How To File Bankruptcy for Free in Iowa

Collect Your Iowa Bankruptcy Documents

To file Chapter 7 bankruptcy in Iowa, you’ll need to gather some financial documents to help you list your debts, income, and expenses in the required bankruptcy forms. 

Some of these are also required by the court or bankruptcy trustee, including:

• Pay stubs from the past six months

• Federal tax returns from the last two years

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

It’s also useful to have these items at hand:

• Bank statements from the past 6–12 months

• Credit card or loan statements

• Letters or notices from debt collectors

• A recent credit report

📄 You can get a free credit report every week from all three credit bureaus atAnnualCreditReport.com. 🛠️ If you use Upsolve’s free filing tool, your credit report will be pulled for you.

Complete the Bankruptcy Forms

To start your Chapter 7 case, you’ll need to fill out a set of official bankruptcy forms. These are federal forms, so they’re the same no matter where you live. You can download them for free as fillable PDFs at USCourts.gov.

Some bankruptcy courts also require local forms. These can vary by district. Iowa’s district-specific requirements are covered later in this guide under Iowa Districts & Filing Requirements.

✨ If you use Upsolve’s free filing tool, you’ll answer a few simple questions online. Then the tool fills out your forms for you using your answers.

🤝 If you work with a bankruptcy lawyer, they’ll ask you for the same information and prepare the forms on your behalf.

Take the Required Credit Counseling Course

Before you can file your bankruptcy case, you must take a credit counseling course. 

📚 This short course explains your options for dealing with debt so you can be sure bankruptcy is the right choice for you.

Here’s what you need to know:

💻 Most people take the course online or over the phone. 

🕒  It usually takes less than an hour to complete.

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

💰 It typically costs $10–$50, but many people qualify for a fee waiver.

✅ You must use a court-approved provider.

After you finish, you’ll get a certificate of completion, which you have to submit with your bankruptcy forms when you file your case. If you don’t, the court may dismiss your case.

Get Your Filing Fee

Filing for Chapter 7 bankruptcy costs $338, but many people file for free using a fee waiver. If your income is below 150% of the federal poverty guideline, you may be eligible to have the filing fee waived.

🛠️ If you use Upsolve’s free filing tool, it will prepare the waiver request for you, but you’ll need to file it with the court yourself.

💵 If you don’t qualify for a waiver but can’t afford to pay the full fee all at once, you can apply for an installment plan to make payments. This can be helpful if you need to file quickly to stop collection actions like wage garnishment, car repossession, or bank account freezes. 

🛑 Once you file your case, a legal protection called the automatic stay goes into effect. This temporarily stops most creditors from trying to collect while your case is moving forward.

⚠️ Just be aware that if you miss a payment, the court can dismiss your case, and you won’t be refunded.

Print Your Bankruptcy Forms

If you’re filing without a lawyer in Iowa, you’ll need to print your bankruptcy forms and either mail or hand-deliver them to the courthouse. 

Iowa doesn’t currently offer electronic filing for pro se filers — that is, people filing without an attorney.

Here are a few tips to get your paperwork ready:

• Print everything on 8.5” x 11” white paper.

• Use black ink.

• Print single-sided only.

• Don’t staple or hole-punch any pages.

• Be sure to sign every signature page.

✅ Using a checklist can help you stay organized.

🗂️ If you’re using Upsolve’s free filing tool, you’ll get a ready-to-print packet with everything you need. There are also helpful dividers marking every signature page.

If you decide to hire a bankruptcy lawyer, they’ll file your forms electronically with the court on your behalf.

File Your Forms With the Iowa Bankruptcy Courts

Once your forms are printed and signed, you can file them with the court via mail or in person at the courthouse.

🏛️ Filing in person has a few advantages: The clerk can check that your packet looks complete before accepting it, which helps prevent delays or rejections for missing pages or signatures. You also avoid the risk of lost or delayed mail. 

That said, some people can’t make it to the courthouse, and mailing your forms is a great alternative option. It’s a good idea to send your forms via certified mail so you can track them and ensure they’re received.

📍 Iowa has two bankruptcy districts — Northern and Southern — and each one has its own rules about where and how to file. Check the Iowa Districts & Filing Requirements section below for courthouse locations and specific instructions.

Mail Documents to Your Trustee

After you file your bankruptcy forms, the court will assign a bankruptcy trustee to your case. The trustee reviews your paperwork, checks for accuracy, and makes sure your property is handled correctly. They also oversee a brief meeting called the 341 meeting, or meeting of creditors.

💡 Most Chapter 7 filers don’t lose any of their property.

The U.S. Trustee Program recommends mailing the following documents to the trustee before your 341 meeting:

• Your most recent federal tax return

• A bank statement for each account you had open on the day you filed

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

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

• A recent pay stub or other proof of income

📅 Aim to send the documents at least 14 days before your 341 meeting. If you’re missing something, include a short note explaining why.

You’ll get your trustee’s name and mailing address in an official court notice after you file. Some trustees may request additional items, like car titles or divorce orders, if applicable. Providing additional documents quickly helps ensure your case continues to move forward smoothly.

Take a Debtor Education Course

Once your case is officially underway, you can take the debtor education course. This required course covers personal finance basics like budgeting, managing credit, and planning ahead. It’s designed to help you build a stronger financial future and make the most of your fresh start.

Here’s what to know:

💰 It typically costs $10–$50, but many people qualify for a fee waiver.

📅 You must take the course within 60 days after your 341 meeting (we’ll explain that in the next section). Most people take it online or via the phone.

✅ You must use a court-approved provider.

🧾 After you finish, you’ll get a certificate. You’ll need to file that certificate with the court to officially complete your case.

Once you submit your certificate, you’ll be one step closer to a fresh financial start.

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. It’s a required step in every Chapter 7 case. The trustee uses it to confirm your identity and ask a few simple questions about your paperwork.

Despite the name, creditors almost never show up. It’s usually just you and the trustee. Most meetings take less than 10 minutes.

💻 In Iowa, most 341 meetings are held online using Zoom. You can sometimes ask to attend by phone or in person instead. 🪪 You’ll need to show proof of your identity and Social Security number. Most people bring a driver’s license and Social Security card.

During the meeting, the trustee may ask you to confirm details like your name, address, income, or any updates to your forms. As long as you answer honestly and your paperwork is accurate, the meeting is usually quick and stress-free.

Deal With Your Car

Many people worry they’ll lose their car if they file for Chapter 7 bankruptcy. But the truth is that most filers are able to keep their vehicle. It just depends on your situation.

🚙 If you own your car outright, you can usually keep it as long as it’s worth less than Iowa’s motor vehicle exemption, which is $7,000. 

🚘 If you’re still paying off a car loan, you have a few different paths.

✅ Sign a reaffirmation agreement: If you’re current on your car loan and have less than $7,000 in equity, you can usually keep your car by continuing payments and signing a reaffirmation agreement. (Equity is the car’s value minus what you still owe on the loan.) This keeps the loan active and out of your bankruptcy case.

🏳️ Surrender the car: If the loan no longer makes sense — maybe the payments are too high or the car isn’t worth what you owe — you can give the car back. This is called voluntary surrender, and it wipes out the remaining loan balance in your bankruptcy.

💵 Redeem the car: Some filers choose redemption, which lets you keep the car by paying its current value in one lump sum. This can be a good option if your car is worth a lot less than what you owe.

Leasing your car? There are options for that, too. You can either assume or reject the lease depending on your needs. Learn more about car leases and bankruptcy.