How To File Bankruptcy for Free in Michigan Without a Lawyer

Collect Your Michigan Bankruptcy Documents

Before you start your Chapter 7 bankruptcy case, you'll need to gather some important financial documents. Some of these are required when you file your forms. Others aren’t required, but they can make the process much easier.

Documents you must have include:

• Your tax returns from the last two years 

• Your pay stubs from the past 60 days 

• Your most recent bank statement 

These documents aren’t required, but they can help you fill out your forms more accurately:

• Credit card and loan statements

• Bills or letters from collection agencies

• Bank statements from the last 6–12 months, which can help you track your monthly expenses

You’ll also need to list all of your debts in your paperwork, along with the names and addresses of the people or companies you owe. This includes:

• Credit card debt, medical bills, personal loans, and most student loans, which are called unsecured debts

• Car loans or mortgages, which are called secured debts since the lender can take the property if you stop paying

• Child support or past-due tax debts, which are called priority debts

🔎 If you’re not sure who you owe or how much, checking your credit report can help. You’re entitled to free weekly credit reports from each of the three major credit bureaus through AnnualCreditReport.com. And if you use Upsolve’s free filing tool, we’ll pull a credit report for you to make this step even easier.

Take a Credit Counseling Course

Before you can file your bankruptcy case, you’ll need to take a credit counseling course. Bankruptcy law requires that you complete the course within 180 days (about six months) before you file.

You’ll need to take the course from an approved provider.

💰 The course usually costs less than $50, but most Chapter 7 filers qualify for a fee waiver. 

Once you finish, you’ll get a certificate of completion. You’ll need to include this certificate when you file your bankruptcy paperwork with the court.

Complete the Bankruptcy Forms

Most of the forms you’ll need to file bankruptcy are federal forms. You can download fillable PDFs of all the required forms for free at USCOURTS.gov. These include your bankruptcy petition and forms called schedules that you’ll use to list your assets, debts, income, and expenses.

If you’re working with a bankruptcy lawyer, you’ll usually start by filling out a questionnaire. The attorney (or someone on their staff) will use your answers to complete the official forms.

If you use Upsolve’s free filing tool, you’ll also answer an online questionnaire. Our software uses your responses to generate the forms you need to file your case with the court. If you feel more comfortable working with an attorney or want legal advice, Upsolve can help you set up a free consultation with one near you.

Get Your Filing Fee

It costs $338 to file a Chapter 7 bankruptcy case. But many people qualify for a fee waiver. Check the Michigan Fee Waiver Eligibility table below to see if you qualify based on your income.

If the court doesn’t approve your waiver — or you don’t qualify — you can apply to pay the fee in up to four installments. This option can be helpful if you need to file quickly to stop things like wage garnishment or other debt collection efforts. 

✋ As soon as you file your case, the automatic stay goes into effect. This legal protection stops most collection actions right away.

That said, if you miss an installment payment, the court can dismiss your case. If this happens, you won’t get a refund. So, if you're not in a rush to file, it may be better to wait until you’ve saved up the full $338 before filing. This can help avoid delays or complications down the line.

Print Your Bankruptcy Forms

If you’re filing your case on your own, you’ll need to print your completed forms in black ink on white, letter-size paper (8.5 x 11 inches). Be sure to print single-sided only. The court won’t accept forms printed on both sides.

Double-check that you’ve printed every required form. 

✍️ Take your time signing each page that asks for a signature. Missing a form or a signature can delay your case or cause other issues with your filing.

If you're using Upsolve’s free filing tool, we’ll give you a single, ready-to-print packet of your completed forms. It includes clear dividers to show you exactly where to sign so you don’t miss anything.

If you’re working with a bankruptcy attorney, they’ll usually print the forms for you. You’ll sign them, and then your attorney will file your case and pay the court fee electronically.

File Your Forms With the Michigan Bankruptcy Court

Michigan is divided into two bankruptcy districts: the Eastern District and the Western District. We’ll cover each district more in-depth soon. 

For now, know that if you're filing on your own (without a lawyer), you’ll need to mail or hand-deliver your printed forms to the court. Only attorneys can file electronically. 

No matter which district you're in, as soon as you file your case, you're protected by something called the automatic stay. This is a powerful part of bankruptcy law that immediately stops most collection actions, including:

• Wage garnishment

• Foreclosure

• Repossession

• Collection calls and letters

This can give you breathing room and relief right away, so you can file your case and make a plan to address your debts.

Mail Documents to Your Trustee

After you file your bankruptcy forms, the court will assign a Chapter 7 bankruptcy trustee to oversee your case. 

📆 The court will also schedule your 341 meeting with your trustee. This is also known as the meeting of creditors. We’ll explain more about this meeting in the next section.

