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Bankruptcy Forms for the
Florida Northern District Bankruptcy Court
This page begins with a discussion of forms required, generally, for any bankruptcy.
For forms specific to the the Florida Northern District Bankruptcy Court, click here.
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Mobile & Fairhope AL, Pensacola & Ft. Walton Beach FL
Where to get forms for free
Your local court website will have a links to free copies of downloadable PDF files s of the federal and local forms.
The main site for federal foms can be found at http://www.uscourts.gov/bkforms/bankruptcy_forms.html#official
You can find "fillable" versions of these forms at http://www.usdoj.gov/ust/eo/bapcpa/defs/index.htm#samp.
See also: What are fillable forms?
Does the court supply instructions with the forms?
Generally, no. Most forms do not come with instructions, and that's a shame. Much of the lingo used on these forms is difficult for non-lawyers to decipher.
Before the enactment of the new law, instructions were provided with most forms. Since the new law was passed, court websites have removed the instructions they used to provide, saying they are "under revision". This is unfortunate as most of the forms have not changed significantly, and the old instructions re more helpful than no instructions at all.
For up to date instructions, you can buy Nolo's book, How to File for
Chapter 7 Bankruptcy, for less than $30 (Nolo
:: Powell's :: B&N :: Amazon
What is PDF?
PDF stands for "Portable Document Format" which is a format created by the Adobe company and supported by their free Acrobat Reader. (Other companies also produce software that can create and read PDF files.)
PDF is also the format that lawyers use electronic filing.
See also, Where can I download Acrobat Reader?
What are "fillable" PDF forms?
The standard forms provided by most US Bankruptcy Courts are not "fillable" PDFs forms. All you can do is print the blank forms and fill them in by hand with a pen or typewriter. (A what?).
Your court is happy exeption. It provides links to forms which of the fillable variety. Unfortunately, if you are using the free Acrobat Reader, you cannot save the information you have typed into these fillable forms. (If you own the full version of Adobe Acrobat -- which costs several hundred dollars -- you can save the info you have typed, and return to the form later.)
Fortunately, there are several, free or low-cost software tools for saving fillable PDFs. Some of these low cost products are rather bare-bones, when it comes to interface, but they work. That is, they do provide the option of saving the information you have typed.
Where can I find fillable PDF forms for free?
Fillable PDF forms allow you to type your answers into the forms.
Fortunately for you the Florida Northern District Bankruptcy Court is one of the few courts in the nation that provdes PDF bankruptcy forms that are of the fillable variety. Simply go to your court's website, where they list the forms, and you'll find fillable versions of the standard forms. Unfortunately, if you are using the free Acrobat Reader, you cannot save the information you have typed into these fillable forms. (If you own the full version of Adobe Acrobat -- which costs several hundred dollars -- you can save the info you have typed, and return to the form later.)
However, in a less obvious place, the US Trustee's Office also publishes fillable PDF versions of the Bankruptcy Forms. These fillable forms allow you to type your answers into the forms.
Where can I download Acrobat Reader?
Most courts inlcude a link for downloading the free Adobe Acrobat reader. You can download it here. (http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readstep2.html)
If you are using fillable PDF forms, you may also want to get a free or low-cost tool for saving what you have typed into your form.
See, Free or low-cost tools for saving fillable PDFs.
Free
or low-cost tools for saving what you type in fillable PDFs
All official bankruptcy forms are available PDF forms, and fillable versions of the forms are available.
Unfortunately, the free Adobe Reader does not allow you to save the information you type in to fillable PDF forms. The full commercial version of Adobe Acrobat allows its users to save a PDF and the form field answers will remain entered within the form's fields. Users of the full version of Acrobat can save a form and its answers, close the form, and then return later to complete unanswered or incorrectly answered fields.
Adobe Acrobat ($299) (full program) which can be found at: www.adobe.com/acrofamily/main.htm
The following products let you actually save the data in your PDF file as fields.
PDFill, ($19.95) which can be found at: http://PDFill.com
CutePDF Filler, ($29.95) which can be found at: http://www.acrosoftware.com/Products/CutePDF/Filler.asp
FyTek PDF File Save, (free, recommended) which can
be found at: http://www.fytek.com/products.php?pg=pdffilesave
This
product allows Acrobat Reader users to save the content
of completed forms using a work-around. Read the documentation that comes
with this product to learn how to use it.
