Chapter 13 Payment Estimator for Florida
Written by Blake Stewart | Florida Bar No. 84716 | Admitted 2010 | Florida Bankruptcy & Estate Planning Attorney
Get a rough estimate of your monthly Chapter 13 payment and plan length in about two minutes.
Takes about 2 minutes • Nothing you enter leaves your browser.
Most Florida Chapter 13 plans run 36 to 60 months. Your monthly plan payment depends on what you owe that must be paid in full — mortgage arrears, regular ongoing mortgage and vehicle payments for property you are keeping, recent taxes, past-due support — plus what your non-exempt property is worth, your income after necessary expenses, and the trustee's fee of up to 10% under 28 U.S.C. § 586(e). This estimator runs those numbers for you in about two minutes. I built it because the first question every client asks me is "what will the payment be," and you should have a real number before you call anyone.
Nothing you enter here leaves your browser.
Number of people in your household (1–12).
Wages, self-employment, rental, Social Security, pension, child support. Include every adult in the household who contributes.
Rent or mortgage payment, utilities, food, insurance, transportation, childcare, medical. Do not include the debts you enter below.
Secured debts you want to keep
If you plan to keep a house, vehicle, or other financed property, Chapter 13 may have to account for both the amount you are behind and the regular payments that continue after filing.
The total amount needed to bring the mortgage current.
Enter the regular payment that will continue after filing, including escrow if it is part of the payment.
Vehicle or secured debt 1
Enter any missed payments or other amount that must be cured.
Use the payment required by the current loan.
Approximately how many regular payments remain on the loan?
Your actual payment may be different. In some Chapter 13 cases, vehicle loans or other secured debts may be modified by changing how the debt is paid through the plan or adjusting the interest rate. Eligibility and the proper treatment depend on the loan and the facts of the case. This estimator uses your current contractual payment unless Stewart Law determines another treatment is available.
Mortgage, vehicle loans, and other debts secured by property. This number is used to check Chapter 13 debt-limit eligibility.
Income taxes from the last three years, past-due child support or alimony.
Credit cards, medical bills, personal loans, judgments.
Leave at 0 if unsure. Florida protects up to $5,000 of equity in one vehicle under Fla. Stat. § 222.25(1), and homestead is protected under Art. X, § 4, Fla. Const.
From your consultation, if you have one.
Example result — household 3, income $5,200/mo, $14,000 mortgage arrears, $1,200/mo mortgage
Estimated starting plan payment
$1,577/month
for 60 months — Your income is below the Florida median, so the base plan is 36 months, but the numbers require the full 60.
Florida median income for a household of 3: $97,540 (yours: $62,400/yr)
Below medianMinimum to fund plan
$1,577/mo
Left after your expenses
$500/mo
Estimated repayment to unsecured creditors: about 0%
On these numbers the plan needs more per month than you have left over. That does not always end the conversation: expenses can be trimmed, a co-debtor can contribute, and a mortgage modification can change the arrears. Call me before you decide anything.
Estimate only. Based on your inputs, the U.S. Trustee Program median-income figures for cases filed on or after April 1, 2026, and a 10% trustee fee.
Most Florida Chapter 13 plans run 36 to 60 months. Your monthly plan payment depends on what you owe that must be paid in full — mortgage arrears, regular ongoing mortgage and vehicle payments for property you are keeping, recent taxes, past-due support — plus what your non-exempt property is worth, your income after necessary expenses, and the trustee's fee of up to 10% under 28 U.S.C. § 586(e). This estimator runs those numbers for you in about two minutes. I built it because the first question every client asks me is "what will the payment be," and you should have a real number before you call anyone.
How the estimate works
Every Chapter 13 plan has to fund several categories before it pays credit cards. First, if you are keeping secured property — a home, a vehicle, or anything else financed — the plan must account for the regular ongoing payments on that property while those payments remain due, plus the amount needed each month to cure any arrears over the life of the plan. Second, priority claims must be paid in full, such as recent income taxes and past-due child support (11 U.S.C. § 1322(a)(2)). Third, the plan must pay at least what unsecured creditors would have received if you had filed Chapter 7, which is why non-exempt equity matters (§ 1325(a)(4)). Fourth, the standing trustee's fee, which the trustee sets at up to 10% of every payment you make (28 U.S.C. § 586(e)).
Your income sets the length. Below the Florida median for your household size, the commitment period is 36 months, and I can ask the court for up to 60 if the numbers need it (§ 1322(d)(2)). Above the median, it is 60 months (§ 1325(b)(4)). Whatever is left of your income after necessary expenses goes to the plan, and the payment is the greater of that amount and what the plan needs to fund the categories above.
Because vehicle loans and other secured debts may be paid off before the plan ends, your required plan payment can step down when a debt is retired. The estimator shows separate payment periods when that happens.
In Brevard County and across the Middle District of Florida, your first plan payment is due within 30 days of filing, before the court confirms the plan (§ 1326(a)(1)). The Southern and Northern Districts run their own model plans and trustees, and the details differ, but the funding requirements above are the same everywhere in Florida.
