How To File Bankruptcy for Free in Massachusetts

Collect Your Massachusetts Bankruptcy Documents

To get started with your bankruptcy case in Massachusetts, you’ll need to collect some important financial documents. You’ll have to show certain documents to the court or the bankruptcy trustee. Other financial documents are good to gather to help you fill out your forms, which ask about your income, expenses, and debts.

🗂️ Here are the documents you’ll need to submit or share:

• Pay stubs from the last six months

• Tax returns from the last two years

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

While you’re organizing your paperwork, it can also help to have:

• Bank statements from the past 6–12 months

• Bills or statements from creditors

• Letters from collection agencies or debt collectors

• A recent credit report

💻 You can get a free credit report from each of the three major credit bureaus at AnnualCreditReport.com.

🛠️  If you're using Upsolve's free filing tool, your credit report will be pulled automatically. It’s one less thing to worry about and can save you time.

Complete the Bankruptcy Forms

To begin your bankruptcy case, you’ll need to fill out a set of official forms. These forms are the same across the country because bankruptcy is handled by federal law. You can download them for free from USCourts.gov.

🛠️ If you’re using Upsolve’s filing tool, you’ll answer an easy online questionnaire. Then, we’ll generate the completed forms for you based on your answers.

If you hire a bankruptcy lawyer instead, they’ll prepare and file the forms using the information you give them. You’ll still need to review everything carefully and sign the forms before they’re submitted.

📌 Some local courts ask for extra forms or documents. It’s helpful to check the local rules for your bankruptcy district, which we go over in more detail in the Massachusetts Districts & Filing Requirements section below.

Take a Credit Counseling Course

Before you can file your bankruptcy case, you need to take a credit counseling course. This is a one-time class that explains your debt relief options and helps you decide whether bankruptcy is the right step.

🗓️ You must complete the course within 180 days before you file. You’ll also need to file a certificate of completion with the court when you submit your bankruptcy forms. If you don’t, your case could be dismissed.

Here are some other important details:

• You can take the class online, over the phone, or in person.

• It usually takes about an hour to complete.

• It costs $10–$50, but many filers qualify for a fee waiver and get to take it for free.

• You must take it from a state-approved provider in Massachusetts

✅ Once you finish the course and get your certificate, you’ll be one step closer to starting your case.

Get Your Filing Fee

There’s a $338 filing fee for Chapter 7. That might feel like a lot, especially if you’re already struggling with bills! But many people are able to get the fee waived. To qualify for a fee waiver, your income must be below 150% of the federal poverty guideline.. 

✨If you’re using Upsolve’s free filing tool, we’ll help you prepare the fee waiver application. You’ll just need to submit it with your forms.

If you don’t qualify for a fee waiver but can’t afford the full fee, you can ask the court for a payment plan. This lets you break the fee into smaller payments over time. It also gives you access to the automatic stay, a legal protection that stops most collection efforts right after you file.

👉 If you go this route, just be sure you can make all the payments on time. Missing one could lead to your case being dismissed. But for some people, this option offers a helpful path forward when money is tight.

Print Your Bankruptcy Forms

Unless you're filing online, you’ll need to print out your bankruptcy forms so you can submit them to the court by mail or in person.

If you’re printing your forms, here are a few helpful tips:

• Use standard 8.5” x 11” white paper.

• Print in black ink, single-sided only.

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

• Be sure to sign every page that requires a signature.

• Double-check that everything is included.

✨ 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 pointing out each page that needs your signature.

If you’re working with a lawyer, they’ll usually file everything electronically for you.

💻 If you want to save on printing costs and a trip to the court, you can email your forms to prose_filings@mab.uscourts.gov. Your forms must be saved as PDFs. Be sure to follow the court’s complete instructions for electronic filing.

File Your Forms With the Massachusetts Bankruptcy Court

Once your forms are ready, you can file them with the Massachusetts Bankruptcy Court. You can submit them in person, by mail, or online. All three options are available in every Massachusetts bankruptcy district.

👣 Many people choose to file in person if they’re able. The clerk can review your paperwork and let you know right away if anything is missing. Bring your original forms and a copy so the clerk can stamp the copy for your records. 

🏛️ Keep in mind, you’ll be going to a federal courthouse, so you’ll go through security when you enter.