You must send certain documents to your trustee at least seven days before your 341 meeting. 

What Documents Does the Trustee Want To See?

Many trustees send a letter listing the documents they’ll need. But it’s a good idea to reach out to your trustee soon after you file to confirm what to send and how to send it. Some may accept documents by email, while others may ask you to mail hard copies.

In Michigan, you’ll usually need to send the trustee copies of any of the following that apply to you:

• Pay stubs from the 60 days before you filed

• Your two most recent tax returns

• Any vehicle titles (certificates of title)

• Current statements from secured creditors

• Copies of deeds, leases, mortgages, or land contracts

• Property tax statements

• Any appraisals for valuable assets

• Proof of casualty insurance (like car or home insurance)

• Business records, if you own a business

• Bank statements for the last 90 days if you live in the Western District, or the last 12 months if you live in the Eastern District

⚠️ Important: Make sure your most recent bank statement covers the date you filed your case.

There are also a  few district-specific rules to be aware of:

• In the Western District, you also need to send a divorce judgment or domestic support order, if it applies to you.

• In the Eastern District, you’ll need to include credit card statements along with the other documents.

Take the Second Required Course: Debtor Education/Financial Management

After you send your documents to the trustee, complete the second required course. This is a financial management course, which is also called a debtor education course. It helps prepare you to make the most of your financial fresh start.

Just like the first course, the second course must be taken through a provider that’s approved for your district. To find one:

1. Go to the U.S. Trustee’s website.

2. In the state dropdown, select Michigan.

3. Then choose your Judicial District: either Eastern District of Michigan or Western District of Michigan, depending on where you live.

Once you finish the course, you’ll get a certificate to file with the court. File it with the court within 60 days of your 341 meeting. If you don’t, you won’t be able to get the bankruptcy discharge. That’s the court order that wipes out your eligible debts.

Attend Your 341 Meeting of Creditors

About a month after you file your case, you’ll attend a short meeting called the 341 meeting or meeting of creditors. The name sounds intimidating, but don’t worry. This is usually just a brief conversation between you and your bankruptcy trustee. Though creditors are allowed to show up, they very rarely do.

📱 Most 341 meetings are held via phone or video conference. If yours is scheduled to be in person, it won’t be in a courtroom or in front of a judge.

At the meeting, the trustee will look over your bankruptcy forms and ask a few questions to confirm your information. You’ll answer under oath. Answer honestly, and things usually go smoothly and quickly.

📫 Keep an eye out for any letters or emails from the court or trustee with details about your meeting, like the date, time, and whether it’s in person, by phone, or online. If any information is missing from your paperwork, the trustee may reschedule your meeting to give you time to fix it.

No matter how your meeting is held, you’ll need a photo ID (like a driver’s license) and your Social Security card. If your meeting is by phone, the trustee may ask you to send copies of your ID and Social Security card at least seven days in advance.

In most Chapter 7 cases, the 341 meeting is quick and uneventful. Once the trustee has what they need, they’ll thank you and let you know the meeting is over. That’s it!

Deal With Your Car

Many people worry about losing their car when they file bankruptcy, but the truth is that many filers get to keep their vehicle. Your options for your car will depend on whether you own it, lease it, or have a loan on it.

If You Own the Car

If you own your car outright (no loan or lease), you can usually keep it as long as it’s covered by a bankruptcy exemption.

• If you use the federal exemptions, you can protect up to $5,025 of your car’s value.

• If you use Michigan’s exemptions, the limit is $4,250.

We’ll go over exemptions more in a later section, but the key idea is this: If your car is worth less than the exemption amount, it’s likely safe.

If You Lease the Car

If you're leasing a car, you have two main options:

• Reject the lease. You give the car back and end the lease with no penalties.

• Assume the lease. You keep the lease going and continue driving the car, under the same terms as before.

If You Have a Car Loan

To keep a car with a loan, you must be current on your payments. Your lender may also ask you to sign a reaffirmation agreement, which means you agree to keep making payments on the loan even after your other debts are discharged in bankruptcy.

If you can’t afford the loan or don’t want to keep the car, you can choose to surrender it during bankruptcy. This means you give the car back to the lender. 

If you do this, you won’t owe anything else, even if the car is worth less than the remaining loan balance. This can give you a clean slate and a chance to buy a more affordable car after your case is over.

If You’re Behind on Car Payments

Chapter 7 doesn’t help you catch up on missed car payments. If you want to keep your car but are behind on the loan, it may help to talk to an experienced bankruptcy attorney about Chapter 13. That type of bankruptcy can give you time to catch up on car or mortgage payments through a structured repayment plan.

Unlike Chapter 7, which is usually finished in a few months, Chapter 13 lasts 3–5 years and involves making regular payments to a court-appointed trustee.