Chapter 13 Payment Questions
How much is a typical Chapter 13 payment in Florida?
There is no useful 'typical' Chapter 13 payment because the payment depends on the debts being handled through the plan. If you are keeping a home, the plan may include your regular mortgage payment plus the amount needed each month to cure mortgage arrears. Vehicles you keep may also add their regular payments until they are paid off, along with arrears, priority debts such as recent taxes or past-due support, attorney fees being paid through the plan, and the trustee's percentage. That is why two households with similar income can have very different Chapter 13 payments. Run your own numbers in the estimator above.
Can I qualify for Chapter 13 if my income is above the Florida median?
Yes. There is no income cap for Chapter 13. Above-median households are required to run a 60-month plan and calculate disposable income using IRS standard expense allowances on Form 122C-2, which usually raises the payment. For cases filed on or after April 1, 2026, the Florida median is $69,876 for one person, $86,523 for two, $97,540 for three, and $114,761 for four, plus $11,100 for each person above four.
What are the Chapter 13 debt limits in 2026?
You must owe less than $526,700 in unsecured debt and less than $1,580,125 in secured debt to file Chapter 13 (11 U.S.C. § 109(e)). These limits apply to cases filed April 1, 2025 through March 31, 2028. Married couples filing jointly share one set of limits; they are not doubled. In Florida the secured limit is the one that catches homeowners with large mortgages.
Does the trustee take a percentage of my Chapter 13 payment?
Yes, up to 10%. The standing Chapter 13 trustee keeps a percentage of every payment you make, capped at 10% by 28 U.S.C. § 586(e), and the plan has to be funded to cover it. If your plan needs $1,000 a month to reach creditors, budget about $1,100 to the trustee.
Do I keep my house and car in Chapter 13?
Yes, as long as you keep making your regular payments and the plan cures any arrears. Chapter 13 stops foreclosure the day you file through the automatic stay and lets you catch up missed mortgage payments over up to 60 months (11 U.S.C. §§ 362, 1322(b)(5)). Florida also protects up to $5,000 of equity in one vehicle under Fla. Stat. § 222.25(1), which is why non-exempt equity is usually zero for financed cars.
When does my first Chapter 13 payment start?
Within 30 days of filing, before the court confirms your plan (11 U.S.C. § 1326(a)(1)). Clients are often surprised by this. I set the payment date at filing so that the first one is not a scramble.
How much does a Chapter 13 attorney cost in Florida?
The fee depends on your case, and I quote it after I review your numbers. I do not publish a flat price because a fixed number does not tell you whether your case is a straightforward plan or one with a mortgage modification and a tax claim. Court-approved fees are paid through the plan in most Florida Chapter 13 cases, so you are not writing a large check at filing. See what-it-costs for how we work, then call me for a real quote.
Get your real number
This estimator gives you a fair starting number. It cannot see your tax returns, your mortgage servicer's payoff figures, or the equity in your home. I run those before I ever tell a client what the plan will be. I file Chapter 13 cases for clients in Melbourne and across Brevard County, and for people throughout Florida by phone and video. If foreclosure or a garnishment is on the calendar, call me at 321-541-6845 today and bring your last two pay stubs and your mortgage statement. If you are not in a rush, use the contact form and I will call you back.
Related Chapter 13 Resources
- Chapter 13 Bankruptcy in Florida — Overview
How Chapter 13 works, who qualifies, and what the plan process looks like from filing through discharge.
- Florida Bankruptcy FAQ
Answers to common questions about Chapter 7, Chapter 13, exemptions, foreclosure, and wage garnishment.
- What Can Chapter 13 Bankruptcy Do for You in Florida?
How Chapter 13 can stop foreclosure, repossession, and wage garnishment while you keep your home and car.
- Will Bankruptcy Stop Foreclosure in Florida?
How the automatic stay and a Chapter 13 arrears cure can halt a foreclosure and let you catch up on missed mortgage payments.
- Can Bankruptcy Stop Vehicle Repossession in Florida?
How keeping a vehicle through Chapter 13 works, including ongoing payments and arrears cure.
- How Much Does Bankruptcy Cost in Florida?
Court filing fees, required course costs, and how attorney fees are typically handled in a Chapter 13 plan.
This estimator provides general information and a rough estimate. It is not legal advice and does not create an attorney-client relationship. Actual plan payments are set by the court and the standing Chapter 13 trustee based on your complete financial picture. Median-income figures are from the U.S. Trustee Program for cases filed on or after April 1, 2026 and are updated periodically.
This estimator assumes that ongoing mortgage, vehicle, and other secured-debt payments continue according to their current terms. In some Chapter 13 cases, Stewart Law may seek court approval to modify the treatment of a secured debt, including the repayment period or applicable interest rate. Whether modification is available depends on the type of debt, the loan terms, the collateral, and the facts of the case. Court approval is not guaranteed, and any approved modification may increase or decrease the actual plan payment shown by this estimator.