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EZ-Filing^® Bankruptcy Forms Software—Technical Support FAQs
You have questions; EZ-Filing, Inc. has answers.

If you have a technical support question related to EZ-Filing bankruptcy forms software, please check the list of frequently asked questions and troubleshooting help below before calling the telephone technical support line. If you still can't find the answer to your question and you have a current EZ-UpKeep™ Technical Support subscription, feel free to call us toll free at 800-998-2424 and speak to one of our outstanding tech support people. Bankruptcy lawyers who have allowed their support subscription to expire can still contact us via email at techsupport@ezfiling.com. (When sending an email, please include the following information: your name, your customer ID number, the version of Windows you have installed, the nature of your support question, and any other information that you feel might be of assistance in resolving the issue, such as "I just got a new printer.")

• How do I keep Schedule I information separate from Form B22 information?
• How do I make a selection on Exhibit D?
• The debtor intends to surrender the collateral for a secured debt, but the creditor still appears in Subpart C of the B22 form. How do I remove the creditor from Subpart C?
• How can I make the B22 form (or any form) show zeros instead of leaving the line blank?
• Where do I enter Social Security income for the B22 form?
• Why does the program use last year’s median family income?
• The debtor(s) lived in another state, so I need to use that state’s exemptions. How can I get those exemptions?
• How do I file a new bankruptcy case electronically?
• My district requires the bankruptcy forms in a different order. How do I change the order of the forms?
• How do I file an amended form?
• Can I import a list of creditors into EZ-Filing bankruptcy software?
• I'm installing EZ-Filing bankruptcy software and the installation program is asking for a Customer ID number. Where do I find that?
• Where do I enter information for the Chapter 7 Individual Debtor’s Statement of Intention?
• Does the EZ-Filing program calculate a target monthly payment amount for a Chapter 13 plan?

Troubleshooting

• I've entered the debtors’ paychecks, but it still shows their income as zero.
• I’ve entered the debtors’ paychecks, but the IRS Standards tab doesn’t appear and the Calculations of Deductions section of the B22 form is blank.
• An error message appears saying “…median family income not found!”
• Downloading the updates doesn’t work.
• When the CM-ECF window appears, it doesn’t display the court’s login page; instead, it displays an Action Cancelled message.
• When filing electronically, I get an error from the court’s system referencing a string length restriction of 40 characters.
• The Statement of Intention form is showing “None” in the Description of Property column. How do I make the Statement of Intention list collateral?
• Schedule C is not showing any of the exemptions.
• The court’s CM-ECF Web site tells me that my creditor list is empty.
• My Creditor Matrix is not printing.
• There is a creditor missing from the Creditor Matrix.
• I can’t navigate throughout a window—I can’t see the tabs.
• On the Chapter 13 Plan window, the duration won’t go beyond X months.
• The Chapter 7 reconciliation indicates a high estimated Chapter 7 dividend.

How do I keep Schedule I information separate from Form B22 information?

Either enter a paycheck that contains information only for Schedule I by making its date outside the income-inclusive dates. (We suggest that you enter 2099—the date doesn't show on Schedule I and it's definitely outside the income-inclusive dates.) Then select “Specific check” in the Include on Schedule I list, and select the option button next to the check whose information is for only Schedule I.

Or set up the EZ-Filing bankruptcy software to collect the information for the two forms separately:

1. From the System menu, select “Preferences”.
2. In the Preferences window, select “Entry Defaults”.
3. Uncheck the Integrate form B22 payroll entry… box.
4. Click OK.

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How do I make a selection on Exhibit D?

Use the Exhibit D window, which you open by selecting “Exhibit D” from the Client menu.

You must open the Exhibit D window and click OK even if you want to accept the default selection, which checks box 1 on Exhibit D.

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The debtor intends to surrender the collateral for a secured debt, but the creditor still appears in Subpart C of the B22 form. How do I remove the creditor from Subpart C?

1. Select “Liabilities Schedules” from the Client menu.
2. In the Liabilities window, double-click the creditor in question.
3. In the Edit Liabilities window, click the B22 tab.
4. Check-mark Use payment schedule… .
5. Make sure the remaining fields all show zeros, and click OK.
6. In the dialog box that appears, click OK to remove the creditor from Subpart C and close the dialog box.

