How To File Bankruptcy for Free in Rhode Island

Collect Your Rhode Island Bankruptcy Documents

To file Chapter 7 bankruptcy, you’ll need to fill out detailed forms about your income, expenses, and debts. Gathering the right documents ahead of time can make this process easier and help ensure your case goes smoothly.

Start by collecting:

• Pay stubs from the past six months

• Tax returns from the past two years

• A bank statement that includes your filing date

The court requires the first two, and the trustee will want to see your bank statements.

📋 As you prepare your forms, it’s also helpful to gather:

• Bank statements from the past 6–12 months

• Credit card and loan statements

• Letters or notices from debt collectors

• A recent credit report

📄 You’re entitled to one free credit report every week from each of the three major credit bureaus. You can get yours at AnnualCreditReport.com. Your credit report helps you double-check that you’ve listed all your debts. ➡️ If you use Upsolve’s free filing tool, we’ll pull a credit report for you automatically.

Take a Credit Counseling Course

Before you can file your Chapter 7 bankruptcy case in Rhode Island, you’re required to complete a credit counseling course.

The course explains your options for dealing with debt and helps you decide if bankruptcy is the right move.

🧠 Here are some important details:

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

• You must use a court-approved provider that’s authorized in Rhode Island.

• You can take the course online, by phone, or in person — it usually takes 1–2 hours.

• The course usually costs $10–$50, but you can ask for a fee waiver if you can’t afford it.

• When you finish, you’ll get a certificate of completion.

📌 Important: You must file your certificate with the court when you submit your bankruptcy forms. If you don’t, the court may dismiss your case.

Complete the Bankruptcy Forms

Most of the forms you’ll need to file for Chapter 7 bankruptcy are federal. That means they’re the same no matter where you file. 

💻 You can download all the forms for free as fillable PDFs from USCourts.gov. Some courts also require local forms, which we cover in the Rhode Island Districts & Filing Requirements section later. 

🛠️ If you use Upsolve’s free filing tool, we’ll walk you through an online questionnaire and use your answers to generate your forms. 

📝 Whether you use Upsolve or file on your own, it’s important to be honest and thorough. You’re signing your forms under oath, so take your time and double-check your information.

Get Your Filing Fee

There’s a $338 court filing fee for Chapter 7 bankruptcy. You can take care of this in one of three ways:

• Pay the full fee up front: If you can afford it, you pay the full fee when you file.

• Apply for a fee waiver: Many low-income filers qualify for a fee waiver. In Rhode Island, the court requires you to file the following forms:

  • The federal Application to Have the Chapter 7 Filing Fee Waived

  • The Supplemental Income and Expense Information form

  • Schedules I and J, which show your income and expenses

  • ✨ If you use Upsolve’s free filing tool, it will generate the federal application form for you. You’ll need to fill out and submit the other forms on your own.

• Ask to pay in installments: If you don’t qualify for a waiver, you can request a payment plan. In Rhode Island, you must pay at least $84.50 up front, with the rest split into three monthly payments.

🛑 As soon as you file, the automatic stay goes into effect. This temporarily stops most collection efforts, including foreclosure, wage garnishment, and car repossession. That protection can be a lifeline if creditors are pressuring you.

⚠️ Important: If you're approved for a payment plan but miss a payment, the court may dismiss your case.

Print Your Bankruptcy Forms

If you're filing your bankruptcy forms by mail or in person, you'll need to print a complete set to turn in to the court. Some people also choose to print a second copy to keep for their records.

💡 In Rhode Island, you also have the option to email your forms to the court. Even if you do, it can still be helpful to keep a printed copy for your own records.

🖨️ If you print your forms, here are a few things to keep in mind:

• Use regular white letter-size paper (8½" x 11").

• Print in black ink.

• Print on one side of the page only.

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

🖊️ Double-check that you’ve signed everywhere a signature is required. There are quite a few spots, and it’s easy to miss one.

✨ If you’re using Upsolve’s filing tool, you’ll get a ready-to-print packet with everything you need. There are helpful dividers that flag where to sign.

File Your Forms With the Rhode Island Bankruptcy Court

You can file your bankruptcy forms with the Rhode Island Bankruptcy Court in person, by mail, or by email if you're filing on your own.

🏛️ Filing in person is often the fastest and most reliable option. You won’t have to wait for mail delivery or email confirmation, and the clerk can review your packet to make sure nothing is missing. 

This can help you avoid delays or having your case rejected for small mistakes. If you file in person, you’ll go to the courthouse in Providence.

