Preparation is the key for success when filing bankruptcy in Florida. The best bankruptcy cases go unnoticed as debtors glide through the system without attracting attention to receive a full discharges in record time. Luck is not involved. Planning began months before filing.
The most successful filers know something that you don’t. Small lifestyle changes may alter means test income and expenses before filing. Well-planned strategic changes will have a dramatic effect on the results of the means test. With a few weeks or months to plan, creating $300 improvement on the bankruptcy means test calculation will save $18,000 in wasted Chapter 13 payments. Just as easily, many people avoid Chapter 13 altogether and may file Chapter 7 when understanding the test procedure. Timing is critical.
2010 Bankruptcy Strategies and the Means Test Explained
The Florida Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District maintains two divisional offices and serves 6 counties. The 2003 case volume was divided among the following chapters:
| District | Total | Ch 7 | Ch 11 | Ch 12 | Ch 13 |
| Southern | 32,978 | 22,953 | 255 | 1 | 9,764 |
Jurisdiction / Coverage - The Miami Division serves the counties of Dade, Martin and Monroe, including the following cities: Aventura, Alligator Bay, Big Pine Key, Cannon Bay, Cape Sable, Carol City, Coral Gables, Coral Reef, Cutler Ridge, Elliot Key, flamingo, Florida City, Golden Glades, Hialeah, Goulds, Hialeah Gardens, Highland Pont, Islamorada, Islandia, Kendall, Key Biscayne, Key Largo, Key West, Leisure City, Marathon, Medley, Miami, Naranja, Miami Beach, Miami Shores, Miami Springs, Miami Lakes, Norland, North Bay Village, North Miami, Opa-Locka, Pennsuco, Perrine, Princeton, Richmond Heights, Rockdale, Sands Key, Shark Point, Sugar Loaf, Surfside, Tavernier and West Monroe. The Fort Lauderdale and West Palm Beach Divisions serve the counties of Broward, Dade, Highlands, Indian River, Martin, Monroe, Okeechobee, Palm Beach County, St. Lucie Palm Beach County, and St. Lucie County.
The Southern District supplies debtors with web access to petitions, schedules and related forms and documents. Also, local rules and filing instructions are available. Be aware that instructions provided are general, and are not a substitutive for competent legal advice provided by a qualified lawyer. Judges, clerks, and personnel are subject to specific Code provisions which prohibit the dissemination of what could be considered as legal counsel, advice or assistance. Federal Rules of Bankruptcy Procedure and Official Bankruptcy Forms were amended, effective December 1, 2003, and now implement a policy adopted by the Judicial Conference of the United States regarding privacy and public access to electronic case files.
Contact Information: Florida Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District.
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