Complete Guide to the Bankruptcy Logic Debtor Education Course
This guide covers everything you need to know about the Personal Financial Management Instructional Course — from enrollment to filing your certificate with the bankruptcy court.
What This Course Is
The Personal Financial Management Instructional Course — also called the debtor education course or second bankruptcy course — is a federal requirement for individuals filing for bankruptcy under Chapter 7 or Chapter 13. It is required by the Bankruptcy Abuse Prevention and Consumer Protection Act (BAPCPA) under 11 U.S.C. § 111.
Bankruptcy Logic is approved by the U.S. Department of Justice Executive Office for U.S. Trustees (EOUST) to offer this course nationwide (application number 0824-DE-03918). The course is not available in Alabama or North Carolina, which are governed by Bankruptcy Administrators rather than the U.S. Trustee Program.
This is the second of two required courses:
Course 1 — Pre-filing credit counseling: Taken before you file your bankruptcy petition (not offered by Bankruptcy Logic)
Course 2 — Debtor education (this course): Taken after filing, before discharge is granted
Who Needs to Take It
Anyone seeking a discharge in a Chapter 7 bankruptcy case
Anyone seeking a discharge in a Chapter 13 bankruptcy case
Joint filers: Both spouses must individually complete the course — one $19.95 fee covers both; each may complete it separately or together; one certificate covers both
You must have already filed your bankruptcy case and have a case number before you can enroll. This course cannot be taken before filing.
When to Take It
Take the course as early as possible after your case is filed. Do not wait until the deadline.
Chapter 7: Your certificate must be filed with the court within 60 days after the date first set for your 341 meeting of creditors
Chapter 13: Your certificate must be filed before your final plan payment
Confirm your exact deadline with your attorney or the bankruptcy court.
What the Course Covers
The course consists of five modules followed by a required final exam:
Module 1 — Budget Development: Setting financial goals, tracking income and expenses, building a spending plan
Module 2 — Money Management: Record keeping, financial decision-making, insurance, savings
Module 3 — Wise Use of Credit: Types and costs of credit, warning signs, alternatives, rebuilding credit
Module 4 — Consumer Information: Public and non-profit resources, consumer protection laws
Module 5 — Coping With Unexpected Financial Crisis: Alternatives to borrowing, service agency assistance, emergency planning
Final Exam: 10 questions drawn from a bank of 50, covering all five modules; multiple choice; automatically graded; feedback provided on incorrect answers; can be retaken until a satisfactory score is achieved
How the Course Works
100% online, self-paced — available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week
English and Spanish — full course content available in both languages
Audio version — available in English only, as a free vision-impaired accommodation
Minimum 2 hours — the federal minimum is enforced by the course system; no per-section timers
No single-sitting requirement — take breaks and resume at any time; progress saves at the completion of each topic
One active session at a time — only one device can be logged in simultaneously
120-day access window — starts on the date of purchase; course access and progress are removed after 120 days
Enrolling
What you need before you start: - Bankruptcy case number - Bankruptcy court district - Full legal name(s) of all filers — exactly as on the petition - Last 4 digits of Social Security Number for each filer - Chapter 7 or Chapter 13 selection - Email address (certificate delivered here) - Payment method (see below)
Note: Additional personal information including date of birth and full SSN is collected after checkout, through a secure form before the course begins.
Cost: $19.95 per household — one payment, no recurring charges, no upsells. Payment methods: Credit cards (Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Discover), bank check cards, Apple Pay, or Attorney Billing Code. Fee waiver: If your household income is below 150% of the federal poverty guidelines, or if your attorney is providing pro bono representation, you may qualify for a full or partial fee waiver assessed on a case-by-case basis. Let us know before enrolling — do not pay first. Fee waivers cannot be applied retroactively.