📧 If you're filing by email, you’ll need to send your completed bankruptcy forms, a copy of your photo ID, and an Application and Declaration form to the court’s help desk at rib_helpdesk@rib.uscourts.gov. 

Once approved, you can use the court’s Electronic Drop Box (EDB) to submit future documents online. 

📬 You can also mail your forms to the courthouse in Providence if that’s more convenient. Just be sure to use the correct address and allow extra time for delivery and processing. 

Most filers send their forms by certified mail, so they can get delivery confirmation and track their forms.

Mail Documents to Your Trustee

After you file your case, the court will assign a bankruptcy trustee to manage it. The trustee isn’t a judge. They’re a neutral person who reviews your forms, checks for accuracy, and handles key steps in your case.

One of those steps is your 341 meeting, where the trustee will ask you a few questions about your bankruptcy paperwork.

📌 After you file your case, you’ll get a court notice with your trustee’s name, contact information, and the date and time of your 341 meeting.

📬 Before the meeting, you’ll need to send your trustee a few documents so they can confirm the information in your forms. Unless they give different instructions, send these at least 14 days before your meeting:

• Your most recent federal tax return

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

• A copy of your government-issued photo ID

• Proof of your Social Security number

• Your most recent pay stub or other proof of income

Your trustee may ask for other paperwork, depending on your situation. That’s totally normal — just follow their instructions so your case stays on track.

Take a Debtor Education Course

After you file your Chapter 7 case, you’ll need to complete a second course called debtor education (or financial management). 

This course teaches basic money skills like budgeting and using credit wisely. It’s required to get your bankruptcy discharge, which is the official court order that clears your debts.

📝 Here are some important details:

• The course takes 1–2 hours and can be done from home online or via phone.

• You must take the course within 60 days after your 341 meeting.

• The provider must be approved by the court.

• After you finish, you’ll get a certificate of completion.

  • Many providers will file the certificate with the court for you, but not all do. If yours doesn’t, you’ll need to file it yourself.

📌 If the court doesn’t get your certificate, you might not receive a discharge, and your debts won’t be wiped out.

Attend Your 341 Meeting

About a month after you file, you’ll meet with your bankruptcy trustee in a short video call. This is called the 341 meeting, or meeting of creditors. It’s a standard part of every case and usually takes less than 10 minutes.

💻 Most 341 meetings happen over Zoom, not in person. Your court notice will include the date, time, and login details, along with instructions for joining the call.

During the meeting, the trustee will place you under oath and ask a few basic questions to confirm your identity and go over the information in your bankruptcy forms. Creditors are allowed to attend, but it’s rare that they do.

📄 It could be helpful to have a few things nearby just in case:

• A photo ID and proof of your Social Security number

• A copy of your bankruptcy forms

• The documents you sent your trustee (like your tax return or pay stub)

• Your court notice

Deal With Your Car

Many folks worry they’ll lose their car when they file for bankruptcy, but that’s often not the case. Most filers are able to keep their vehicle.

What happens to your car depends on a few things: how much it’s worth, whether you still owe money on it, and how much of its value you can protect with an exemption. 

💡 An exemption is a legal protection that lets you keep certain property in bankruptcy. 

In Rhode Island, you can choose between state and federal bankruptcy exemptions. We’ll explain more in the Rhode Island Bankruptcy Exemptions section later. 

For now, just know that the Rhode Island state exemption lets you protect up to $12,000 of value in one motor vehicle. 

🚗 If you own your car outright: You can usually keep it if your equity is at or below the exemption amount you’re using. Equity is the difference between what the car is worth and what you still owe on it. 

🏦 If you have a car loan: You have three options.

• Reaffirm the loan: Keep making payments, and the lender agrees not to repossess the car. Many people choose this option when they’re current on their loan payments and the car is meeting their needs. The lender and judge must agree to the reaffirmation.

• Redeem the car: Pay the lender a lump sum equal to the car’s current value, even if you owe more. Filers sometimes choose this when their car is worth far less than the loan balance and they have access to the lump sum. The lender must agree to the redemption terms.

• Surrender the car: Return the car to the lender, and the rest of the loan is wiped out. Many people choose this if the loan is unaffordable, the car needs major repairs, or the loan balance is much higher than the car’s value.

📑 If you lease your car: You can continue the lease if you’re current on payments and want to keep it. If it’s no longer affordable, you can return the car and walk away without owing more. Read more in Upsolve’s Bankruptcy Guide to Leases article.