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How can I make the B22 form (or any form) show zeros instead of leaving the line blank?

1. Select “Bankruptcy Forms” > “Case Forms” from the File menu.
2. In the Case Forms window that appears, select the form and click the Properties button.
3. In the Form Properties window, check-mark Print all zeros, and click Close.

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Where do I enter Social Security income for the B22 form?

Nowhere. According to 11 U.S.C §101(10A)(B), current monthly income does not include social security benefits.

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Why does the program use last year’s median family income?

The EZ-Filing bankruptcy forms software uses the most recent income table provided by the U.S. Trustee Program (www.usdoj.gov/ust/). The data ultimately comes from the Census Bureau, which doesn’t update the data until partway through the year.

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The debtor(s) lived in another state, so I need to use that state’s exemptions. How can I get those exemptions?

1. From the System menu, select "Activate New State".
   
2. In the Activate New State window, select the state whose exemption statutes you need to use.
   
3. Click Activate to activate the state and close the Activate New State window.
   
4. Select the state you activated in the Exemption Law list in the Edit Voluntary Petition window.

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How do I file a new bankruptcy case electronically?

1. Open the client file for the case you need to file.
2. Click File Case Electronically .
3. In the CM-ECF window, log in to the court’s ECF Web site, and click the Upload button. EZ-Filing automatically uploads the ECF files and returns a case number to you.

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My district requires the bankruptcy forms in a different order. How do I change the order of the forms?

1. From the File menu, select “Bankruptcy Forms” > “Case Forms”.
2. In the Case Forms window, select a form whose position you need to change, and click Up Resequence or Down Resequence as many times as necessary to move the form to its required position.
3. Close the Case Forms window. In the confirmation box that appears, click Yes to save your revisions.

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How do I file an amended form?

1. From the File menu, select “Bankruptcy Forms” > “Case Forms”.
2. In the Case Forms window, check the box adjacent to the form or forms for which you need to file an amendment.
3. Click the Amended button.
4. On the Amended Form(s) Options window, check the Preface form title box.
5. If any of the forms is an asset, creditor, or codebtor schedule and you want only certain assets or parties to appear on the amended schedule, select the Include ONLY checked items option button and check-mark each asset or party that you want to appear on the schedule.
6. Click Close.
7. Click the ECF button to generate the PDF file for the amended forms.
8. Using the CM-ECF window, log in to the court’s ECF Web site, and navigate according to the amended form(s) you need to file. For instruction on navigating the court’s Web site, contact a representative at your court.
9. When you arrive at the page asking for the file name, double-click the icon in the left-hand column of the CM-ECF window representing the PDF document.
10. Continue navigating the court’s ECF Web site.

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Can I import a list of creditors into EZ-Filing bankruptcy software?

Yes, you can import a list of creditors saved as a CSV (comma-separated values) file using the Import window.

1. Save the list of creditors as a CSV file using your spreadsheet program.
2. Open the Import window by selecting “Import” from the File menu.
3. Click the ellipsis button next to the Import File box.
4. In the Open window, select the CSV file and click Open.
5. Use the right and left arrow buttons to associate the CSV file’s columns with EZ-Filing’s data fields.

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I’m installing EZ-Filing bankruptcy forms software and the installation program is asking for a Customer ID number. Where do I find that?

If you recently licensed the software and you’ve received the installation disk for the first time, your Customer ID number is located on the sticker either above or below the CD in the CD case. You can find it on your invoice as well.

If you’ve received an update, your Customer ID number is located on the address label.

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Where do I enter information for the Chapter 7 Individual Debtor’s Statement of Intention?

You indicate the debtor’s intent on the Ch 7 tab in the Add/Edit Liability window:

1. Open the Liabilities window by clicking the Liability button on the toolbar or by selecting “Liability Schedules” from the Client menu.
2. In the list of creditors, select a creditor who holds a lien on property that you want to list on the Statement of Intention form, and double-click the creditor or press the Enter key.
3. In the Edit Liability window that appears, go to the Ch 7 tab.
4. On the Ch 7 tab, select the intent for the property in the Debtor Intent drop-down list box.
5. Repeat steps 2 through 4 for all other creditors who hold liens on property you want to be listed on the Statement of Intention form.

