How To File Bankruptcy for Free in Colorado Without a Lawyer

Collect Your Colorado Bankruptcy Documents

Before you start your Chapter 7 bankruptcy case, it helps to gather key financial documents. Some are required when you file. Others aren’t mandatory, but they can make it easier to fill out your forms and stay organized.

Getting these papers together early can reduce stress and help you feel more confident as you move through the process.

✅ No matter how you file — on your own or with a lawyer — you’ll need these documents:

• Tax returns from the past two years

• Paycheck stubs from the last 60 days

• A bank statement that includes the date you file your case

The court and trustee require these documents to verify your income and financial history. 

Some documents aren’t required by the court, but they can help you fill out your forms more accurately. These include:

• Bank statements from the past 6–12 months, which can help you fill out monthly income and expenses information

• Bills or account statements from creditors, so you can list exactly what you owe

• Letters from collection agencies, which are important for identifying all your creditors, even if the original account is no longer active

• A recent credit report, which gives a full snapshot of your debts and accounts

📌 You’re entitled to a free credit report from each of the three major credit bureaus every week at AnnualCreditReport.com. If you use Upsolve’s filing tool, we’ll pull a free report for you automatically.

Take the Required Credit Counseling Course

Before you can file your bankruptcy case, you’ll need to take a credit counseling course. Under bankruptcy law, everyone who files a case has to take this course first.

Here’s what to know:

⏱️ The course takes about one hour and must be completed within 180 days (about six months) before you file.

📄 Once you finish, you’ll receive a certificate of completion. You must include this with your bankruptcy paperwork when you file.

📅 The certificate is valid for six months from the date you complete the course.

💸 The course typically costs less than $50. If your income is below the federal poverty guideline, you may qualify for a fee waiver.

💻 You must take the course from a provider approved in Colorado. Most offer the course online or by phone.

If you’re using Upsolve’s free filing tool, we’ll help you choose a course and upload your certificate when you’re ready.

Complete the Bankruptcy Forms

Bankruptcy forms help the court understand your financial situation and decide whether to approve your case.

Even though you’re filing in Colorado, you’ll use the same forms as filers across the U.S. That’s because these are federal forms. You can download them as free, fillable PDFs from USCourts.gov.

Here’s how people usually complete these forms:

• If you’re filing on your own without Upsolve’s help or an attorney, you can download the forms and fill out the information on your computer or print the forms and fill out the information by hand with black ink.

• If you’re using Upsolve’s free filing tool, you’ll fill out an online questionnaire. Based on your answers, we’ll generate the forms you need to file your case.

• If you’re working with a bankruptcy attorney, they’ll likely have you fill out a paper or online questionnaire. Their team will use that information to prepare and file the forms for you.

No matter how you file, these forms will ask for details about your income, property, debts, expenses, and financial history. It can feel like a lot at first, but taking it one step at a time can make it more manageable.

Get Your Filing Fee

If you’re filing Chapter 7 bankruptcy in Colorado, the court charges a $338 filing fee. This fee is due when you submit your paperwork.

💡 Your bankruptcy paperwork is usually referred to as your bankruptcy petition.

If you can’t afford the fee, you may have options:

• Fee waiver: If your income is below 150% of the federal poverty guideline, you can ask the court to waive the filing fee completely. 

  • You’ll need to fill out a fee waiver application, and the court must approve it.

  • Check the Colorado Fee Waiver Eligibility table below to see if you qualify based on your income.

• Installment payments: If you don’t qualify for a waiver and can’t afford the full $338 up front, you can apply to pay in smaller chunks over time. When you file your case, the court will tell you:

  • How much you need to pay as a down payment

  • The deadline for your installment payments

If a creditor is threatening wage garnishment, foreclosure, or repossession, filing quickly can help. As soon as you file, creditors can’t contact you or collect from you thanks to a protection called the automatic stay. 

⚠️ Paying in installments allows some people to get relief through the automatic stay, but it’s important to know the potential pitfalls. If you miss a payment, the court can dismiss your case, and you won’t get a refund. 

Print Your Bankruptcy Forms

Before you print your bankruptcy forms, download and review the court’s Chapter 7 document checklist. For Colorado filers, the full list of required forms is on page 6 of this pro se filer guide. 

💡 Pro se means you’re filing on your own without an attorney.

This checklist can help you stay organized as you gather and print your paperwork and double-check that you aren’t missing any required forms.

