How To File Bankruptcy for Free in Hawaii

Collect Your Hawaii Bankruptcy Documents

🗂️ To help the court understand your full financial picture, you’ll need to pull together some key documents. These documents give you a full picture of your income, expenses, and debts, which makes the paperwork less stressful.

Some of these are required, while others simply make it easier to complete your forms.

• Paycheck stubs from the past 60 days (submit with your bankruptcy petition)

• Federal tax returns from the past two years (submit to your trustee)

• A bank statement that includes the date you filed your case (submit to your trustee)

• Credit card and loan statements

• Letters or notices from debt collectors

• Bank statements from the past 6–12 months

• A recent credit report

📃 You can get a free credit report from all three major credit bureaus at AnnualCreditReport.com. If you’re using Upsolve’s free filing tool, it will pull your credit report for you.

Take a Credit Counseling Course

Before you can file your Chapter 7 case, you’ll need to take a credit counseling course. This course helps you understand your financial options and whether bankruptcy is the right move for you. 

Here’s what to know:

• You must take the course within 180 days before you file.

• You can take it online, via phone, or sometimes in person.

• It costs $10–$50, but if you can’t afford the fee, you can apply for a waiver.

• You must use a court-approved provider.

✅ You’ll get a certificate when you finish the course. Be sure to submit it when you file the rest of your bankruptcy forms. If you don’t, your case could be dismissed.

Complete the Bankruptcy Forms

If you're filing for Chapter 7 bankruptcy without a lawyer, you'll need to complete a set of federal forms to officially start your case. You can download them for free as fillable PDFs from USCourts.gov. 

Some courts also ask for local forms. Check the Hawaii District & Filing Requirements section below to see if you need anything extra.

The required bankruptcy forms ask for detailed information about your income, expenses, property, and debts. This paperwork is legally binding, so it’s important to be honest and thorough.

🛠️ If you qualify to use Upsolve’s filing tool, you’ll answer a simple online questionnaire, and our software will create your completed forms for you. 

🤝 If you're working with a lawyer, they’ll usually have you fill out a similar intake form, and then they’ll prepare and file the paperwork for you.

Get Your Filing Fee

Filing a Chapter 7 bankruptcy case costs $338. Many people qualify for a fee waiver if their income is below 150% of the federal poverty guideline. To apply for a fee waiver, you can fill out a simple form and submit it with your bankruptcy paperwork.

If you don’t qualify for a waiver, you can pay the fee in full when you file or ask the court for a payment plan. The court may let you pay the $338 in smaller amounts over time, up to four months. This can be helpful if you're facing urgent situations like wage garnishment or repossession and need to file right away. 

⏸️ Once you file, a protection called the automatic stay kicks in and pauses most collection actions.

⚠️ If you set up a payment plan, it’s important to make every payment on time. If you miss a deadline, the court may dismiss your case.

🛠️ Upsolve’s filing tool includes the fee waiver form if you're eligible, but you'll still need to file it yourself.

Print Your Bankruptcy Forms

To file your forms, you’ll need to print them out and submit hard copies to the court. If you can, it’s a good idea to make a copy of everything for your own records. If you want to save on printing costs, you can keep a digital copy of your forms.

Follow these best practices when printing your forms:

• Use standard 8.5" x 11" white paper.

• Print everything single-sided.

• Use black ink.

• Don’t staple or hole-punch your forms.

• Sign every page that asks for a signature.

✨ When you use Upsolve’s filing tool, you’ll get a print-ready packet that includes all your forms and clear labels showing where to sign. 

If you’re working with a lawyer, they’ll e-file everything for you.

📋 You can also use this printable checklist to keep track of what to include. Since many of the forms look alike, the checklist helps you stay organized.

File Your Forms With the Hawaii Bankruptcy Court

Once your forms are printed and signed, you can file them in person at the courthouse in Honolulu or send them by mail. The court doesn’t currently allow people filing on their own to submit documents online.

