NavigateMyDebt.com

A private, judgment-free space to get organized before your next conversation with a professional.

This tool organizes factual information and documents to prepare for legal consultation or filing. It does not provide legal advice, determine eligibility or outcomes, or recommend any course of action.

Debt clarity starts here

Get Your Financial Situation Organized—Before It Gets Worse

Build a complete, attorney-ready snapshot of your debt, income, creditors, and documents—step by step, in one private workspace.

Private. Judgment-free. No legal advice. Just a smarter way to get organized.

✓ Debt Snapshot & checklist

✓ Creditor and payment tracker

✓ Document readiness progress

✓ Exportable summary for consultation

Simple milestone pricing

No surprise fees. Unlock the next step only when you are ready to continue.

Start Here

$10

Create your account, complete the Debt Snapshot, and receive your initial checklist.

Most Popular

$79

Full Readiness Summary: debt overview, creditor list, income and expense snapshot, document status, and exportable report.

Priority Insight

$129

Everything in the $79 report, plus readiness score, risk flags, attorney question cues, and answer-meaning guide.

①

Debt Snapshot

Complete your situation profile to see your personalized picture

$10

Complete your profile to begin0%

Filing type selected

State selected

Debt range entered

Household size confirmed

At least one situation flag selected

Your Debt Snapshot is complete. You now have a foundational picture of your situation — filing type, state, debt profile, and the circumstances you're navigating. This is the starting point for everything that follows.

②

Full Readiness Report

Creditor list, means test, document checklist — your complete attorney-ready summary

$79

Your Full Readiness Report is ready. You've built a complete picture — your creditors, income, expenses, and document status are organized and ready to share. Download your PDF report to bring to your attorney consultation.

③

Priority Insight

Readiness score, discussion topics, and guidance on interpreting attorney responses

$129

Priority Insight is available. Your Full Report is complete. Add Priority Insight to receive a readiness score, flagged discussion topics, and a guide to interpreting what your attorney tells you.

Situation profile

Basic information used to organize your checklist. Saved in this browser only — never shared.

Full name (optional — for export only) Filing type

Personal only

Business only

Both personal & business

State

Approximate total debt

Primary debt type

Business structure

N/A

Sole proprietor

LLC

S-Corp / C-Corp

Partnership

Household size

Current situation (select all that apply)

Creditor calls / collections

Lawsuit or judgment

Wage garnishment

Foreclosure in progress

Repossession risk

Tax liens / IRS issues

Business ceased

Business still operating

Prior bankruptcy filing?

Yes — over 8 years ago

Yes — within 8 years

Unsure

✓ Saved

Bankruptcy chapters — factual overview

Each chapter works differently. Knowing what they mean puts you in a stronger position — whatever path you choose. Some people work through the process with an attorney. Others represent themselves, which is called filing "pro se." Both are valid options, and being informed makes either one more manageable.

Ch. 7

Liquidation

Most common. Non-exempt assets may be liquidated. Case typically 4–6 months.

Ch. 13

Wage earner's plan

3–5 year repayment plan. Allows retention of more assets. Requires steady income.

Ch. 11

Reorganization

Primarily businesses. Continued operation under a court-supervised reorganization plan.

Chapter 7 — key facts

Means test required — income must be at or below state median (or pass expense analysis)
A trustee reviews all assets; non-exempt property may be sold to pay creditors
Exemptions vary by state; some states allow the federal exemption schedule
Most unsecured debt discharged: credit cards, medical bills, personal loans
Non-dischargeable: student loans (generally), child support, alimony, recent taxes, criminal fines
Does not resolve mortgage arrears — automatic stay is temporary only
Credit report impact: up to 10 years
Corporations and LLCs may file but receive no discharge — case ends in dissolution