When you’re ready to print, make sure you:

• Use white, letter-size paper (8.5 x 11 inches)

• Print in black ink

• Print single-sided only

• Don’t staple the pages — the court prefers loose pages for easier processing

• Sign every form where a signature is required

✍️ If you’re using Upsolve’s free filing tool, you’ll receive your completed bankruptcy packet as a single download. It includes clearly marked dividers that show you exactly where to sign so you won’t miss a thing.

File Your Forms With the Colorado Bankruptcy Court

If you’re filing bankruptcy on your own in Colorado, you can mail your bankruptcy forms to the court or submit them in person at the courthouse in Denver. 

It’s usually best to go in person so you can get your case number as fast as possible. Mailing your forms can cause delays. Also, if you go in person, you may be able to correct any mistakes the clerk spots during the filing process.

In Colorado, only attorneys can file bankruptcy cases online.

Mail Documents to Your Trustee

After you file your bankruptcy forms, the court will assign a bankruptcy trustee to your case. 

💡 The trustee’s job is to review your paperwork and make sure everything is accurate. They also oversee the process to make sure your unsecured creditors are treated fairly.

One of the first things your trustee will do is schedule a short meeting with you. This is called the 341 meeting or meeting of creditors. 

To prepare for that meeting, the trustee will need to review some of your financial documents. At least seven days before your 341 meeting, you’ll need to send the trustee:

• A bank statement that includes your filing date to show what was in your account the day you filed

• Your two most recent federal income tax returns, so the trustee can verify your income and past finances

🔎 In some cases, your trustee may also request pay stubs or other proof of income, additional bank statements, or other financial records related to your property, debts, or expenses.

Most trustees will send you a letter with a list of the documents they need and instructions on how to send them. Some accept documents by email, while others may ask you to mail physical copies.

Take the Required Debtor Education Course

After you file your case, you’ll need to take a debtor education course.

This is different from the credit counseling course you took before filing. The debtor education course focuses on financial management and offers practical tools to help you plan and manage your money after bankruptcy.

Here’s what you need to know about the course:

• You must take it from a provider approved for Colorado.

• It usually takes about 1–2 hours, and many people complete it online.

• Once you finish, you’ll get a certificate of completion.

• You must file this certificate with the court within 60 days of your 341 meeting.

⚠️ If you don’t complete the course on time or don’t file your certificate, the court can dismiss your case without wiping out your debts — even if everything else is in order.

Attend Your 341 Meeting

Every bankruptcy filer must attend a 341 meeting, also called the meeting of creditors. Many people get nervous about this meeting, but it’s usually straightforward and nothing to worry about!

In Colorado, your 341 meeting typically takes place 4–6 weeks after you file. A few days after you submit your paperwork, the court will send you a notice that tells you:

• The date and time of your meeting

• Whether it will be held in person, by phone, or over video

• The location or call-in information, depending on the format

Read any notices you receive carefully so you know exactly how to attend.

Make sure to have your government-issued photo ID and proof of your Social Security number for the meeting. 

To start the meeting, the trustee will check your ID and place you under oath. Then you’ll answer a few standard questions about your finances and the information in your forms. Most meetings last only 5–10 minutes.

Creditors are allowed to attend, but they rarely do.

Once your 341 meeting is complete, you’re one step closer to getting your debts discharged and finishing your case!

Deal With Your Car

If you have a car when you file bankruptcy in Colorado, you’ll need to decide what to do with it. That can feel overwhelming — especially if you're still making payments — but you have options, and many people are able to keep their vehicle.

If you’re still paying off a car loan, you have a few options:

• Surrender the car: You return the car to the lender and don’t have to pay the rest of the loan — even if you owe more than the car is worth.

• Redeem the car: You pay the lender the current value of the car (not the full loan balance), usually in one lump sum. After that, the car is yours, and the remaining loan is wiped out.

• Reaffirm the loan: You keep the loan and continue making payments as usual. This might make sense if:

  • You’re current on your payments.

  • You’re happy with your loan terms.

  • You want to keep the car and avoid any changes.

If you stick with the loan and keep making payments, you can usually keep the car like nothing changed.

🚗 If you own your car outright (meaning it’s fully paid off), it may be considered an asset in your case. But Colorado law protects up to $15,000 of your car’s value, or $25,000 if you’re elderly or disabled. If your car is worth less than the exemption amount, it’s protected, and you can keep it. We’ll dig more into exemptions later in the article.

🔑 If you’re leasing a car, you may have the option to return it or keep the lease. Learn more about how leases work in bankruptcy.