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Chapter 7 bankruptcy is a federal statutory right. The official forms are free. The wizards below cover the full pro-se Ch7 filing package — Voluntary Petition page 1 (Form 101), Means Test (122A-1), Schedules I/J/A/B/C/D/E/F, Statement of Financial Affairs (107), Statement of Intention (108), and the fee-path forms (103A installments / 103B waiver). Court-ready PDFs in minutes. Free, no signup required.
Page 1 of Form 101 — the debtor caption that appears at the top of every other Ch7 filing. Identity, residence, county, district, prior cases (§ 727 lookback), and fee path with a 180-day venue check.
Calculate your current monthly income from the last 6 months and compare it to your state median. Determines Chapter 7 eligibility under § 707(b).
For filers above their state median. IRS Standards + § 707(b)(2)(A)(ii) deductions + 60-month disposable income test. Determines whether the presumption of abuse arises.
Monthly income disclosure. Paired with Schedule J to prove the household budget; trustees compare both against the means test for disposable-income consistency.
Every current monthly household expense — housing, utilities, food, transportation, insurance, taxes, childcare, debt payments. Paired with Schedule I.
List all property you own: real estate, vehicles, household goods, bank accounts, retirement accounts, and business interests.
Claim property as exempt from the bankruptcy estate. Choose federal or state exemptions and cite the authorizing statute for each asset.
Every creditor: secured (mortgages, car loans), priority unsecured (taxes, support), and general unsecured (credit cards, medical bills).
The trustee-scrutiny disclosure. Prior addresses, 2 years of income, payments to creditors (90d) and insiders (1y), lawsuits, repos, garnishments, transfers (2y fraudulent-transfer window), closed accounts.
Tell the trustee what you plan to do with each piece of secured personal property — reaffirm, redeem, or surrender. Due within 30 days.
Apply to pay the Ch7 ($338) or Ch13 ($313) filing fee in up to 4 installments under FRBP 1006(b)(2). All installments due within 120 days of filing.
Apply to waive the Ch7 filing fee entirely under 28 U.S.C. § 1930(f)(1). Auto-checks eligibility against 2025 HHS Federal Poverty Guidelines (≤ 150% FPL).
The wizards above cover ~95% of a typical no-asset Ch7 filing. Case Pass adds AI Counsel for the edge cases — Form 122A-2 (over-median expense deductions), Form 106Dec declaration, local-court cover sheets, and unlimited follow-up Q&A for one case, 12 months.
Yes. Individuals have the right to represent themselves under 11 U.S.C. § 1654. Most districts have a pro se bankruptcy helpdesk — call your local clerk.
The current filing fee is $338. If your income is below 150% of the federal poverty line, you can apply to waive the fee (Form 103B). Installment payments are also available.
No — but a bankruptcy attorney can prevent costly mistakes. If you have significant assets, ongoing lawsuits, or complex secured debts, an attorney is strongly recommended. For straightforward no-asset cases, many people file successfully pro se.
Chapter 7 discharge eliminates most unsecured debts (credit cards, medical bills, personal loans, deficiency balances). It does not discharge student loans (in most cases), recent taxes, domestic support obligations, or debts from fraud.
Not legal advice. SynthCounsel is not a law firm. Bankruptcy law is federal but has local rules that vary by district — confirm your district’s procedures at uscourts.gov before filing.
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Pay-only-when-you-file: free chat + free wizards. Filings are $9.99/form or $149 Case Pass for one full case (12 months unlimited). No subscription required.