🏛️ Filing in person has some advantages. The clerk can check your packet and let you know if anything’s missing or unsigned. You can also walk away with a stamped copy for your records, which gives many filers peace of mind.

📬 If traveling to Honolulu isn’t realistic, mailing your forms is a valid option. Just double-check that everything is signed and complete before you send it in. If possible, send your documents via certified mail, so you can track them and have a record of when they were received.

Mail Documents to Your Trustee

After you file your Chapter 7 case, the court will assign a bankruptcy trustee. The trustee’s job is to review your paperwork, make sure everything is accurate, and handle any issues involving your property. (Most filers don’t lose any property in Chapter 7.)

You’ll get your trustee’s name and mailing address in the official notice the court sends after you file. 

Before the court reviews your case, you’ll need to send your trustee a few important documents:

• Your two most recent federal tax returns

• A bank statement for any accounts that were open on your filing date

• A recent pay stub or other proof of income

• A copy of your photo ID (like a driver’s license or passport)

• Proof of your Social Security number (such as a copy of your SSN card, W-2, or pay stub)

📅 Try to send these documents at least 14 days before your meeting with the trustee (we cover this more below). If something isn’t available, it’s okay to include a short note explaining why.

Every trustee works a little bit differently. Be sure to provide any documents they request in a timely manner.

Take a Debtor Education Course

To receive a discharge in your Chapter 7 case, you’ll need to complete a second required course called debtor education. This course focuses on budgeting, managing credit, and planning for the future. 

The second course is different from the credit counseling course you took before filing, but many of the logistical details are similar:

🗓️ The deadline is 60 days after your 341 meeting (which we’ll talk about in the next section).

💰 The course costs $10–$50, but most providers offer a fee waiver for eligible filers.

✅ You must use a court-approved provider.

⚠️ After you finish the course, you’ll get a certificate of completion. You’ll need to file that with the court for your case to be finalized.

Attend Your 341 Meeting

About a month after you file, you’ll attend a short meeting with your bankruptcy trustee called the 341 meeting, or meeting of creditors. This isn’t a court hearing, and no judge will be there. The trustee will ask you a few questions and make sure your forms are accurate. While creditors are able to attend, they rarely do.

💻 Most 341 meetings in Hawaii happen virtually, usually over Zoom. In rare cases, a trustee might schedule a phone or in-person meeting. The court will send you the time, date, and instructions in an official notice after you file.

🪪 You’ll need to show proof of your identity and Social Security number at the meeting, so be sure to have your ID and SSN card (or other requested documents) ready. 

Most 341 meetings are quick (usually 5–10 minutes), and many people say it feels like a simple Zoom check-in. Once it’s done, you’re one big step closer to getting your debts discharged.

Deal With Your Car

In many parts of Hawaii, having a car is essential. The good news is that many Chapter 7 filers are able to keep their car.

💡 To keep your car, your equity in it must be less than the exemption you use to protect it. 

• If you own your car outright, your equity is equal to your car’s current market value. 

• If you have a car loan, your equity is equal to your car’s current market value minus the amount you still owe on the loan.

We’ll cover exemptions in more detail in the Hawaii Bankruptcy Exemptions section later in this guide.

For now, here’s a look at how things usually work:

🚗 If you're still paying off a car loan, you may be able to keep the car if you’re current on payments and the equity is protected by an exemption.

If that applies to you, here are your main options:

• Reaffirm the loan by signing a reaffirmation agreement. You agree to keep making payments and stay responsible for the loan in exchange for keeping the car.

• Redeem the car by paying its current value in one lump sum. This might save you money if the car is worth less than the loan balance, but coming up with that much cash at once isn’t realistic for most people.

If the car is too expensive to keep or you don’t want it anymore, you can surrender it. That means giving it back and wiping out the remaining balance. Some people choose this option to get out of a bad loan and make a fresh start.

🚙 If you own your car outright and its value is under Hawaii’s vehicle exemption, you can usually keep it.

🚘 If you lease your car, you’ll tell the court whether you want to keep the lease or return the car. Our car lease guide can walk you through both options.