We’ll go over where to file, how to submit your forms electronically, and what payment options are available in the Massachusetts Districts & Filing Requirements section. 

Mail Documents to Your Trustee

After you file your bankruptcy forms, the court will assign a trustee to handle your case. The trustee’s job is to review your paperwork, confirm everything is accurate, and deal with any property issues. In most Chapter 7 cases, this part is straightforward, and you’re able to keep all your belongings.

You will have a meeting with your trustee, but before that, you’ll need to send them a few documents. You should get a court notice with your trustee’s contact details, and you may also hear from your trustee after you file. Gather any documents they request. 

The U.S. Trustee website says filers should be prepared to send:

• Your two most recent federal tax returns

• A bank statement showing your balances on the day you filed

• A clear copy of your photo ID (like a license or passport)

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

• A recent pay stub or other proof of your current income

📅 The trustee’s website recommends sending these documents at least 14 days before your meeting. If you’re missing something, you can include a short note to let the trustee know why.

Take the Second Required Course (Financial Management/Debtor Education)

Once your bankruptcy case is underway, there’s one final course you have to complete before your debts can be erased. 

📚 This second course is called debtor education or financial management. It focuses on managing money, budgeting, and using credit wisely in the future. The goal of this course is to help you make the most of your fresh start.

Here are some important details:

• The class takes about an hour to complete.

• You need to take it within 60 days of your 341 meeting with your trustee (which we cover in the next section)

• You’ll need to use a court-approved class provider.

• When you finish, you’ll get a certificate. You need to file the certificate with the court.

⚠️ If you don’t take the class and file the certificate on time, you won’t receive the bankruptcy discharge (the court order that wipes out your debts) and your case will likely be dismissed. 

Attend Your 341 Meeting

About a month after you file your bankruptcy forms, you’ll attend a short meeting called the 341 meeting. It’s also called the “meeting of creditors,” but creditors rarely show up. 

👀 This is a routine part of the process where the bankruptcy trustee reviews your paperwork and asks a few questions about your forms and finances.

In Massachusetts, most 341 meetings happen online through Zoom. You’ll get a notice from the court with the date, time, and instructions for joining.

These meetings are usually quick and low stress. Most last less than 10 minutes. You can watch a mock 341 meeting if you want to see what it's like.

🪪 You’ll need two documents for the meeting: 

• A government-issued photo ID (like a driver's license or passport)

• Proof of your Social Security number (like your Social Security card, a W-2, or a pay stub with your full SSN).

If you don’t submit or show both, your meeting may be delayed or rescheduled.

If you’ve reviewed your forms ahead of time and have your documents ready, this meeting usually goes smoothly. After it’s done, you’ll be one step closer to getting your debts wiped out.

Deal With Your Car

It’s common to worry about losing your car when you file for bankruptcy. The good news is that many people are able to keep their vehicles.

Whether you can keep yours depends on a few key things:

• How much your car is worth

• Whether you own it outright, have a car loan, or lease it

• What exemptions you can use to protect the car

🔎 Massachusetts has a $7,500 motor vehicle exemption. That means if your car’s value (or equity) is less than $7,500, you can usually keep it. We explain more about exemptions in the Massachusetts Bankruptcy Exemptions section.

If you’re still making loan payments, you have three main options:

• Reaffirm the loan: If you’re current on your payments and want to keep the car, you can sign a reaffirmation agreement. This keeps the loan in place. You remain responsible for future payments and get to keep the car.

• Redeem the car: If you’re upside-down on your car loan and owe more than it’s worth, you may want to consider redeeming the car. To redeem the car, you pay the lender the car’s current value in a lump sum in exchange for the title, wiping out the rest of the car loan.

• Surrender the car: If the payments no longer work for you or the car isn’t worth keeping, you can give it back to the lender and erase the loan debt in your bankruptcy. This is called voluntary surrender.

🚗 If you own your car outright, you’ll be able to keep it if it’s worth less than the exemption amount. You can check the value by looking at local sale listings or online tools like Kelley Blue Book.

If you’re leasing your car, the process works a little differently. You’ll have the option to keep or reject the lease. Learn more in our Guide to Car Leases in Bankruptcy.