Other, products let you "print" to a PDF file but do not act as form-fillers:
pdfFactory, ($49.95) which can be found at: http://www.fineprint.com/products/pdffactory/index.html
pdf995, ($19.95) which can be found at: http://www.pdf995.com/
For Mac Users
A helpful LegalConsumer user sent along the following message about form-handling tools available for Mac users. We have not tested all of these options, but have no reason to assume they are inaccurate. As always, feel free email if you spot something that is incorrect.
---------------------------
I couldn't help but notice that the tools listed don't include any options for those of us who are using Macs instead of PC's. Since I recently had to find out this information for myself, I wanted to send a summary in the hopes that you will find it useful and can add this information to your website.
Adobe's products are available for OS X as well as Windows. I believe that the prices are probably similar -- this is the one option I didn't really look into.
Apple's OS X has some good built-in functionality for dealing with pdf files, including the ability to save any printable output to a file in pdf format using an option available from a button on the lower left of the print dialog box. The print dialog box is used whenever the print command is used, from any application on the system, so a filled-in form can be intercepted via the print dialog box and saved to a pdf format file, instead.
There is also software for viewing pdf files, called "Preview". It will allow you to view files, fill in forms if they are set up as fillable versions, but sometimes there are incompatibilities -- for example, some of the currently available fill-in forms have 3 buttons at the bottom for "print" "save" and "clear", which appear to be able to be activated when clicked on, but they don't actually do what the label indicates they are going to do. I assume that when used on a PC, they work, but it could be that these are still works in progress. Preview will allow you to annotate a non-fillable pdf form with text that is overlaid, but it is not particularly easy to use this feature, and there are some good shareware programs available that make this process a whole lot easier to do.
Here is a list of the shareware applications that I looked at and my impressions of them:
PDF Pen and PDF Pen Pro by Smile On My Mac
PDF Pen is $49.95 and can be used to fill in pdf forms, save them, print them etc.
PDF Pen Pro is $94.95, and can be used for all the above, plus you can create pdf files, including fill-in forms, that can be used on any platform.
The Pro version probably is unnecessary for most of your readers but it does contain some nice features and it is less costly than Acrobat. Both of these products appear to be very polished, professional and full featured applications. The main reason I personally chose a different product in the end was because I did not feel I could afford even as little as $30 extra for software, even though it was clear that I was going to have to find something to make the process of dealing with the forms a little easier, especially since, when I first started looking into this, the fill-in forms had not yet been made available.
FormMate by White Wolf Software (www.whitewolf.com) is a reasonable option if all you're going to do is fill in the forms, print them and sign them. It costs $20, and is easier to use than the other similar products I looked at. Plus, it will let you save frequently used items -- such as your name, for example -- which has turned out to be useful. In addition to my name, I have saved a text item that inserts an "X", another with "N/A", and so forth. My only complaint is that I don't think that the font size of the text that is inserted can be changed, but the size that is used is reasonable for filling in the documents.
These shareware applications can be downloaded from the author's websites as listed, and activated from the menu within the application. In all cases, a free trial is an option, but the demo product is limited in that it prints a watermark onto any document until a registration key is purchased and entered, so it can't be used except as a demo until it is unlocked with the reg. key.
There are a couple of other shareware packages available also, but they did not end up being particularly memorable, in my opinion, and so I have not included them here.
I hope this info will be useful to you and that you will add it for the many folks who use Macs. I appreciate the effort that has obviously gone into setting up this website. It's a good resource & I'm pleased to see things like this becoming available. There should be more people like you, committed to helping empower people with enough legal knowledge to act on their own behalf.
- CL,
LegalConsumer user
------------------
Thanks for the info for Mac users, and the kind words, CL,
editor,
LegalConsumer.com
Glossary
of Bankruptcy Terminology
The U.S. Federal Bankruptcy Courts website, offers a fairly decent, plain-English glossary of bankruptcy terminology which can be helpful when reading local rules and forms.
How
to get copies of your filed tax returns.
From the IRS website:
If you need an exact copy of a previously filed and processed return and all attachments (including Form W-2 (PDF)), you must complete Form 4506 (PDF), Request for Copy of Tax Return and mail it to the IRS address in the instructions along with a $39 fee for each tax year requested. Copies are generally available for returns filed in the current and past 6 years.
