Your household and income
Gather pay information, benefits, self-employment income, household contributions, and the timing of any recent changes. Income details can affect the questions you need to answer before filing.
Self-guided Chapter 7 preparation
Chapter 7 bankruptcy forms, with a clearer path forward.
Petition Pilot helps you turn a long list of Chapter 7 bankruptcy forms into a guided process, so you can prepare your own documents with more confidence and less form-by-form guesswork.
Petition Pilot is document-preparation software, not a law firm.
More than a PDF download
A form is easy to open. Knowing what belongs on it is the hard part.
Chapter 7 is a federal court process with a set of official forms and schedules. Those documents ask for a complete picture of your finances, including income, property, debts, expenses, and recent financial activity. The official forms are available online, but a blank PDF does not tell you how the pieces fit together or help you keep track of what you have already completed.
Petition Pilot is designed for people who are comfortable preparing their own paperwork and want a more structured way to do it. Instead of beginning with a stack of unfamiliar forms, you work through one topic at a time in plain English. Your answers help build the documents you will review before filing.
What you will organize
Chapter 7 forms bring your financial picture into one place.
Everyone's filing is different. These are the main categories many people need to gather and work through before they can review a complete packet.
Your property and accounts
List the things you own or have an interest in, including a home, vehicle, bank accounts, retirement accounts, household goods, and other property that matters to you.
Your debts and creditors
Organize credit cards, medical bills, loans, collection accounts, tax debts, co-signed debts, and any creditor that has sent notices or filed a lawsuit.
Your monthly expenses
Capture the regular costs that make up your day-to-day household budget, such as housing, food, utilities, transportation, insurance, and support obligations.
Prepare before you begin
Start with the records that make the process easier to follow.
You do not need to solve every question before you begin. A simple folder of current documents gives you a dependable starting point and makes it easier to pause and return when you need to find something.
Use the actual paperwork in front of you whenever possible. Estimates can be useful for a first pass, but you should review your information carefully before filing. If a notice, transfer, property issue, or deadline makes you unsure what to do, that is a good moment to ask an attorney for legal advice.
- Income recordsRecent pay stubs, benefit statements, business records, and tax returns can help you describe your household income accurately.
- Debt statementsKeep recent bills, collection letters, loan statements, court papers, and creditor names together so important accounts are less likely to be missed.
- Property detailsHave recent account balances, vehicle information, mortgage statements, lease information, and records for property with a loan or lien nearby.
- Monthly costsA current list of your ordinary household expenses makes it easier to answer budget questions in one sitting.
Use the right resource
Guided preparation is not a substitute for legal advice.
Preparing your own documents may feel appropriate when your circumstances are straightforward and you are comfortable reviewing the filing yourself. A software tool can organize your information and generate documents, but it cannot assess your individual legal rights, protect your interests in court, or tell you what choice is best for your situation.
Consider attorney support if your situation involves a home or car you are trying to keep, a business, a recent lawsuit, wage garnishment, foreclosure or repossession concerns, substantial assets, tax debt, a recent move, or a deadline that leaves little room for error. Independent attorneys can provide advice and representation when you need a legal opinion about your own facts.
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 official court resources close by.
Bankruptcy Pilot can help you organize your document-preparation process. For the current official forms, general Chapter 7 information, and approved course-provider information, use the federal resources below. Your local bankruptcy court can also explain its own filing procedures and requirements.
Common questions
Before you begin Chapter 7 preparation
Can I get Chapter 7 forms online?
Yes. The U.S. Courts publishes official bankruptcy forms online. A form download is only one part of preparing a filing, though. You still need to understand which documents apply, enter complete information, and follow the instructions from the bankruptcy court serving your area.
Does Petition Pilot file my forms with the court?
No. Petition Pilot helps you prepare court-formatted documents. You remain responsible for reviewing them, printing, signing, and filing with the bankruptcy court that serves your area.
How much does Chapter 7 document preparation cost?
Petition Pilot lists Chapter 7 preparation at $150. Court filing fees, required courses, and any other costs are separate. Check with your local bankruptcy court and approved providers for current details.
When should I talk with a bankruptcy attorney instead?
Speak with an attorney when you need legal advice, representation, or help with a complicated situation. That can include questions about a home, vehicle, business, lawsuit, garnishment, recent transfers, tax debt, or an urgent deadline.
Ready when you are
Bring more order to your Chapter 7 paperwork.
Start with guided questions, then review your court-formatted documents at your own pace before you print, sign, and file.