Your Certificate
Issued promptly upon completing all five modules and the final exam with a satisfactory score
Delivered by email to the address entered at enrollment
Joint filers receive one certificate covering both spouses — issued after both have individually completed the course
The certificate includes: filer name(s), case number, court district, completion date and time, provider name and application number, and the required EOUST compliance statement
Bankruptcy Logic does not withhold a certificate because of failure to pay for any product or service other than the instructional course
Bankruptcy Logic does not condition a certificate on completion of a course evaluation
Need your certificate again? Let us know and we will resend it within 1 business day — available at any time within our compliance record-keeping period, even after your 120-day access has expired
Filing Your Certificate With the Court
Bankruptcy Logic does not file your certificate with the court. You or your attorney must do this.
What to file: 1. Your Bankruptcy Logic completion certificate 2. Official Form 423 — Certification About a Financial Management Course (free download at uscourts.gov) Who files it: - If you have an attorney: give them the certificate immediately; they will file both documents - If you are filing pro se: contact the clerk of the bankruptcy court for filing instructions for your district Deadlines: - Chapter 7: Within 60 days of the 341 meeting date - Chapter 13: Before the final plan payment
Missing the deadline can result in your case being closed without a discharge. Contact your attorney immediately if you are at risk.
Refunds and Fee Waiver
Refund policy (bankruptcylogic.com/disclosures is the source of record): - Full $19.95 refund available only if all three conditions are met: within 3 months of payment, course not started, and certificate not generated - No refund once the certificate has been issued, under any circumstances - Let us know in the chat to request a refund Fee waiver: - Available for households below 150% of federal poverty guidelines — full or partial, assessed case-by-case - Available for pro bono legal representation cases - Let us know before enrolling — do not pay first; waivers cannot be applied retroactively
Support
Live support: Mon–Fri 9:00am–5:00pm EST
Chat: Available in the chat window — English and Spanish
Ask to speak with the team for live assistance
We can help with login issues, missing certificates, refund requests, fee waiver setup, enrollment corrections, and general course questions. We cannot provide legal advice — consult your attorney for questions about your case.
Complaints about Bankruptcy Logic may be directed to the U.S. Trustee Program at [email protected].
Required EOUST Disclosure
Bankruptcy Logic is approved to issue certificates evidencing completion of a personal financial management instructional course in compliance with the Bankruptcy Code. Approval does not endorse or assure the quality of a provider's services.
Quick Facts
Detail | Information |
Official name | Personal Financial Management Instructional Course |
Also called | Debtor education, second bankruptcy course, post-filing course |
Provider | Bankruptcy Logic (bankruptcylogic.com) |
Approved by | DOJ — EOUST (application number 0824-DE-03918) |
Available | Nationwide (not Alabama or North Carolina) |
Required for | Chapter 7 and Chapter 13 individual filers |
When to take | After filing; before discharge |
Minimum length | 2 hours |
Modules | 5 modules + final exam (10 questions from bank of 50) |
Format | Online; English and Spanish; audio in English (vision-impaired) |
Cost | $19.95 per household |
Payment methods | Visa, Mastercard, Amex, Discover, bank check card, Apple Pay, Attorney Billing Code |
Joint filers | One fee; may complete separately or together; one certificate |
Certificate | Issued promptly; delivered by email |
Court filing | You or your attorney files certificate + Form 423 |
Refund | Within 3 months of payment; course not started; certificate not generated |
Support hours | Mon–Fri 9:00am–5:00pm EST |
Frequently Asked Questions
Is this the same as the credit counseling course I took before filing? No. They are two separate requirements. The pre-filing credit counseling course (Course 1) was taken before you filed. This course (Course 2) is taken after filing and before discharge.
Can my attorney take the course for me? No. Federal law requires you to personally complete the course. Another person completing it on your behalf invalidates the certificate.
What if I live in Alabama or North Carolina? Bankruptcy Logic is not approved in those states. Your attorney or the court can provide an approved provider list.
I have a court deadline approaching. Can I still complete the course in time? Enroll at bankruptcylogic.com immediately and complete the course as soon as possible. The course takes a minimum of 2 hours and your certificate is issued promptly upon completion. File it with the court as soon as you receive it.
I lost my certificate. Can I get another one? Yes. Let us know in the chat and we will resend it within 1 business day.