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<header>
<h1><span class="accent">Pre-Filing</span> Credit Counseling</h1>
<p class="subtitle">The first required course - within 180 days before filing</p>
</header>
<nav aria-label="Breadcrumb" class="breadcrumb-nav"><a href="https://1328f.org">Home</a><span class="separator">›</span><a href="https://voluntarypetition.org">Voluntary Bankruptcy Petition</a><span class="separator">›</span><span>Pre-Filing Credit Counseling</span></nav>
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<p>Under 11 U.S.C. <a href="https://109g.org" rel="noopener" target="_blank" title="Section 109 Eligibility - Open Bankruptcy Project">Section 109</a>(h), every individual filing for bankruptcy must complete a <a href="https://bankruptcyfreshstart.org/" title="credit counseling">credit counseling</a> session with an approved agency within <strong>180 days before</strong> the petition is filed. This applies to all chapters: <a href="https://whatischapter7.com/" title="Chapter 7">Chapter 7</a>, <a href="https://chapter7vs13.org/" title="Chapter 13">Chapter 13</a>, <a href="https://section1191.org/" title="Chapter 11">Chapter 11</a>, and <a href="https://chapter7vs13.org/" title="Chapter 12">Chapter 12</a>. Without a valid certificate, your case can be dismissed before it even begins.</p>
<h2>The 180-Day Window</h2>
<p>Your <a href="https://bankruptcyfreshstart.org/" title="credit counseling">credit counseling certificate</a> is valid for exactly 180 days from the date you complete the course. If your bankruptcy petition is filed after those 180 days expire, the certificate is no longer valid and you will need to take the course again.</p>
<p>This is why timing matters. If you complete credit counseling on January 1, your certificate is valid for any petition filed on or before June 30. If your attorney does not file until July 1, you need a new certificate.</p>
<div class="callout green">
<strong>Best practice:</strong> Complete credit counseling early in the process, but coordinate with your attorney on the filing timeline. If your attorney estimates filing is several months away, you may want to wait so your certificate does not expire before the petition is ready.
</div>
<h2>What Happens During the Session</h2>
<p>The pre-filing credit counseling session is a structured review of your financial situation conducted by a certified counselor. Here is what to expect:</p>
<ol>
<li><strong>Financial overview:</strong> The counselor reviews your income, expenses, assets, and debts. You will need to have a general idea of these figures before the session, though exact amounts are not required.</li>
<li><strong>Budget analysis:</strong> The counselor helps you create a basic budget based on your income and necessary expenses. This budget becomes part of your certificate.</li>
<li><strong>Alternatives discussion:</strong> The counselor is required to discuss alternatives to bankruptcy with you, including debt management plans, creditor negotiation, and budget adjustments. This does not mean they will try to talk you out of filing - it is simply a legal requirement.</li>
<li><strong>Bankruptcy overview:</strong> The counselor provides general information about the bankruptcy process, different chapters, and what to expect.</li>
<li><strong>Certificate issuance:</strong> Upon completion, you receive a certificate that includes the date of the session and a budget analysis.</li>
</ol>
<p>The session typically takes <strong>60 to 90 minutes</strong>. Online self-paced courses may be completed faster if you move through the material quickly, but most providers require a minimum engagement time to ensure you are actually reviewing the content.</p>
<h2>What You Need to Bring (or Have Ready)</h2>
<p>Whether you complete the course online, by phone, or in person, have the following information available:</p>
<ul>
<li>Approximate monthly income (from all sources)</li>
<li>Approximate monthly expenses (rent/mortgage, utilities, food, transportation, insurance, etc.)</li>
<li>A general list of your debts and approximate balances</li>
<li>Information about any assets you own (home, vehicles, retirement accounts)</li>
<li>Your Social Security number (some providers require it for the certificate)</li>
</ul>
<p>You do not need exact figures. Reasonable estimates are sufficient for the counseling session. Your bankruptcy schedules (filed with the court) will contain the precise numbers.</p>
<h2>The Certificate</h2>
<p>After completing the session, the agency issues a certificate of credit counseling. This certificate is a required document in your bankruptcy filing. It must be filed with the court either:</p>
<ul>
<li>Attached to your bankruptcy petition when it is filed, or</li>
<li>Filed within 14 days after the petition date (though filing it with the petition is strongly preferred)</li>
</ul>
<p>The certificate includes your name, the date you completed the session, the name of the approved agency, and a copy of the debt <a href="https://chapter13plan.org" rel="noopener" target="_blank" title="Chapter 13 Repayment Plan - Open Bankruptcy Project">repayment plan</a> (budget) developed during the session. Even if you and the counselor agreed that a debt management plan is not feasible in your situation, the budget analysis is still included.</p>
<div class="callout red">
<strong>Warning:</strong> If you file without a certificate and do not provide one within 14 days, the court will dismiss your case. Some courts have dismissed cases on the same day they were filed when no certificate was attached. Do not assume you can file first and complete the course later.