Chapter 13 — key facts

Requires regular income sufficient to fund a 3–5 year plan
Statutory debt limits apply (adjusted periodically — verify current limits)
Allows cure of mortgage arrears and retention of home
Lien stripping possible for wholly unsecured junior mortgages in some circumstances
Only individuals (including sole proprietors) may file — not entities
Discharge issued after successful plan completion
Credit report impact: up to 7 years
Broader discharge than Ch. 7 in some cases (e.g., certain marital property debts)

Chapter 11 — key facts

Available to businesses and individuals with debt exceeding Ch. 13 limits
Debtor typically remains in control as "debtor-in-possession"
Requires disclosure statement and reorganization plan; creditors vote on plan
Subchapter V (small business) offers streamlined process for qualifying debtors
Most complex and expensive chapter — attorney fees typically substantial
Business may continue operating during the case
Can assume or reject executory contracts (leases, vendor agreements)

Automatic stay (11 U.S.C. § 362)

Takes effect immediately upon filing any chapter.

Filing triggers an immediate federal injunction halting most collection activity: collection calls and letters, lawsuits, wage garnishments, foreclosure sales (temporarily), repossessions, and utility shutoffs (20-day relief). Exceptions include criminal proceedings, certain domestic support actions, and some governmental actions. The stay may be lifted by court order.

Credit counseling requirement

Individuals must complete a course from a U.S. Trustee-approved agency within 180 days before filing. A second debtor education course is required before discharge. Approved agency list: justice.gov/ust

Means test — income calculator

The Ch. 7 means test compares your average monthly income over the past 6 months to your state's median. Enter gross monthly amounts from all sources. This calculator is informational only — the official form is Official Bankruptcy Form 122A-1.

State median income figures are updated periodically by the U.S. Trustee Program. Verify current figures at justice.gov/ust before relying on any comparison.

Monthly gross income — all sources

Wages, salary, tips, commissions

Net monthly business income (if self-employed)

Rental income

Pension / retirement distributions

Social Security (excluded from means test by statute)

Alimony / spousal support received

Other regular income

Total monthly income (excl. Social Security)

Annualized (x 12)

Select your state and household size on the Profile tab to see your personalized median income comparison here.

How to use this figure

If your annualized income is at or below your state median for your household size, you presumptively pass the first part of the Ch. 7 means test. If above, a second analysis examines allowable expenses — an attorney should complete that portion using Official Form 122A-2.

Figures sourced from the U.S. Trustee Program. Current as of November 1, 2025 — applies to cases filed on or after April 1, 2026. Verify current figures at justice.gov/ust/means-testing before filing.

Monthly expense summary

Record your actual monthly expenses. These are used in Form 122A-2 and in Schedule J.

Housing (rent or mortgage)

Utilities

Food and household supplies

Transportation

Health insurance premiums

Out-of-pocket medical and dental

Childcare / dependent care

Life / disability insurance

Other regular expenses

Total monthly expenses

Monthly net (income - expenses)

Creditor list

All creditors must be listed in bankruptcy schedules. Use credit reports from annualcreditreport.com to ensure completeness — omitting a creditor may affect dischargeability.

Creditor name	Type	Balance owed	Monthly pmt	Status

Total listed debt: $0

Document checklist

Check items off as you gather them. Progress saves automatically in this browser.

0 of 0 items

Readiness summary

A compiled overview of your profile, financial data, and document status. Print or save to share with an attorney.

Pre-consultation checklist

Complete credit counseling (if not yet done)

Required within 180 days before filing — justice.gov/ust

Pull credit reports from all three bureaus

Free at annualcreditreport.com — reconcile with your creditor list

Identify bankruptcy attorney for consultation

Many offer free initial consultations. State bar associations maintain referral directories

Confirm creditor mailing addresses

All creditors must receive formal notice

Research filing fees and court district

Ch.7: $338 / Ch.13: $313 / Ch.11: $1,738 — verify at uscourts.gov

Review look-back transactions with attorney

Payments to insiders, large purchases, property transfers in past 1–2 years

This summary is an informational tracker only. It does not constitute legal advice, predict outcomes, or recommend a course of action. Consult a licensed attorney before making any filing decision.