How to File Chapter 7 Online, Step by Step
Filing Chapter 7 without a lawyer follows a clear, repeatable process. Here's the whole path from start to discharge.
Take the credit counseling course
Before filing, you must complete an approved credit counseling course (within 180 days of filing). It's done online in about an hour and usually costs $15–$50 — and may be free if you can't afford it.
Pass the means test
Confirm your income is below your state's median for your household size, or that you don't have enough disposable income to fund a Chapter 13 plan. The software walks you through this calculation.
Gather your financial information
Collect pay stubs, tax returns, bank statements, and a list of debts, assets, income, and expenses. Good records here make everything else faster.
Prepare your forms with the software
Answer plain-English questions and the software assembles your petition, schedules, and statements — the official forms your bankruptcy court requires.
File with the bankruptcy court
Submit your petition to the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for your district and pay the $338 filing fee (or request installments or a waiver). Filing immediately triggers the automatic stay.
Attend the 341 meeting of creditors
About a month after filing, you attend a short meeting (often by phone or video) where the trustee verifies your paperwork. Creditors rarely attend.
Complete the debtor education course
After filing, take a second required course — a financial management / debtor education class — and file the certificate with the court.
Receive your discharge
In a typical no-asset case, the court discharges your qualifying debts roughly 60–90 days after the 341 meeting. That's your fresh start.
Emergency ("skeleton") filing
If you're facing an imminent garnishment, foreclosure sale, or repossession, you can file a bare-bones petition to trigger the automatic stay right away, then submit the remaining schedules within 14 days. This is how Chapter 7 is used to buy time and stop collections fast.