates a promise you may not keep.
- Compare to other firms. You don't know what other firms charge or include.
- Promise a payment plan unless the policy says intake can.
- Tell the caller they can't afford it. Some people assume they're too broke for bankruptcy. That's the attorney's conversation, not intake's.
Hear the question behind the question
"How much does it cost?" often means something else. Listen for it.
Sometimes it means "Is this even worth it for someone like me?" Then the reassurance that matters is that the consult will answer that.
Sometimes it means "I'm about to lose my paycheck to a garnishment." Then the cost question can wait. The urgency is the story. Capture the dates and escalate. See urgent calls involving garnishment and creditor harassment.
Sometimes it means "I'm calling five firms and picking the cheapest." Then your best tool is speed and clarity. The firm that answers, explains the process clearly and books a time usually wins over the firm that quoted a number and said goodbye.
Don't let fee calls skip the intake
A common mistake is treating fee callers as a separate category. They ask about price, get an answer (or a non-answer) and the call ends. Nobody gets their name, their situation or a consult time.
Every fee question should lead into the intake, not replace it.
"Can I ask a few quick questions about what's going on? That'll help the attorney give you an accurate answer on cost."
That turns a price shopper into a lead with real information attached. For the core questions, see Chapter 7 vs. Chapter 13 intake questions.
Follow up on the ones who don't book
Price-sensitive callers who don't book on the first call aren't lost. They're often comparing. A text the same day with the firm's info, a call the next business day and a couple of light check-ins over the following week keep you in the running. Make sure each touch offers a specific consult time.
For the bigger picture on response time, our speed-to-lead post is a good next read.
Where IntakeGenius fits
When we set up the IntakeGenius AI voice agent for a bankruptcy firm, your fee policy goes into the script. The agent explains how your firm handles fees the way you've approved, never quotes or negotiates on its own, and moves the caller into the intake and a booked consult. IntakeCRM, with SMS built in, keeps the callers who aren't ready yet in front of your team.
If fee questions are ending too many of your calls, let's talk. It's 15 minutes, no slides. More on our bankruptcy page.