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Chapter 7 Filing Requirements

  • Fee. $338 (includes filing fee of $245 + administrative fee of $78 + trustee surcharge of $15). The fee must be paid with a money order or cashier’s check; personal checks and cash are not accepted. Debtors who are individuals may request that the fee be paid in installments or waived by filing the appropriate signed application (Official Form 103A or 103B).
  • Voluntary Petition. (Official Form 101). Unless filed electronically by a registered attorney, the petition must be signed in ink by the debtor (and joint debtor if spouses are filing together). If a petition preparer assisted in preparing the petition and other documents, the preparer must provide the information required on the petition and sign it.
  • Creditor List and Debtor’s Verification of Creditor List (Local Form H1007-2d). Names and addresses of all entities included or to be included on Schedules D, E/F, G and H. Under Local Rule 1007‐2(c), the petition must be accompanied by both a paper copy of the creditor list and an electronic version on digital media (CD, DVD, or USB drive). As an alternative, a creditor list may be created online. Click here to learn more.
  • Statement of Social Security Number (Official Form 121). Must be submitted WITH the petition.
  • Certificate of Credit Counseling. Must be filed with the petition or within 14 days. An individual who is incapacitated or disabled as described in 11 U.S.C. § 109(h)(4) or is on active military duty in a combat zone may request a waiver by filing a separate Motion for Waiver of Credit Counseling Requirement. If the box in Part 5 of the Voluntary Petition is checked certifying that you asked for credit counseling from an approved agency but were unable to obtain the services within 7 days due to “exigent circumstances,” you must file a separate statement explaining what efforts you made to obtain credit counseling, why you were unable to obtain it before filing for bankruptcy, and what were the exigent circumstances.
  • Schedules A/B, C, D, E/F, G, H, I, and J; A Summary of Your Assets and Liabilities and Certain Statistical Information; and Declaration About an Individual Debtor’s Schedules. (Official Forms 106A/B, 106C, 106D, 106E/F, 106G, 106H,106I, 106J, 106Sum, 106Dec). Must be filed with the petition or within 14 days.
  • Statement of Financial Affairs (Official Form 107). Must be filed with the petition or within 14 days.
  • Statement of Intention for Individuals Filing Under Chapter 7 (Official Form 108). Must be filed with the petition or within 30 days.
  • Chapter 7 Statement of Your Current Monthly Income (Official Form 122A-1). Must be filed with the petition or within 14 days.
  • Statement of Exemption from Presumption of Abuse Under § 707(b)(2) (Official Form 122A-1Supp). Must be filed with the petition or within 14 days – if your debts are not primarily consumer debts or because you have qualifying military service for an exemption from a presumption of abuse.
  • Chapter 7 Means Test Calculation (Official Form 122A-2). Must be filed with the petition or within 14 days – if so instructed on line 14b. of your Chapter 7 Statement of Current Monthly Income (Form 122A-1).

*Other forms may apply to your bankruptcy case. The items above are those required in a typical case for an individual or two individuals who are married. Other forms must be used for non-individuals such as corporations and LLCs.