In cases where an exact copy of the return is not needed, tax return and transcripts may be ordered. The tax return transcript shows most line items contained on the return as it was originally filed, including any accompanying forms and schedules. In most cases, a tax return transcript will meet the requirements for lending institutions for mortgage verification purposes.
The transcript can be ordered by completing a Form 4506-T (PDF) or calling (800) 829-1040 and following the prompts in the recorded message. There is no charge for the transcript and you should receive it in 10 business days from the time the IRS receives your request. Tax return transcripts are generally available for the current and past three years. If you need a statement of your tax account which shows changes that you or the IRS made after the original return was filed, you must request a "Tax Account Transcript". This transcript shows basic data including marital status, type of return filed, adjusted gross income, taxable income, payments and adjustments made on your account. Tax return and account transcripts are generally available for the current and past 3 years.
Form 4506-T (PDF) can also be used to get proof from the IRS that you did not file a tax return for a particular tax year.
Forms can be downloaded at Forms & Pubs or ordered by calling (800) 829-3676.
Required forms & fees
Each court has its own local rules, but the basic bankruptcy consists of the forms you see listed below, plus any additional forms your local court may require.
Timeliness note: Always check that the date on the form you're using is the date of the form your court currently requires -- or will require in the future, on the date you're planning to file. Each form has a a month and year in the upper right corner.
Sometimes forms are updated and change several times during a year, and other times there may be no changes for a year or more. We make every effort to keep the links on this page up to date, but it's essential that you confirm with your local court that you are using what they consider to be the current version of all forms.
Basic Forms You Will Need
The information below is based on an uncommonly clear and helpful chart from the Federal Bankruptcy Court of the Western District of Wisconsin. These are the basic requirements for any Chapter 7 bankruptcy.
The Florida Northern District Bankruptcy Court may have additional requirements.
|
Chapter 13 filings require slightly different forms.
Additional
Local
Forms Required by the Florida Northern District Bankruptcy Court
Every local bankruptcy court has one or more additional special forms that you must file when you file the standard set of bankruptcy forms. All courts have special local requirements for the "mailing matrix" of the names and addresses of your creditors. Every court publishes very specific rules about how this list must be formatted so that the court can scan it into its computer system. Check your court's website (Florida Northern District Bankruptcy Court) to find out its mailing matrix requirements, as well as other required forms. Such requirements are typically found in a list of local rules.
If you're lucky, your court may publish a special procedural guide specifically for debtors who are filing without a lawyer. Most courts, however, don't offer this kind of assistance.
- Local forms and local rules can be obtained by clicking here
Local forms you're likely to need
Each district court has its own preferred format for the mailing matrix -- a list of of creditors that you must supply when you file, formatted in a certain way so that the court can scan it.
Matrix requirements can be found in the local rules or sometimes a separate instruction sheet available on the website.
Your court may also have a local requirements regarding any reaffirmation agreement you make with a creditor. Courts review such agreements closely to make sure the creditor is not ripping you off and that one creditor is not benefiting at the expense of others.
Other Useful Forms
Request for Transcript of Tax Return (IRS 4506-T)
Glossary of Bankruptcy Terminology
The U.S. Federal Bankruptcy Courts website offers a fairly decent, plain-English glossary of bankruptcy terminology, which can be helpful when reading local rules and forms.
Getting help with forms and filing
Instructions are harder to come by than they used to be. The official U.S. Court website offers no instructions with these forms, other except a link to the congressional committee reports that were written at the time the forms were created. These are not step-by-step instructions, but rather a broad description of the purpose of each form.
Books that provide instructions for filling in official forms
The legal publisher Nolo publishes a comprehensive bankruptcy form instruction book (which I co-author). This book takes you through each form, line by line, explains what the terminology means, and provides examples. It also alerts you to situations that may require more help.
Bankruptcy Software
There are several software products designed for lawyers that will prepare full sets of bankruptcy forms, but these programs assume you already know bankruptcy law and are designed for filing multiple bankruptcies. In short, they're not appropriate for first-time bankruptcy filers.
There are also a few packages purportedly offered for consumers. Proceed with caution. Some of these packages are little more than PDF versions of the forms, which are are available free from the courts themselves.
If you are not a lawyer, the only value of these products would depend on the quality of the instructions they provide. You'll need instructions on how to complete each form, as well as a good understanding of how each form fits into the larger process of filing for bankruptcy.