</div>
<h2>How to Find an Approved Provider</h2>
<p>The <a href="https://www.justice.gov/ust" rel="noopener" target="_blank">U.S. Trustee Program</a> maintains an official list of approved credit counseling agencies, searchable by state and judicial district. You can find the list at <a href="https://www.justice.gov/ust/list-credit-counseling-agencies-approved-pursuant-11-usc-111" rel="noopener">justice.gov</a>.</p>
<p>Only agencies on this list satisfy the requirement. A session with a non-approved counselor - no matter how legitimate it may seem - will not count. For detailed guidance on choosing a provider and avoiding scams, see <a href="/approved-providers.html">Approved Credit Counseling Providers</a>.</p>
<h2>Cost and Fee Waivers</h2>
<p>Pre-filing credit counseling typically costs between <strong>$15 and $50</strong>. Approved agencies are required by the U.S. Trustee Program to provide services to individuals who cannot afford to pay. If you are unable to pay the fee, ask the agency about:</p>
<ul>
<li>Complete fee waivers for filers below the federal poverty guidelines</li>
<li>Reduced fees on a sliding scale based on income</li>
<li>Payment plans for the course fee</li>
</ul>
<p>For a complete breakdown of all bankruptcy-related costs, visit <a href="https://voluntarypetition.org">voluntarypetition.org</a>.</p>
<h2>Joint Filers</h2>
<p>If you are filing a joint bankruptcy petition with your spouse, both of you must complete credit counseling. You can take the course together in the same session, but you will each receive your own separate certificate. Both certificates must be filed with the court.</p>
<h2>What Credit Counseling Does NOT Do</h2>
<p>It is important to understand what this course is and is not:</p>
<ul>
<li>It does <strong>not</strong> determine whether you qualify for bankruptcy</li>
<li>It does <strong>not</strong> replace the need for an attorney</li>
<li>It does <strong>not</strong> affect your credit score</li>
<li>It does <strong>not</strong> obligate you to follow a debt management plan</li>
<li>It does <strong>not</strong> report any of your financial information to creditors</li>
</ul>
<p>The counseling session is a legal requirement, not a gatekeeping mechanism. Completing it does not prevent you from filing, and declining a suggested debt management plan has no effect on your bankruptcy case.</p>
<div class="callout">
<strong>Next step:</strong> After filing your bankruptcy petition, you will need to complete a second, separate course - the <a href="/debtor-education.html">debtor education course</a>. Do not confuse the two. You need both certificates for a successful bankruptcy case.
</div>
</article>
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<p style="color:#f0f6fc;font-weight:600;font-size:1.05rem;margin:0 0 0.75rem 0">Further Reading & Resources</p>
<p style="color:#9eaab6;font-size:0.85rem;margin:0 0 1rem 0">Authority sources for deeper research on filing bankruptcy and <a href="https://prosebankruptcy.org/" title="pro se">pro se</a> resources:</p>
<ul style="list-style:none;padding:0;margin:0">
<li style="margin-bottom:0.5rem"><a href="https://www.uscourts.gov/forms/bankruptcy-forms" rel="noopener" style="color:#58a6ff;font-size:0.9rem;text-decoration:none" target="_blank">Official Bankruptcy Forms</a><br/><span style="color:#7d8590;font-size:0.8rem">All required forms</span></li>
<li style="margin-bottom:0.5rem"><a href="https://www.uscourts.gov/services-forms/bankruptcy/filing-without-attorney" rel="noopener" style="color:#58a6ff;font-size:0.9rem;text-decoration:none" target="_blank">Filing Without an Attorney</a><br/><span style="color:#7d8590;font-size:0.8rem">USCourts.gov <a href="https://prosebankruptcy.org/" title="pro se">pro se</a> guide</span></li>
<li style="margin-bottom:0.5rem"><a href="https://www.justice.gov/ust/list-credit-counseling-agencies-approved-pursuant-11-usc-111" rel="noopener" style="color:#58a6ff;font-size:0.9rem;text-decoration:none" target="_blank">Credit Counseling Agencies</a><br/><span style="color:#7d8590;font-size:0.8rem">DOJ approved list</span></li>
<li style="margin-bottom:0.5rem"><a href="https://www.uscourts.gov/about-federal-courts/federal-courts-public/court-website-links" rel="noopener" style="color:#58a6ff;font-size:0.9rem;text-decoration:none" target="_blank">Find Your Court</a><br/><span style="color:#7d8590;font-size:0.8rem">Court locator</span></li>
<li style="margin-bottom:0.5rem"><a href="https://www.consumerfinance.gov/ask-cfpb/what-is-bankruptcy-en-1935/" rel="noopener" style="color:#58a6ff;font-size:0.9rem;text-decoration:none" target="_blank">CFPB: Filing Bankruptcy</a><br/><span style="color:#7d8590;font-size:0.8rem">Consumer guide</span></li>
<li style="margin-bottom:0.5rem"><a href="https://www.lawhelp.org/" rel="noopener" style="color:#58a6ff;font-size:0.9rem;text-decoration:none" target="_blank">Find Free Legal Aid</a><br/><span style="color:#7d8590;font-size:0.8rem">LSC legal aid finder</span></li>
<li style="margin-bottom:0.5rem"><a href="https://scholar.google.com/scholar?q=%22pro+se%22+bankruptcy+%22without+attorney%22" rel="noopener" style="color:#58a6ff;font-size:0.9rem;text-decoration:none" target="_blank">Pro Se Research</a><br/><span style="color:#7d8590;font-size:0.8rem">Google Scholar</span></li>
</ul>
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