Income and household
Gather recent pay information, benefits, self-employment records, household contributions, and any expected changes. A clear view of household income helps you work through questions about your regular budget.
Self-guided Chapter 13 preparation
Chapter 13 bankruptcy forms, in a more manageable order.
Petition Pilot helps you organize the information behind a Chapter 13 filing and prepare court-formatted documents to review before you print, sign, and file.
Petition Pilot is document-preparation software, not a law firm.
A filing with a plan
Chapter 13 forms ask for today’s financial picture and a workable path ahead.
Chapter 13 is a federal court process built around a repayment plan. The paperwork asks for a detailed view of your household, income, property, creditors, expenses, and recent financial activity. It also includes information that helps show how regular plan payments may fit into your budget. That can feel like a lot to organize when the forms are the first thing in front of you.
Petition Pilot is designed for people who are comfortable preparing their own documents and want a more structured way to begin. Instead of moving through a long packet form by form, you answer plain-English questions in a practical order. Your answers are organized into court-formatted documents for you to review carefully before filing.
What you will organize
Chapter 13 paperwork connects your debts, budget, and repayment plan.
Every filing is different. These are the main areas many people need to bring together before they can review a complete Chapter 13 document packet.
Property and secured debts
List your home, vehicle, bank accounts, retirement accounts, household goods, and other property, together with loans or liens connected to property you are trying to keep.
Creditors and obligations
Bring together credit cards, medical bills, personal loans, collection notices, tax debts, support obligations, co-signed debts, and court papers so important creditors are not left out.
Expenses and plan payments
Organize ordinary household costs such as housing, food, utilities, transportation, insurance, and support payments. A current budget helps you review the information that shapes a proposed plan.
Prepare before you begin
Build a record folder that makes the next question easier to answer.
You do not need to know every answer before you open a guided workflow. A folder of current records gives you a dependable place to start, helps you avoid relying on memory, and makes it easier to pause when you need to look up a detail.
Use actual statements and notices whenever you can. Estimates can be useful while you are getting organized, but the papers you file need a careful review. If you are unsure how a mortgage, vehicle loan, lawsuit, transfer, tax debt, deadline, or change in income affects your options, pause and seek legal advice.
- Income recordsRecent pay stubs, benefit statements, business records, tax returns, and information about expected income changes can help you describe your household income.
- Debt statementsKeep current bills, loan statements, collection letters, court papers, and creditor names and addresses in one place.
- Property detailsHave account balances, vehicle information, mortgage statements, lease records, and documents for property with a loan or lien nearby.
- Monthly costsA current list of housing, utilities, food, transportation, insurance, and support costs makes budget questions easier to review.
A closer look at the paperwork
Chapter 13 documents need a current picture and a plan you can follow.
The court and trustee need complete information, and local rules can add requirements. Keeping these four areas separate while you gather records can make a complicated packet easier to review.
The goal is not to rush through the forms. It is to give yourself enough room to compare your answers with the records in front of you, notice information that has changed, and get qualified help when a legal question needs an individual answer.
The repayment plan
Chapter 13 includes a proposed plan for regular payments. The plan is an important filing document, not just a personal budget. Review the version and local instructions used by the bankruptcy court serving your area.
Income and expenses
Income, household contributions, and ordinary expenses all matter when you are describing your financial situation. Keep current records nearby and take time to check numbers that have changed since a statement was issued.
Property and loans
Details about property and debts secured by property deserve extra care. Bring together mortgage statements, vehicle loan information, account balances, insurance records, and any notices that affect property you hope to keep.
Local court requirements
Federal forms are only part of the picture. Your local bankruptcy court may have its own procedures, plan form, deadlines, or filing instructions. Use the court’s current guidance before you submit anything.
Choose the support that fits
Document preparation and legal advice solve different problems.
Self-guided preparation can be a practical option when you are comfortable reviewing your own paperwork and understand that you remain responsible for the filing. Petition Pilot can help organize information and prepare documents, but it cannot decide which legal option is right for you, explain how rules apply to your facts, or represent you in court.
Attorney support may be the better choice when you are trying to keep a home or vehicle, facing foreclosure, repossession, a garnishment, or a lawsuit, or when your finances include a business, tax debt, substantial assets, recent transfers, or an urgent deadline. An independent attorney can give advice and representation based on your circumstances.
Prepare your own documents
Use Petition Pilot when self-guided preparation fits your situation and you are ready to review, print, sign, and file your own court documents.
Open Petition PilotTalk with an attorney
Request a conversation with an independent bankruptcy attorney or law firm that may serve your area when you need legal advice or representation.
Request a consultationOfficial information
Keep court resources and local requirements close by.
Bankruptcy Pilot can help you organize your document-preparation process. For current official forms, Chapter 13 basics, and approved course-provider information, use the federal resources below. Your local bankruptcy court can explain the local forms, filing procedures, and requirements that apply where you live.
Common questions
Before you begin Chapter 13 preparation
Can I get Chapter 13 forms online?
Yes. The U.S. Courts publishes official bankruptcy forms online. A Chapter 13 filing can also involve local court forms and a local plan form, so check the court serving your area before you file. A download is only the starting point, because every answer still needs to be complete and accurate for your own situation.
What forms are used in a Chapter 13 case?
Individual filers generally use a petition, schedules, a statement of financial affairs, income and expense forms, and Chapter 13 means-test forms when they apply. A proposed repayment plan is also central to a Chapter 13 case. The exact forms and local requirements can vary, so use the official forms and instructions from your bankruptcy court.
Does Petition Pilot file my Chapter 13 forms?
No. Petition Pilot helps you prepare court-formatted documents. You are responsible for reviewing them, printing, signing, and filing them with the bankruptcy court that serves your area.
When should I speak with a bankruptcy attorney?
Speak with an attorney when you need legal advice or representation, especially if you are trying to keep a home or vehicle, dealing with a lawsuit, foreclosure, repossession, tax debt, a business, recent transfers, or a deadline. A licensed attorney can advise you based on your specific circumstances.
Ready when you are
Bring more order to your Chapter 13 paperwork.
Start with guided questions, then review your court-formatted documents at your own pace before you print, sign, and file.