A relative newcomer to online bankruptcy form preparation is a service geared toward self-helpers, called BKParaDox. It has licensed the Nolo bankruptcy book to be used as a resource in conjunction with their online bankruptcy form filling tools. One unique aspect to their product is that they've got an agreement with LegalHelpers, promising to credit the cost of the online form preparation service if, after you've started, you decide you'd rather turn over your case to a lawyer retained via LegalHelpers.
Bankruptcy Lawyers
See Bankruptcy Lawyers
Bankruptcy Petition Preparers (BPP)
Bankruptcy Petition Preparers (BPPs) are nonlawyers who offer help in filling in the forms. The latest revision of the bankruptcy laws formally recognized these services as legitimate, but also imposed severe restrictions on what they can charge and scope of the services they can perform.
What BPPs Can't Do
Lawyers have jealously guarded their turf when it comes to bankruptcy. Lawyers already lost this battle in the area of tax preparation. Today, non-lawyer tax preparers openly advertise the good advice they can give you in addition to completing your forms. BPPs can do no such thing when it comes to bankruptcy forms.
Under the new bankruptcy law, BPPs must give debtors a form that lists all the things BPPs can't do (form 19B), and all the topics they can't discuss -- basically anything that might be characterized as legal advice. Thus, the sort of tips that tax preparers commonly give to people when preparing their taxes, BPPs can't give when bankruptcy forms. (Some believe this raises profound First Amendment and restraint of trade issues.)
How to File For Chapter 7 Bankruptcy (HFB book) will not give you specific advice, either, but it does discuss important facts to consider in making the kinds of decisions listed the following table:
| What BPPs can't do (language of Form B 19) | Plain English | Where topic is covered in HFB Book. |
| I am forbidden to offer you any legal advice, including advice about any of the following: |
||
| • whether to file a petition under the Bankruptcy Code (11 U.S.C. § 101 et seq.); | Whether you should file for bankruptcy | Ch. 1 (free sample chapter) |
| • whether commencing a case under chapter 7, 11, 12, or 13 is appropriate; | What kind of bankruptcy you should file for | Ch. 1 (free sample chapter) |
| • whether your debts will be eliminated or discharged in a case under the Bankruptcy Code; | Which debts are non-dischargeable, secured, etc. | Ch's. 9, 5 |
| • whether you will be able to retain your home, car,
or other property after commencing a case under the Bankruptcy Code; |
Whether you'll lose your house, car, or other property | Chs. 3, 4, 5 |
| • concerning the tax consequences of a case brought under the Bankruptcy Code; | Tax consequences | Not covered |
| • concerning the dischargeability of tax claims; | Whether or not your tax debts will be wiped out | Ch. 9 |
| • whether you may or should promise to repay debts
to a creditor or enter into a reaffirmation agreement with a creditor to reaffirm a debt; |
Which secured loans are worth hanging onto, versus other options (e.g. surrendering property) | Ch. 5 |
| • concerning how to characterize the nature of your interests in property or your debts; or | Whether property is exempt or into which exemption category a particular item fits |
Ch. 3, 4 |
| • concerning bankruptcy procedures and rights. |
What happens in bankruptcy; what are your rights | Whole book |
List of Downloadable Federal Bankruptcy Forms
Free PDF Downloads
The links below connect you to forms provided by the US Court system. All bankruptcy forms available for free as Adobe Acrobat (PDF) forms.
Finding Instructions for the Forms
Official instructions for most of the revised Official
Bankruptcy Forms are not available because they are "under
revision." It has been many months since these new forms
were first published and there's no word on when the instructions
will be available. Links to the revised instructions will be
posted here as they are available. The only instructional text
posted are the committee notes from the congressional committees
that wrote the law creating these forms.