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Does the EZ-Filing bankruptcy forms software calculate a target monthly payment amount for a Chapter 13 plan?

It makes an initial calculation:

If you have completed the information in the Edit Income and Expenditures window (thereby completing Schedules I and J) prior to accessing the Chapter 13 Plan window, EZ-Filing uses the monthly excess as the initial plan payment amount. However, once you edit the monthly payment amount on the Calculator tab in the Chapter 13 Plan window, the excess no longer takes priority.

The monthly excess is the difference between the monthly expenses and the monthly income, which the EZ-Filing program automatically calculates.

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I’ve entered the debtors’ paychecks, but it still shows their income as zero.

The paychecks are outside the income-inclusive dates (shown near the top-right corner of the Statement of Current Monthly Income … window). One of the following is true:

The wrong date is entered in the Anticipated filing box. In this case, enter a date that will shift the income-inclusive dates to include the dates of the checks.

The wrong date is entered in the Check date box (in the Edit Paycheck window) for some or all of the checks. In this case, enter dates that are within the income-inclusive dates.

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I’ve entered the debtors’ paychecks, but the IRS Standards tab doesn’t appear and the Calculations of Deductions section of the B22 form is blank.

The debtors’ annualized income is below the state median family income, and as Line 15 (on B22A) and Line 17 (on B22C) state, the rest of the B22 form is not required to be completed.

If your trustee insists that you complete the form regardless, set up the EZ-Filing program to do so by
doing the following:

1. From the System menu, select “Form B22 Support” > “Calculation Preferences”.
2. In the Form B22 Calculations Preferences window that appears, select both Always option buttons in the Calculate… areas and click OK.

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An error message appears saying “…median family income not found!”

The date in the Anticipated filing box is 2004 or earlier. Enter a current date.

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Downloading the EZ-Filing bankruptcy software updates doesn’t work.
—or—
When the CM-ECF window appears, it doesn’t display the court’s login page; instead, it displays an Action Cancelled message.

Likely you have a firewall or anti-virus program running that is preventing the EZ-Filing program from gaining access to the Internet, which it needs in order to download the update and to display the court’s login page. Disable your anti-virus program and try again.

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When filing electronically, I get an error from the court’s system referencing a string length restriction of 40 characters.

Change the directory in which the EZ-Filing program stores the ECF files:

1. From the System menu, select “Preferences”.

2. In the Preferences window that appears, select “Electronic Filing” in the Options list.

3. Uncheck the Use WIN Temporary Directory box.

4. Click the ellipsis button to the right of the Directory box.

5. In the Browse for Folder window that appears, browse to the C:\Windows\Temp folder and click OK.

6. Click OK in the Preferences window.

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The Statement of Intention form is showing “None” in the Description of Property column. How do I make the Statement of Intention list collateral?

You must designate the collateral for which you want to state the intent:

1. Open the Liabilities window by clicking the Liabilities button on the toolbar or by selecting “Liabilities Schedules” from the Client menu.
2. Select the creditor that holds a lien against the property that you want to be listed on the Statement of Intention form, and double-click the creditor or press the Enter key.
3. On the Edit Liability window that appears, go to the Sch D tab.
4. Make sure you have checked a specific asset in the list. If you do not have a specific asset in the list checked, put a check in the box next to the asset on which you want to state the intent. If the asset is already checked, go to the Ch 7 tab and make sure you have the intent selected in the Debtor Intent drop-down list box.
5. If the information on the Sch D and Ch 7 tabs is correct, complete the following steps to clear the problem:

a. Select “Diagnostic Report” from the File menu.

b. Close the Form/Report Previewer that appears and generate the Statement of Intention form again.

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Schedule C is not showing any of the exemptions.

