Hawaiʻi Bankruptcy Resources

Free guides on what bankruptcy costs, which chapter fits, and what you keep, plus tax debt, disaster loans, and condo fees.

Cost & Fees

How Much Does Bankruptcy Cost in Hawaiʻi?

There are two costs, and they go to two different places. I lay out what the court charges to file, what my fee is in a Chapter 7 and in a Chapter 13, and how you can get started without paying anything up front.

September 5, 2026Read the guide ›

Bankruptcy Basics

Chapter 7 vs. Chapter 13 Bankruptcy in Hawaiʻi: Which Is Right for You?

This is the question I answer on every first call, and it is rarely a close call. I go through what each chapter does best and how your own situation points to one of them.

September 5, 2026Read the guide ›

Bankruptcy Basics

Hawaiʻi Bankruptcy Exemptions: What You Keep When You File

Exemption laws decide what you keep when you file. For many Hawaiʻi filers, that is everything they own: home equity, car, retirement, and household goods. I walk through how the protections work, and where a homeowner’s equity stands.

September 5, 2026Read the guide ›

Chapter 7

Hawaiʻi Chapter 7 Means Test: Do You Qualify for Bankruptcy?

The means test is not just a Chapter 7 gate: the same math shapes how a Chapter 13 plan is built. Many people above the Hawaiʻi median still qualify for Chapter 7. I explain how the test really works.

September 5, 2026Read the guide ›

Bankruptcy Basics

What Debts Cannot Be Discharged in Hawaiʻi Bankruptcy?

Child support, alimony, recent taxes, and many student loans survive bankruptcy. Credit cards, medical bills, and unsecured personal loans are typically erased. I sort out the difference before you file.

September 5, 2026Read the guide ›

Wage Garnishment

How Much of Your Paycheck Can Be Taken in Hawaiʻi, and How to Stop It

If a creditor is already taking part of your pay, the first question is how much they are allowed to take. Hawaiʻi’s limits are unusual, and the State is not held to them when it collects its own taxes. I cover both, and how filing stops the garnishment.

August 10, 2026Read the guide ›

Bankruptcy Basics

How to Stop Creditor Calls and Lawsuits in Hawaiʻi with Bankruptcy

The phone calls, the letters, and the lawsuits stop the day your case is filed. I set out how that protection works, how fast the calls have to stop, and the few debts it does not reach.

September 5, 2026Read the guide ›

Business & SBA Debt

An SBA Loan You Cannot Pay: What Bankruptcy Can Do in Hawaiʻi

If you took an SBA loan during COVID or after the wildfires and cannot pay it, the first question is whether you owe it personally. I explain how to tell, and what bankruptcy can and cannot do about it.

August 10, 2026Read the guide ›

Student Loans

Can You Discharge Student Loans in Bankruptcy in Hawaiʻi?

Student loans are hard to discharge, but not impossible. For federal loans there is a clearer path than there used to be, and the court still decides. My full guide explains who qualifies, how the process works, and how I can help.

September 11, 2026Read the guide ›

Foreclosure Defense

Using Chapter 13 Bankruptcy to Stop Foreclosure in Hawaiʻi

Chapter 13 can stop a foreclosure and give you three to five years to catch up on missed mortgage payments. My full guide explains how Hawaiʻi homeowners use it to keep their homes.

September 6, 2026Read the guide ›

Condo & HOA

Behind on Association Fees in Hawaiʻi? What Bankruptcy Can Do

An association in Hawaiʻi can foreclose for unpaid fees on its own, without waiting for your mortgage lender. I cover what that means for your home, and why the chapter you file changes what happens to the fees that keep adding up after you file.

August 10, 2026Read the guide ›

Debt Defense

What Happens If You Ignore a Debt Collection Lawsuit in Hawaiʻi?

Ignoring a collection lawsuit usually ends in a default judgment, which can lead to a wage garnishment, a bank account levy, and a lien on your real estate. I walk through your options at every stage, even after a judgment.

August 10, 2026Read the guide ›

Debt Defense

Frozen Bank Account in Hawaiʻi: How Much They Can Take

Hawaiʻi caps what a creditor takes from a paycheck. There is no matching cap on a bank account, though some money in one is protected no matter how much is there. I lay out how a creditor gets to an account, what filing stops, and what happens to money that is already frozen.

September 5, 2026Read the guide ›

Repossession

Car Repossession in Hawaiʻi: What Bankruptcy Can Do

If your car has been taken, or you are about to lose it, timing decides almost everything. I cover the window you have and what each chapter can do about the loan behind it.

August 10, 2026Read the guide ›

Tax Debt

Discharging IRS, Hawaiʻi Income Tax, and GE Tax in Bankruptcy

Some tax debt can be wiped out and some cannot, and the difference usually comes down to dates. I take the IRS, Hawaiʻi income tax, and general excise tax one at a time.

August 10, 2026Read the guide ›

Divorce & Family

Divorce and Bankruptcy in Hawaiʻi: Which Comes First?

Filing before or after a divorce changes what gets erased and what survives. I explain how support, joint debts, and money you owe your former spouse are treated, and why the order matters.

August 10, 2026Read the guide ›

Not sure which guide you need?

The guides explain the law. The questionnaire tells you what you may qualify for: Chapter 7, Chapter 13, a federal student loan discharge, or a path that does not involve bankruptcy at all.

Find Out What You Qualify For Free and Confidential Questionnaire

Call (808) 468-7000

We are a debt relief agency. We proudly help people file for bankruptcy under the U.S. Bankruptcy Code.