The basic forms that get things underway.B l Voluntary Petition (1/08) |
| B 2 Declaration under Penalty of Perjury on Behalf of a Corporation or Partnership (6/90) Form | Instructions | Committee Notes |
| B 3A Application and Order to Pay Filing Fee in Installments (12/07) Form | Instructions | Committee Notes |
| B 3B Application for Waiver of Chapter 7 Filing Fee (12/07) Form | Instructions | Committee Notes |
| B 4 List of Creditors Holding 20 Largest Unsecured Claims (12/07) Form | Instructions | Committee Notes |
| B 5 Involuntary Petition (12/07) (not applicable, this is if someone is forcing you into bankruptcy) Form | Instructions | Committee Notes |
The Schedules:Where you list- all your stuff,- all you owe, and- whom you owe it to- how you'd like to handle your secured debts (auto, home, etc.)B6 Cover Sheet for Schedules (12/07) |
| B6 Summary of Schedules (Includes Statistical Summary of Certain Liabilities)(12/07) |
Your stuff:6A Schedule A - Real Property (12/07)Form | Instructions | Committee Notes (6A-J) |
| B 6B Schedule B - Personal Property (12/07) Form | Instructions Exemptions |
| B 6C Schedule C - Property Claimed as Exempt (12/07) Form | Instructions Secured Debts |
| B 6D Schedule D - Creditors Holding Secured Claims (12/07) Form | Instructions Unsecured Debts |
| B 6E Schedule E - Creditors Holding Unsecured Priority Claims (12/07) Form | Instructions |
| B 6F Schedule F - Creditors Holding Unsecured Nonpriority Claims (12/07) Form | Instructions Contracts & Leases |
| B 6G Schedule G - Executory Contracts and Unexpired Leases (12/07) Form | Instructions Codebtors |
| B 6H Schedule H - Codebtors (12/07) Form | Instructions Your income & expseses |
| B 6I Schedule I - Current Income of Individual Debtor(s) (12/07) Form | Instructions |
| B 6J Schedule J- Current Expenditures of Individual Debtor(s) (12/07) Form | Instructions |
| B 6 Declaration Concerning Debtor's Schedules (12/07) Form | Instructions Your debts... |
| B 7 Statement of Financial Affairs (12/07) Form | Instructions | Committee Notes |
.. and how you'd like to handle your secured debts (auto, etc.)B 8 Chapter 7 Individual Debtor's Statement of Intention (12/08)Form | Instructions | Committee Notes |
9 Notice of Commencement of Case under the Bankruptcy Code, Meeting of Creditors, and Deadlines (09/97) Form | Instructions | Committee Notes (9A-I) |
| B9A Chapter 7 Individual or Joint Debtor No Asset Case (12/07) Form | Instructions |
| B9B Chapter 7 Corporation/Partnership No Asset Case (12/07) Form | Instructions |
| B9C Chapter 7 Individual or Joint Debtor Asset Case (12/07) Form | Instructions |
| B9D Chapter 7 Corporation/Partnership Asset Case (12/07) Form | Instructions |
| B9E Chapter 11 Individual or Joint Debtor Case (12/07) Form | Instructions |
| B9E(Alt.) Chapter 11 Individual or Joint Debtor Case (12/07) Form | Instructions |
| B9F Chapter 11 Corporation/Partnership Case (12/07) Form | Instructions |
| B9F(Alt.) Chapter 11 Corporation/Partnership Case (12/07) Form | Instructions |
| B9G Chapter 12 Individual or Joint Debtor Family Farmer (12/07) Form | Instructions |
| B9H Chapter 12 Corporation/Partnership Family Farmer (12/07) Form | Instructions Chapter 13 Forms |
| B9I Chapter 13 Case (12/07) Form | Instructions |
| B 10 Proof Of Claim (12/08) Form | Instructions | Committee Notes |
| B 11A General Power of Attorney (06/90) Form | Instructions | Committee Notes |
| B 11B Special Power of Attorney (06/90) Form | Instructions | Committee Notes |
| B 12 Order and Notice for Hearing on Disclosure Statement (12/03) Form | Instructions | Committee Notes |
| B 13 Order Approving Disclosure Statement and Fixing Time for Filing Acceptances or Rejections of Plan, Combined with Notice Thereof (12/03) Form | Instructions | Committee Notes |
| B 14 Ballot for Accepting or Rejecting Plan (12/03) Form | Instructions | Committee Notes |
| B 15 Order Confirming Plan (12/01) Form | Instructions | Committee Notes |
| B 16A Caption (12/07) Form | Instructions | Committee Notes |
| B 16B Caption (Short Title) (12/94) Form | Instructions | Committee Notes |
| B 16C [Abrogated] (12/03) Form | Committee Notes |
| B 16D Caption for Use in Adversary Proceeding other than for a Complaint Filed by a Debtor (12/04) Form | Instructions | Committee Notes |
