How To File Bankruptcy for Free in Rhode Island

Feeling weighed down by debt? You’re not alone. Chapter 7 bankruptcy can eliminate credit card balances, medical bills, payday loans, and utility payments. It stops most wage garnishments, collection calls, and lawsuits immediately.

If your case is straightforward, you can file without a lawyer. You’ll save hundreds or thousands of dollars in attorney fees.

Here’s how to navigate every step of the process.

Step-by-Step Filing Process

Collect Your Rhode Island Bankruptcy Documents

You’ll need detailed forms about your income, expenses, and debts. Gathering the right documents ahead makes everything easier.

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. Your trustee will want to see your bank statements.

Also gather:

• Bank statements from the past 6-12 months
• Credit card and loan statements
• Letters or notices from debt collectors
• A recent credit report

Take a Credit Counseling Course

Before filing, you must complete a credit counseling course. The course explains your debt options and confirms bankruptcy is right for you.

Important details:

• Take the course within 180 days before filing
• Use a court-approved provider authorized in Rhode Island
• Complete it online, by phone, or in person (1-2 hours)
• Cost is typically $10-$50, but you can request a fee waiver
• File your certificate of completion with the court

Without your certificate, the court may dismiss your case.

Complete the Bankruptcy Forms

Most forms you need are federal bankruptcy forms. They’re the same nationwide.

Download free fillable PDFs from USCourts.gov. Some courts also require local forms.

Be honest and thorough. You’re signing your forms under oath. Double-check your information before submitting.

Get Your Filing Fee

The court filing fee is $338. You have three payment options:

• Pay the full fee up front: Pay when you file if you can afford it
• Apply for a fee waiver: Many low-income filers qualify. In Rhode Island, file:
  • The federal Application to Have the Chapter 7 Filing Fee Waived
  • The Supplemental Income and Expense Information form
  • Schedules I and J
• Ask to pay in installments: Pay at least $84.50 up front, then three monthly payments

Filing triggers the automatic stay immediately. This temporarily stops most collection efforts, including foreclosure, wage garnishment, and car repossession.

Missing a payment plan installment may result in case dismissal.

Print Your Bankruptcy Forms

If filing by mail or in person, print a complete set for the court. Consider printing a second copy for your records.

Rhode Island also allows email filing. Keep a printed copy anyway.

Printing requirements:

• Use regular white letter-size paper (8½” x 11″)
• Print in black ink
• Print on one side only
• Don’t staple or hole-punch your forms

Double-check you’ve signed everywhere required. It’s easy to miss a signature.

File Your Forms With the Rhode Island Bankruptcy Court

File your bankruptcy forms in person, by mail, or by email.

Filing in person is often fastest and most reliable. You won’t wait for mail delivery or email confirmation. The clerk can review your packet to ensure nothing is missing. File at the courthouse in Providence.

For email filing, send completed forms, a photo ID copy, and an Application and Declaration form to rib_helpdesk@rib.uscourts.gov. Once approved, use the court’s Electronic Drop Box for future documents.

For mail filing, use the correct address and allow extra processing time. Send forms by certified mail for delivery confirmation.

Mail Documents to Your Trustee

After filing, the court assigns a bankruptcy trustee to manage your case. The trustee reviews your forms and handles key steps.

You’ll receive a court notice with your trustee’s name, contact information, and 341 meeting date.

Send these documents at least 14 days before your meeting:

• Your most recent federal tax return
• A bank statement showing your balance on filing day
• A government-issued photo ID copy
• Proof of your Social Security number
• Your most recent pay stub or other income proof

Your trustee may request additional paperwork. Follow their instructions to keep your case on track.

Take a Debtor Education Course

After filing your case, complete a second course called debtor education. This course teaches budgeting and credit management skills. You need it to get your bankruptcy discharge.

Important details:

• The course takes 1-2 hours, available online or by phone
• Complete it within 60 days after your 341 meeting
• Use a court-approved provider
• File your certificate of completion (many providers file it automatically)

Without your certificate, you won’t receive a discharge. Your debts won’t be wiped out.

Attend Your 341 Meeting

About a month after filing, you’ll meet with your trustee in a short video call. This 341 meeting typically takes less than 10 minutes.

