Do I have to be a certain age to file for bankruptcy?

There technically is no age limit or restriction for filing a personal bankruptcy.  You have to be an individual and you have to be in a certain jurisdiction for a certain amount of time.  You don’t have to be an adult, you don’t have to be 18, and you don’t even have to be 15.  There is no age limit.  However, it makes sense if you are not going to be someone who can incur debt or credit unless you are an adult.  Credit card companies are not going to issue credit cards unless you are over 18.  You are not going to be able to enter into a valid contract in most states unless you are 18.  So technically, there is no age limit or restriction.
However, we typically see clients that range from 20 years old to 70 years old, depending on the situation.  The majority of clients are somewhere between those two ages and it is something that we can help with no matter what age you are.  But keep in mind, there is no age restriction, there is no age limit and there is no particular dollar amount that you must be at for a Chapter 7.
If you are thinking of filing a Chapter 7 bankruptcy, I recommend that you hire an experienced attorney who handles bankruptcy on a day to day basis.  I am a member of the American Bankruptcy Institute.  I have over 21 years of experience.  I have spoken and written extensively on the topic and I have counseled more than 10,000 individuals and families with regard to debt.  I am also a certified counselor with regard to the personal financial management class and I go through budgets on a day-to-day basis, going through income and expenses and advising clients on how they can better themselves by making subtle changes to their budget and the way they spend money.
If you are looking to file a bankruptcy, make sure you interview a qualified bankruptcy attorney who will give you advice on which chapter is best and how it all works.  You don’t want to go to an attorney who is going to put you in a chapter that makes the attorney more money.  You want to go to an attorney who’s going to put you in a chapter that helps you.  You can feel confident when you come into my office that you are going to receive a lot of literature on the subject.  You’re going to be able to watch videos.  You’re going to be able to read from prior clients as to how their experience was.