| B 17 Notice of Appeal under 28 U.S.C. §158(a) or (b) from a Judgment, Order or Decree of a Bankruptcy Court (12/04) Form | Instructions | Committee Notes |
| B 18 Discharge of Debtor (12/07) Form | Instructions | Committee Notes |
| B 19 Declaration and Signature of Non-Attorney Bankruptcy Petition Preparer (12/07) Form | Instructions | Committee Notes |
| B 20A Notice of Motion or Objection (12/03) Form | Instructions | Committee Notes (20A-B) |
| B 20B Notice of Objection to Claim (12/03) Form | Instructions |
| B 21 Statement of Social Security Number (12/07) Form | Instructions | Committee Notes |
The means testChapter 7
B 22A Statement of Current Monthly Income and Means Test Calculation (Chapter 7)(12/08) |
Chapter 11B 22B Statement of Current Monthly Income (Chapter 11) (1/08)Form | Instructions Chapter 13 |
| B 22C Statement of Current Monthly Income and Calculation of Commitment Period and Disposable Income (Chapter 13) (1/08) Form | Instructions |
B 23 Debtor's Certification of Completion of Instructional Course Concerning Financial Management (12/08) Form | Instructions | Committee Notes |
B 24 Certification to Court of Appeals (12/07) Form | Instructions | Committee Notes |
Other Forms |
| B 200 Required Lists, Schedules, Statements and Fees (12/08) Form | Instructions |
| B 201 Notice to Individual Consumer Debtor (12/08) Form | Instructions |
| B 202 Statement of Military Service (08/07) Form |
| B 203 Disclosure of Compensation of Attorney for Debtor (12/94) Form | Instructions |
| B 204 Notice of Need to File Proof of Claim Due to Recovery of Assets (08/07) Form | Instructions |
| B 205 Notice to Creditors and Other Parties in Interest (08/07) Form | Instructions |
| B 206 Certificate of Commencement of Case (08/07) Form | Instructions |
| B 207 Certificate of Retention of Debtor In Possession (08/07) Form | Instructions |
| B 210 Notice of Transfer of Claim Other Than for Security (10/06) Form | Instructions |
| B 230A Order Confirming Chapter 12 Plan (08/07) Form | Instructions |
| B 230B Order Confirming Chapter 13 Plan (08/07) Form | Instructions |
| B 231A Order Fixing Time to Object to Proposed Modification of Confirmed Chapter 12 Plan (08/07) Form | Instructions |
| B 231B Order Fixing Time to Object to Proposed Modification of Confirmed Chapter 13 Plan (08/07) Form | Instructions |
| B 240A Reaffirmation Agreement (01/07) Form |
| B 240B Order on Reaffirmation Agreement (01/07) Form |
| B 250A Summons in an Adversary Proceeding (08/96) Form | Instructions |
| B 250B Summons and Notice of Pretrial Conference in an Adversary Proceeding (08/96) Form | Instructions |
| B 250C Summons and Notice of Trial in an Adversary Proceeding (08/96) Form | Instructions |
| B 250D Third-Party Summons (08/96) Form | Instructions |
| B 250E Summons to Debtor in Involuntary Case (06/91) Form | Instructions |
| B 253 Order for Relief in an Involuntary Case (08/07) Form | Instructions |
| B 254 Subpoena for Rule 2004 Examination (12/07) Form | Instructions |
| B 255 Subpoena in an Adversary Proceeding (12/07) Form | Instructions |
| B 256 Subpoena in a Case Under the Bankruptcy Code (12/07) Form | Instructions |
| B 260 Entry of Default (01/96) Form | Instructions |
| B 261A Judgment by Default (08/96) Form | Instructions |
| B 261B Judgment by Default (08/96) Form | Instructions |
| B 262 Notice of Entry of Judgment (01/88) Form | Instructions |
| B 263 Bill of Costs (09/94) Form | Instructions |
| B 264 Writ of Execution to the United States Marshal (01/96) Form | Instructions |
| B 265 Certification of Judgment for Registration in Another District (08/96) Form | Instructions |
| B 270 Notice of Filing of Final Report of Trustee, of Hearing on Applications for Compensation [and of Hearing on Abandonment of Property by the Trustee] (08/07) Form | Instructions |
| B 271 Final Decree (08/06) Form | Instructions |
| B 280 Disclosure of Compensation of Bankruptcy Petition Preparer (10/05) Form | Instructions |
| B 281 Appearance of Child Support Creditor or Representative (08/06) Form | Instructions |
| B 283 Chapter 13 Debtor's Certifications Regarding Domestic Support Obligations and Section 522(q) (12/08) Form | Instructions |
The links above connect you to forms provided by the US Court system. Additional forms can be found there.