Most meetings happen over Zoom. Your notice includes the date, time, and login details.

The trustee will place you under oath. They’ll ask basic questions to confirm your identity and review your forms. Creditors can attend but rarely do.

Have these nearby:

• A photo ID and Social Security number proof
• A copy of your bankruptcy forms
• Documents you sent your trustee
• Your court notice

Deal With Your Car

Most filers keep their vehicle. What happens depends on its value, whether you owe money, and available exemptions.

An exemption is legal protection for certain property. Rhode Island lets you choose between state and federal exemptions. The state exemption protects up to $12,000 of vehicle equity.

If you own your car outright: Keep it if your equity is at or below the exemption amount.

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

• Reaffirm the loan: Keep making payments, and the lender won’t repossess. The lender and judge must agree
• Redeem the car: Pay a lump sum equal to current value. The lender must agree to terms
• Surrender the car: Return it to the lender, and the remaining loan is wiped out

If you lease your car: Continue the lease if you’re current on payments. Return it if unaffordable, with no remaining debt.

Rhode Island Bankruptcy Means Test

Before filing Chapter 7, you must pass the means test. You compare your household income to the state median.

If your income is at or below the median, you usually qualify immediately.

If not, you move to the second part accounting for allowable expenses. Consult a bankruptcy attorney at this point to verify eligibility.

Median Income Levels for Rhode Island

Median income standards determine means test eligibility for cases filed in 2025. Income limits vary by household size.

Poverty Levels for Rhode Island

Fee waiver eligibility applies when income is under 150% of the poverty level. Household size determines the specific limit.

Rhode Island District and Filing Requirements

Rhode Island has one federal bankruptcy district. All Chapter 7 cases file with the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Rhode Island. The court is located in Providence.

File in person or by mail at:

U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Rhode Island
380 Westminster Street, 6th Floor
Providence, RI 02903

Rhode Island also allows email filing via its Electronic Drop Box (EDB).

To use EDB:

• Complete the Application for Access to Electronic Drop Box
• Email it with your petition and photo ID to rib_helpdesk@rib.uscourts.gov
• If approved, mail or hand-deliver the signed original within 14 days
• Send future documents by email in PDF format

Filing Fee

Pay the $338 filing fee two ways:

Online: Use a bank debit card or bank account through the court’s Pay.gov system

By mail: Send a money order or cashier’s check to Clerk, U.S. Bankruptcy Court at:

U.S. Bankruptcy Court
380 Westminster Street
Providence, RI 02903

The court’s payment rules don’t clearly allow standard in-person payments by people filing without a lawyer.

Local Forms

If filing without a lawyer, also file a Certification by Pro Se Debtor (Form 1007-1.2). This confirms you understand your responsibilities as a self-represented filer.

Rhode Island Bankruptcy Exemptions

Exemptions protect property you need to move forward. Examples include your home, car, and basic belongings.

In Rhode Island, choose either state or federal exemptions. Most people select whichever set provides stronger protection.

Key exemption comparisons:

• Homestead (primary residence):
  • Rhode Island: Protects up to $500,000 of equity
  • Federal: Protects up to $31,575 of equity
• Motor vehicle:
  • Rhode Island: Protects up to $12,000 of equity in one car
  • Federal: Protects up to $5,025 of equity
• Wildcard (any property):
  • Rhode Island: Protects up to $6,500 of any property
  • Federal: Protects up to $1,675, plus up to $15,800 of unused homestead exemption

Retirement accounts like IRAs are fully protected under both systems.

Rhode Island Bankruptcy Lawyer Cost

In Rhode Island, many Chapter 7 bankruptcy attorneys charge between $1,500 and $2,500 for a standard case. Cost depends on complexity and location.

Attorney fees are often the biggest bankruptcy expense. Many people find the cost worthwhile for complex cases or when protecting valuable property.

If you can’t afford a lawyer, you may qualify for free help. Speak with a bankruptcy attorney for free to explore your options.

Rhode Island Legal Aid Organizations

If you can’t afford to hire a lawyer, you may qualify for legal aid help. These nonprofits offer free or low-cost legal services to people with limited income.

Below you’ll find Rhode Island organizations that may help with bankruptcy or related issues.