28 U.S.C. § 586(e)How the trustee fee works
A standing Chapter 13 trustee is paid by taking a percentage of all payments disbursed under the plan. The percentage is fixed for each district by the Director of the Executive Office for U.S. Trustees and is capped by statute at 10%. The fee comes off the top of every payment — so on a $450 payment at 9%, about $40 goes to the trustee and $410 flows toward your creditors and attorney.
This matters because the trustee fee effectively raises the cost of everything your plan pays. A higher plan payment, a longer plan, or a higher district percentage all increase the total dollars the trustee collects.
Where the rate comes from. When you pick a district, this calculator loads that district’s actual average percentage fee from the trustee’s FY2025 Audited Annual Report, published by the Executive Office for U.S. Trustees (EOUST data & statistics). Rates currently run from about 5% to the 10% cap; the national median is 8.89%. Figures are an estimate — the fee is collected on amounts actually disbursed and some classes (e.g., certain direct-pay mortgage handling) vary. Confirm the controlling rate with your standing trustee — find them with Who Is My Trustee?