About the Chapter 13 Payment Calculator
This Chapter 13 calculator estimates the monthly payment of a 3- or 5-year bankruptcy repayment plan. A confirmable plan generally has to pay priority claims (recent income taxes, domestic support arrears) in full, cure any mortgage or car arrears you want to keep, pay secured claims you are handling through the plan with interest, and cover unpaid attorney fees — plus the trustee’s percentage fee on everything paid in.
Unsecured creditors must receive at least the greater of two amounts: your projected disposable income over the plan (the “disposable income test”) and what they would have received if your non-exempt assets were sold in Chapter 7 (the “best interest of creditors test”). The calculator adds these pieces, spreads them over the plan length and grosses up for the trustee fee.
Use it to get a realistic ballpark before meeting a bankruptcy attorney or to compare 36- and 60-month plans. Filers above their state median income usually must propose a 60-month plan. Real plans also depend on local rules, the trustee’s actual fee rate, and how your district treats specific claims.
With the default inputs, the estimated monthly plan payment is $761.09. Change any value above to recalculate instantly.
How to use the chapter 13 payment calculator
- 1Choose a 36- or 60-month plan (60 if your income is above the state median).
- 2Enter priority debts, arrears you must cure and attorney fees owed.
- 3Add any secured claims paid through the plan and their interest rate.
- 4Enter your monthly disposable income, non-exempt asset value and unsecured debt.
- 5Set your district’s trustee fee and review the estimated monthly payment.
Formula and method
Priority claims, arrears and attorney fees are paid in full over the plan. Secured claims handled by the trustee are paid as an amortizing loan at the plan interest rate. Unsecured creditors receive the larger of your projected disposable income over the plan and the non-exempt value they would get in a Chapter 7 liquidation, but never more than they are owed.
Those amounts are divided by the number of months to get the net amount creditors need each month. Because the trustee keeps a percentage of every payment received, the payment you make is the net amount divided by (1 − trustee fee rate). Any unsecured balance not paid is normally discharged at the end of a completed plan.
- U
- General unsecured debt
- DI
- Monthly projected disposable income
- L
- Liquidation value of non-exempt assets
- S, r
- Secured claims paid through the plan and their interest rate
- n
- Plan length in months (36 or 60)
Worked examples
60-month plan with a car loan and tax debt
The $12,000 car claim at 8% costs $14,599 over 60 months. Adding $8,000 priority debt, $6,000 arrears, $3,500 attorney fees and $9,000 for unsecured creditors ($150 × 60, above the $5,000 liquidation value) gives $41,099, or $684.98 a month. Grossed up for a 10% trustee fee, the payment is about $761.
Short 36-month plan, mostly attorney and tax debt
With no disposable income, unsecured creditors only need the $1,000 liquidation value. Plus $2,000 of taxes and $4,000 of fees, that is $7,000 over 36 months ($194.44), or $211.35 after an 8% trustee fee. About 3% of the $30,000 unsecured debt is repaid.
Higher disposable income
With $600 a month of disposable income, unsecured creditors receive $36,000 over five years — 90% of what they are owed. Total plan needs rise to $68,099, or $1,134.98 a month net and about $1,261 including the trustee fee.
Frequently asked questions
How is a Chapter 13 payment calculated?+
The plan must pay priority debts in full, cure arrears on property you keep, pay secured claims through the plan with interest, and give unsecured creditors at least the greater of your disposable income over the plan or their Chapter 7 liquidation value — plus the trustee fee.
How long is a Chapter 13 plan?+
Plans last three to five years. If your current monthly income is below your state median, the commitment period is usually 36 months; above the median, it is generally 60 months unless unsecured creditors are paid in full sooner.
What is the Chapter 13 trustee fee?+
Each standing trustee takes a percentage of every plan payment to cover administration costs. The rate is set by the US Trustee Program for each district and is capped at 10%; many districts charge between about 5% and 10%.
What happens to unsecured debt in Chapter 13?+
Unsecured creditors share whatever the plan pays them, often a small percentage. When you complete all plan payments, most remaining unsecured debt such as credit cards and medical bills is discharged.
Can I lower my car payment in Chapter 13?+
Sometimes. If you bought the car more than 910 days before filing, the loan can often be “crammed down” to the car’s value at a court-approved interest rate. Enter that value and rate as the secured claim.
Results are general estimates and not legal advice. Laws vary by jurisdiction — consult a qualified attorney.