Chapter 7 Bankruptcy Document Checklist: What You'll Need

To file Chapter 7 bankruptcy, you need six months of pay stubs and bank statements, two years of tax returns, a credit counseling certificate, and a 50- to 60-page court packet, plus more records after you file and whatever else your trustee asks for along the way. The checklist explains what you need to complete the Chapter 7 petition, what you must produce after you file, and other items needed during a Chapter 7 case.

Documents Needed To File Chapter 7 Bankruptcy

Here are the primary documents needed to complete Chapter 7 bankruptcy forms and get a Chapter 7 case started:

• six months of paycheck stubs
• six months of bank statements (the trustee will typically want your most recent two months)
• tax returns for the last two years—you'll need both years to complete the paperwork, but only the most recent year goes to the trustee
• current investment and retirement statements (the trustee will typically want your most recent two months)
• current mortgage and car loan statements
• home and car valuations (try Realtor.com or Zillow for your home, and NADA or Kelley Blue Book for your car)
• property list with values (you can group small items, such as clothing, cookware, or bedding)
• repair estimates and photographs for damaged property
• credit card, collection, and other billing statements
• a current credit report (a free copy is available at annualcreditreport.com)
• your driver’s license, state ID, or passport, and your Social Security card (the name on your petition should match your ID exactly)
• a credit counseling completion certificate
• proof of any other income, such as child support, alimony, disability, unemployment, or rental income
• a copy of your lease, if you rent your home
• case numbers and filing dates for any bankruptcy you’ve filed before

You must complete a credit counseling course from an approved agency before you file, and your certificate goes in the petition packet. A few filers qualify for an exception to the counseling requirement, such as active-duty military members in a combat zone. (11 U.S.C. § 109(h).)

Tip. Bring copies to the initial consultation if you plan to hire a bankruptcy attorney. Not only will it help the lawyer size up your case, but getting documents from clients can be like pulling teeth, and showing up prepared makes you a more desirable client.

Chapter 7 Bankruptcy Forms

You’ll use the information in the documents gathered to complete roughly 17 court forms. When filing them, you’ll pay a filing fee or submit a fee waiver or installment request instead. Together, these make up the 50- to 60-page bankruptcy packet you file with your local bankruptcy court, along with your completed credit counseling certificate.

You’ll find the following free fillable, downloadable bankruptcy forms on the U.S. Courts bankruptcy forms webpage:

• B 101 Voluntary Petition for Individuals Filing for Bankruptcy
• B 105 Involuntary Petition Against an Individual
• B 106 Decl Declaration About an Individual Debtor’s Schedules
• B 106 Sum A Summary of Your Assets and Liabilities and Certain Statistical Information
• B 106A/B Schedule A/B: Property
• B 106C Schedule C: The Property You Claim as Exempt
• B 106D Schedule D: Creditors Who Hold Claims Secured By Property
• B 106E/F Schedule E/F: Creditors Who Have Unsecured Claims
• B 106G Schedule G: Executory Contracts and Unexpired Leases
• B 106H Schedule H: Your Codebtors
• B 106I Schedule I: Your Income
• B 106J Schedule J: Your Expenses
• B 107 Your Statement of Financial Affairs for Individuals Filing for Bankruptcy
• B 121 Your Statement About Your Social Security Numbers
• B 108 Statement of Intention for Individuals Filing Under Chapter 7
• B 122A-1 Chapter 7 Statement of Your Current Monthly Income
• B 122A-1Supp Statement of Exemption from Presumption of Abuse Under §707(b)(2) (not always used)
• B 122A-2 Chapter 7 Means Test Calculation (not always used)

You’ll also include a list of your creditors’ names and addresses. Check the local rules on your court’s website for format requirements. If you have secured debt, such as a car loan or mortgage, your Statement of Intention must say whether you plan to keep or surrender that property. (11 U.S.C. § 521(a)(2).)

Forms You'll Only Need in Certain Situations

Most Chapter 7 filers skip these forms, but a few come up on occasion. We’ve included the forms you’d use to request a fee waiver or installment payments. One of these could also apply if your landlord recently started the eviction process, or if your spouse lives in a separate household.

