Our Impact · 2016-2026
Everyone deserves
a fresh start.
Upsolve is the largest bankruptcy nonprofit. We use technology to help low-income Americans erase debt for free.
Total Debt Erased
$1.1B+
- People Helped24,266+
- Avg. Debt Erased$52,000
- Educated Yearly2.9M
- User Rating4.9 / 5
Who We Serve
We serve families that are economically frozen by debt.
Bankruptcy is a constitutional right that typically costs $1,500-$3,500 to exercise. For many of our users, that's a full month's income, or more. We exist for the people who can't buy their way out of poverty.
A Typical Upsolve User
- Annual income~$30,000
- Debt eliminated~$52,000
- Cost to file with Upsolve$0
- Cost to file with an attorney$1,500-$3,500
- Time to financial fresh start~4 months
What unmanageable debt does to a family.
Without intervention, families face cascading consequences across daily survival, housing, income, and health.
Debt does not just hurt a family's balance sheet. It shapes where they can live, whether working more helps, if they can afford groceries, and even their long-term health.
- Survival Needs
Relentless collection calls force impossible trade-offs, like skipping groceries or rent to make minimum payments1
- Income
Weak incentives to earn more income, since it goes straight to creditors2
- Housing
Exclusion from rental housing and homeownership because of damaged credit3,4
- Health
Elevated mortality risk, comparable to coronary heart disease5,6
99%
of Upsolve filers who complete the process successfully erase their eligible debts.
Based on completed filings, 2018-2025.
$225
The average money in Upsolve filers' checking accounts when they come to us.
Per Financial Health Network (2022).
97%
of our filers report feeling more in control of their financial future after working with us.
From Upsolve's 2025 annual user survey.
$0
Our service is free for users. Forever. No upsells, no premium tier, no catch.
The Gap We're Closing
21 million Americans should file bankruptcy. Only roughly 500,000 do.
Federal bankruptcy is a constitutional right meant to give Americans a fresh start. The number of people who should use it dwarfs the number who actually do, by a factor of about forty. The barriers are practical, not personal: cost, complexity, and misinformation about bankruptcy. Upsolve exists to close that gap.
Relief most people never reach
Actually file
Should file but do not
Other U.S. adults
~258M
U.S. adults
~21M
should file
~500K
actually file
Source: Antill, Jenke & Kluender (2025), figures applied to ~258M U.S. adults (SCF 2022 wave).
The Biggest Barrier
Your rights cost too much.
Filing with an attorney
$1,500-$3,500
Out-of-pocket attorney fees, typically due upfront, often more than a typical Upsolve user's checking account balance.
Filing with Upsolve
$0
Step-by-step guidance, document review, and human support funded by philanthropy, not by users.
Independent Research
Born at Harvard. Validated by the field.
Upsolve started as a research project at Harvard Law School's Access to Justice Lab. A decade later, our model is studied, replicated, and cited by the country's leading legal-empowerment researchers.
Harvard Law School, Access to Justice Lab
The idea for Upsolve emerged from research at the Lab into whether plain-language guidance could help low-income Americans navigate the law without a lawyer. The early prototype was tested with real low-income filers and it worked.
Harvard Law School, Access to Justice Lab
Barriers to Debt Relief through Bankruptcy
A randomized controlled trial led by Harvard Business School researchers found that correcting bankruptcy misperceptions caused high-debt individuals to take meaningful steps toward filing, with effects that persisted for months.
Harvard Business School Working Paper
NYT "Good Tech Awards," YC, and the LSC
Recognized by the New York Times, backed by Y Combinator, and funded by the federally-chartered Legal Services Corporation, Upsolve is widely cited as a model for how civic technology can scale a public good.
The New York Times, 2018; Y Combinator; Legal Services Corporation
4.9 / 5 across 3K+ user reviews
A near-perfect Google rating from people who have completed bankruptcy with Upsolve, one of the highest satisfaction marks of any legal-services product, free or paid.
Google Reviews
In Our Users' Words
What “a fresh start” actually looks like.
These quotes are from real Upsolve users sharing their experience publicly.
Aidee M.
It was quite easy and fast. Whenever I had questions, I turned to the chat, and they clarified everything for me. Thanks to this wonderful tool, I am debt-free today.
Heidi
My credit score is already up more than 100 points. My only regret is not doing this a lot sooner. THANK YOU AND BLESS YOU UPSOLVE!!!
Kista W.
They have literally saved my life!! I feel like I can breathe now.
Backed By
The institutions that make this work possible.
Upsolve is funded by philanthropy and government grants. We never charge users, and we don't plan to.
Horace W. Goldsmith Foundation
Help Us Close The Gap
The next billion in debt erased depends on people like you.
Whether you're a funder, a partner, or a person who needs help, there's a place for you in this work.