Make sure you have claimed something to be exempt:

1. Open the Assets window by clicking the Assets button on the toolbar or by selecting “Assets Schedules” from the Client menu.
2. Select an asset in the list that you want to exempt, and double-click it or press the Enter key.
3. In the Edit Asset window that appears, go to the Exemption(s) tab.
4. Enter a dollar amount in the Claimed column for the appropriate exemption category.
5. Click OK or press the Enter key.

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The court’s CM-ECF website tells me that my creditor list is empty.
—or—
My Creditor Matrix is not printing.

Check the following:

• Make sure you have the correct jurisdiction selected on the Edit Voluntary Petition window:

1. Open the Edit Voluntary Petition window by clicking the Voluntary Petition button on the toolbar or by selecting “Voluntary Petition” from the Client menu.
2. Select the correct jurisdiction in the Jurisdiction drop-down list box and click OK.

• Make sure you have the correct Creditor Matrix format selected in the Edit District window:

1. Open the Districts window by selecting “Districts” from the System menu.
2. Select your district and double-click it or press the Enter key.
3. In Edit District window that appears, select the appropriate format in the Format drop-down list box, and click OK.

• Make sure that the address for every creditor entered is complete. See the procedure for a missing creditor below.

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There is a creditor missing from the Creditor Matrix.

Make sure that the address for the creditor is complete:

1. Open the Liabilities window by clicking the Liabilities button on the toolbar or by selecting “Liabilities Schedules” from the Client menu.
2. Select the creditor in question, and double-click it or press the Enter key.
3. On the Edit Liability window that appears, enter the complete address for the creditor—including the zip code—and click OK.

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I can’t navigate throughout a window—I can’t see the tabs.

The window is positioned too low on the screen and the tabs are below the visible area of the screen. To bring the window up to the top left corner of the screen, select “Cascade” from the Windows menu.

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On the Chapter 13 Plan window, the duration won’t go beyond X months.

The EZ-Filing program allows the plan to run only long enough to pay off all the debts (including 100% of the unsecured debts) through the plan. If you are unable to increase the duration, you must either decrease the monthly payment or increase the amount of debt in the plan.

If the plan’s maximum duration is shorter than you believe it should be (in other words, if EZ-Filing indicates that all the debts will be paid off sooner than you believe is correct), most likely you’ve forgotten to include all the debts—especially secured debts—in the plan. You include secured debts in the plan by completing the Ch 13 tab in the Add/Edit Liability window for each debt.

If you’ve included all the secured debts (by completing the Ch 13 tab for each debt), and the duration is still shorter than you believe it should be, you may need to change the repayment class and the distribution amount for that class by completing the following steps:

1. On the Calculator tab in the Chapter 13 Plan window, select the creditor in the list whose claim treatment you want to adjust, and click the Edit Debt button. The Chapter 13 Detail window appears.
2. In the Chapter 13 Detail window, change the repayment class in the Repayment Class drop-down list box, and change the amount of the claim distributed in that class by changing the amount in the Amount (this class) text box.

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The Chapter 7 reconciliation indicates a high estimated Chapter 7 dividend.

If your initial appraisal of the debtor’s asset-to-liability ratio indicates very little unencumbered or non-exempt property, yet the Chapter 7 dividend is high, then one of the following is true:

• You have not exempted all of the assets you need to exempt. In this case, view Schedule C to identify any assets you forgot to claim as exempt.

• You have not assigned the collateral to the appropriate liens. In this case, make sure that you’ve assigned collateral to all the secured debts by completing the following steps:

1. Open the Liabilities window by clicking the Liabilities button on the toolbar or by selecting “Liabilities Schedules” from the Client menu.
2. Select the Secured option button to display only secured debts.
3. Select a debt and press the Enter key or double-click it.
4. In the Edit Liability window that appears, go to the Sch D tab.
5. Assign collateral for the debt by checking the box next to the appropriate collateral in the list.
6. Click OK.
7. Repeat steps c through f for the remaining debts.

Correcting either case effectively reduces the amount available to unsecured creditors if a Chapter 7 were to be filed; i.e. it reduces the Chapter 7 dividend.

Zero percent (0%) might not be the final result—every case is different, and frequently a debtor has some asset that is unencumbered or non-exempt.

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