• B 101A Initial Statement About an Eviction Judgment Against You
• B 101B Statement About Payment of an Eviction Judgment Against You
• B 103A Application for Individuals to Pay the Filing Fee in Installments
• B 103B Application to Have the Chapter 7 Filing Fee Waived
• B 106J-2 Schedule J-2: Expenses for Separate Household of Debtor 2
• B 119 Bankruptcy Petition Preparer’s Notice, Declaration and Signature

Learn more about completing bankruptcy forms.

Chapter 7 Bankruptcy Documents Needed After Filing

Once you’ve filed, you need to send the trustee updated proof of your income and bank activity, plus proof that you finished the post-filing debtor education course—a condition of getting your discharge. (11 U.S.C. § 727(a)(11).) Here’s your list:

• 60 days of paycheck stubs or other proof of income received from an employer
• most recently filed tax return (or a tax transcript)
• 60 days of bank statements
• a bank statement showing your account balance on the day you filed (you’ll need to have fully exempted that balance)
• a debtor’s education course completion certificate

These are the documents you’ll need for the 341 meeting. Send them to the Chapter 7 bankruptcy trustee appointed to oversee your case at least seven days before the date set for the 341 meeting of creditors, which is the one hearing every filer has to attend. (11 U.S.C. § 521(e)(2).)

Why Submitting Documents Early Helps Your Case

Getting your paperwork in early helps your case get heard sooner and helps you dodge a continuance. Here’s why.

• You’ll finish sooner. The trustee schedules multiple debtors during the same hour. Some trustees reward early submitters by hearing those cases first and pushing late submitters and complicated matters later in the hour.
• You’ll avoid a continuance. You can clear up most bankruptcy issues with minimal effort, so submit your paperwork early. Fix the problem before the 341 meeting, and you’ll avoid a continuance.

Important. Some states require you to file verification documents with the court. Review the local rules on the court’s website or call the court clerk.

Additional Documents for the Chapter 7 Bankruptcy Trustee

The trustee can ask for other documents reasonably necessary to investigate your filing. (11 U.S.C. § 521(a)(3).)

Here are a few items trustees routinely request:

• additional paycheck stubs and financial statements
• if you own a business, twelve monthly and two yearly profit and loss statements, bank statements, invoices, and copies of any liability insurance policies
• photographs and valuations (try eBay for pricing) of rare, antique, or collectible items
• mortgage and car loan statements showing the current amount owed
• a marital settlement agreement or divorce order
• documentation of any child support or alimony you owe or receive
• records from a previous bankruptcy case, if you’ve filed within the last several years, and
• any other documents reasonably related to your financial affairs.

Child support and alimony are domestic support obligations, and you can’t discharge them in Chapter 7, so the trustee and the court will want a clear record of what you owe or are owed. Be prepared to fill out a form about your support obligations. (11 U.S.C. § 523(a)(5).)

A trustee who continues the meeting to give you time to produce more documents will often cancel the new date once you’ve turned everything in.

FAQ About the Chapter 7 Document Checklist

• What if I can’t find one of the required documents?
• How many months of pay stubs and bank statements do I actually need?
• Do self-employed filers need different documents?

What if I can’t find one of the required documents?

Don’t hold up your filing over a single missing document. Most records have a backup source, so start there before you panic.

Still missing something after checking these sources? Tell your attorney or the trustee which items are outstanding. Trustees work with filers who need extra time to track down old records.

How many months of pay stubs and bank statements do I actually need?

You’ll need six months of paycheck stubs and bank statements to complete your petition, then possibly another 60 days of each after you file to confirm your income and account activity didn’t change before the 341 meeting.

Do self-employed filers need different documents?

Yes. If you’re self-employed, plan on providing profit and loss statements, business bank statements, invoices, and receipts along with your personal financial records, since a pay stub won’t show the trustee what you actually make.

Takeaway: Get Your Chapter 7 Paperwork in Order

Gathering your documents together can take some time, so it’s best to start pulling together your pay stubs, tax returns, bank statements, and credit counseling certificate early. Don’t worry about being overly organized. Your attorney won’t care if you bring them in a shoebox as long as you have them (many people do it just that way). You or your attorney will download your court’s forms and use your documents to complete the petition.