Please note: Every debtor filing personal bankruptcy has the right to represent him or herself; however, the Court recommends the use of an experienced attorney. If you choose to represent yourself, please note that neither court personnel nor trustees will be able to provide any legal advice. An attorney must represent a corporation.

Prior to Filing a Bankruptcy Petition:

A debtor must complete a credit counseling course, from an approved credit counseling agency, prior to filing bankruptcy. A list of approved Credit Counseling Agencies can be located on the U.S. Trustee’s website at www.justice.gov/ust/eo/bapcpa/ccde/cc_approved.htm

Document Requirements And Proper Sequence For Filing Chapter 13 Cases In The Bankruptcy Court:

All Official Bankruptcy forms are available on our website at www.flmb.uscourts.gov.
Documents should be printed on 8 ½ X 11 inch paper.
Print documents on one side of the paper only.
The original, signed documents are to be filed with the Court.

Required documents and the proper sequence for the Chapter 13 Petition Package.

1. Voluntary Petition (3 pages) (form B1)
2. Exhibit “D” to the Voluntary Petition – Individual Debtor’s Statement of Compliance with Credit Counseling (form B 1D)
3. Summary of Schedules, including Statistical Summary of Certain Liabilities and Related Data (2 pages) (form B6)
4. Schedule A - Real Property (form B 6A)
5. Schedule B – Personal Property (form B 6B)
6. Schedule C – Property Claimed as Exempt (form B 6C)
7. Schedule D – Creditors Holding Secured Claims (form B 6D)
8. Schedule E – Creditors Holding Unsecured Claims (form B 6E)
9. Schedule F - Creditors Holding Unsecured Non-priority Claims (form B 6F)
10. Schedule G – Executory Contracts and Unexpired Leases (form B 6G)
11. Schedule H – Co-debtor(s) (B 6H)
12. Schedule I – Current Income of Individual Debtor(s) (form B 6I)
13. Schedule J – Current Expenditures of Individual Debtor(s) (form B 6J)
14. Declaration Under Penalty of Perjury Concerning Debtor’s Schedules (form B 6)
15. Statement of Financial Affairs – Questions 1-25 (form B 7)
16. Statement of Current Monthly Income (form B 22C)
17. Statement of Social Security Number(s) (form B 21)
18. Mailing matrix, on paper, Names and Addresses only
19. Disk containing all creditor name and addresses. Must be in Text format only. (Creditor.txt) For disk requirements refer to our website for further instructions (www.flmb.uscourts.gov – forms – Notices (matrix Filing instructions)

Other Documents that may be applicable at the time of filing a petition package:

» Application to Pay Filing Fee in Installments (B 3A)
Chapter 13 Plan (The Model Plan must be used in Tampa and is available on the Courts web site at http://www.flmb.uscourts.gov/procedures/documents/chapter13plan.pdf)
» Disclosure of Compensation of Attorney for Debtor (form B 203)
» Disclosure of Compensation of Bankruptcy Petition Preparer (form B280)
» Declaration and Signature of Non-Attorney Petition Preparer/Notice to Debtor by Non-Attorney Petition Preparer (form B19)
» Statement of Military Service (B202)

Filing Fees and Acceptable Payment Methods:

Please view the Filing Fees page for current fees or click here.

Payment must be made in the form of a money order, cashier’s check (no personal checks accepted) or if filing in person, exact cash. (Please note that the Clerk’s Office cannot accept foreign currency and does not provide change.).

Application to Pay Filing Fee in Installments (B 3A) – If the full filing fee cannot be paid at the time of filing the petition, an application can be filed, with the petition package, requesting the fee be paid in payments. Bankruptcy Rule 1006(b) limits the number of installments to 4 and the final payment must be made within 120 days after filing the petition.

After Filing a Bankruptcy Petition:

Each debtor, including both spouses in a joint case, must complete a Financial Management Course and promptly file the Certificate of Completion of the Financial Management Course, which is supplied by an approved personal financial management counselor. Completion of the course is a condition for the debtor to obtain a Discharge. A list of approved providers for the course can be obtained from the U.S. Trustee’s website at www.justice.gov/ust/eo/bapcpa/ccde/de_approved.htm.