Help Topics
- Where to get forms for free
- Does the court supply instructions with the forms?
- What is PDF?
- What are "fillable" PDF forms?
- Where can I find fillable PDF forms for free?
- Where can I download Acrobat Reader?
- Free or low-cost tools for saving fillable PDFs
- Bankruptcy forms glossary
- How to get copies of your filed tax returns
Step-by-Step Instructions for Bankruptcy Forms
When the court won't help you, Nolo will!
Courts provide free bankruptcy forms, but good luck asking for help filling them out. Most court clerks will say they can't help you -- because that would be "practicing law."
Go figure. The government will help you fill out tax forms (it offers comprehensive instructions and free phone help for that), but prohibits court staff from giving instructions for completing bankruptcy forms. If you think this makes no sense, you're right.
Fortunately, for less than $30, you can
buy Nolo's
How
to File for Chapter 7 Bankruptcy - (16th Ed. 2009).
Buy now: Nolo
(publisher) ::
For 20 years, this book has helped thousands of debtors navigate the confusing maze of rules involved in filing for bankruptcy. The 16th edition covers the requirements added by the new bankruptcy law, and guides you step-by-step, line by line, through each of the official forms required to file for Chapter 7 bankruptcy.
You'll find:
- filled-in samples
- plain-English explanations of legal terminology, and
- examples of common scenarios.
Available @ Nolo
(publisher)
Chapter 6. Complete and File Your Bankruptcy Paperwork
Gather the Necessary Documents
Get Some Information From the Court
For Married Filers
Required Forms and Documents
Form 1 -- Voluntary Petition
Form 6 -- Schedules
Form 7 -- Statement of Financial Affairs
Form 8 -- Chapter 7 Individual Debtor's Statement of Intention
Form 21 -- Statement of Social Security Number
Form 22A -- Statement of Current Monthly Income and Means Test Calculation
Form B201: Notice to Individual Consumer Debtor Under § 342(b) of the Bankruptcy Code
Mailing Matrix
How to File Your Papers
After You File
Chapter 7. Handling Your Case in Court
Routine Bankruptcy Procedures
Amending Your Bankruptcy Papers
Filing a Change of Address
Special Problems
Table of Contents
Buy now: Nolo (publisher) ::
Chapter 13 Bankruptcy:
Keep Your Property & Repay Your Debts Over Time
(9th ed, 2008)
In Paperback and eBook (Adobe Reader)
Pub. Date: Nov 2008
Edition: 9th
Pages: 496 pp
ISBN: 9781413308556
Forms: 29 forms
Buy now: Nolo
(publisher) :: Powell's :: Amazon
Press Reviews
| "In Nolo’s usual thorough fashion, here is a guide to an alternative to the typical Chapter 7 Bankruptcy."
Orange County Register |
| "An excellent book that can guide you through the [Chapter 13] process."
Forbes Magazine |
| "Chapter 13 Bankruptcy will save you a fortune in attorney fees and confusion."
The Midwest Book Review |
| "This is the best book going if you choose to file alone or if you want background on the Chapter 13 process."
Attorney Gary Klein,
co-author of Consumer Bankruptcy Law and Practice |
| "An excellent resource..."
Consumers Digest |
| "Contains many tear-out forms, federal and state exemptions charts, and the most recent legal documents and instructions on how to fill them out. "
Reference & Research Book News |
The following books give you a good overview of how bankruptcy fits in the with other debt relief options, and helps you figure out how bankruptcy could help your particular debt problems.
The New Bankruptcy: Will It Work For You? (New Bankruptcy)
by
Attorney Stephen
Elias. This book discusses, in plain-English
the practical implications of the bankruptcy law changes that
took effect in October 2005. The book explains how the new law is
not as bad as you may have thought. Most people
in financial straits can still gain much from filing. But there is
more paperwork and more stringent rules than under the old law.
Find out what's good about the new law, what's bad, and how the new rules may affect you.
In Paperback and eBook (Adobe Reader)
Pub. Date: May 2007
Edition: 2nd
Pages: 368 pp
ISBN: 9781413306330
Forms: 22 forms
Buy this Book: Nolo (publisher's site) :: Powell's :: Amazon
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