New Federal Law Changes Everything

Crush Your Business Debt.
Keep Your Business.

Subchapter V of Chapter 11 is the fastest, most affordable federal legal tool available to small business owners drowning in COVID loans, SBA debt, and personal guarantees — and most business owners have never heard of it.

See If You Qualify → How It Works
Federal bankruptcy protection
No creditors' committee required
Owner keeps equity & control
$380B+COVID EIDL loans outstanding (SBA)
1 in 4EIDL borrowers unable to repay on schedule
$7.5MMax debt eligible for Sub V protection
90 daysTypical Sub V plan confirmation timeline

If any of these sound familiar,
you need to read this.

The COVID loan wave is crashing. Lenders are calling. Most business owners don't know there's a federally protected exit.

😰

SBA EIDL Payments Kicking In

You took a COVID EIDL loan to survive — now the full payment schedule has hit and cash flow doesn't cover it.

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Collectors & Lenders Calling

Banks, SBA servicers, and private lenders are demanding payments, threatening acceleration, or already in default proceedings.

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Personal Guarantees Exposed

You signed a personal guarantee on business debt and now your home, savings, and personal assets are on the line.

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Regular Chapter 11 Is Out of Reach

Traditional Chapter 11 costs $250K–$500K+ in legal fees. It was never built for small businesses. Subchapter V was.

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The Business Still Has Legs

You're not done — the business has revenue and a future. You just need breathing room and a restructured debt load you can actually survive.

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No Clear Path Forward

You've talked to lawyers who gave you $500/hr consultations and no answers. You need a clear, affordable, structured solution.

Subchapter V in plain English.

Enacted in 2019 and expanded during COVID, Subchapter V is a streamlined Chapter 11 designed specifically for small businesses. Here's how it works:

1

You Qualify & File

If you have under $7.5M in business debt and a legitimate business, you qualify. Filing triggers an automatic stay — all collections stop immediately.

2

You Propose a Plan

You — not your creditors — propose a 3–5 year repayment plan based on what your business can actually afford to pay.

3

Court Confirms It

A trustee is appointed but has limited power. Creditors can object, but the court can confirm your plan even over creditor objections.

4

You Execute & Emerge

You keep running your business, make plan payments, and emerge debt-free at the end of the plan period. You retain your equity throughout.

Not your grandfather's Chapter 11.

Traditional Chapter 11 was designed for corporations with $100M+ in debt. Subchapter V changes everything for small businesses.

Feature Traditional Chapter 11 ⚡ Subchapter V
Attorney costs $250K – $500K+ $15K – $40K typical
Timeline to confirmation 12–36 months 60–90 days
Creditors' committee Required (they have power) None required
Owner equity Shareholders can be wiped out Owner retains equity
Who proposes the plan Any party (creditors too) Only the debtor
Disclosure statement Complex, expensive document required Not required
Best for Large corporations Small businesses under $7.5M debt

Do You Qualify?

Answer 5 quick questions to see if Subchapter V is a fit for your situation.

Quick Qualification Check

Takes 60 seconds · No personal info required · Confidential

What is your total outstanding business debt?
What types of debt do you have? (Select best match)
Is your business currently operating?
Do you have personal guarantees on your business debt?
What is your primary goal?
✓ Likely Eligible

You look like a strong candidate for Subchapter V.

Based on your answers, you appear to meet the core eligibility criteria for Chapter 11 Subchapter V. This means you may be able to restructure your debt on terms you can actually sustain — while keeping your business and your equity.

Secure Your Spot — $1,000 Deposit →

Deposit is fully credited toward your engagement fee.

⚡ Possible Candidate

You may qualify — a brief consultation will tell us for sure.

Your situation has some nuances that need a closer look. Subchapter V may still be the right tool for you. Join the waitlist and our team will review your profile and schedule a free qualifying call.

Join Waitlist for Free Review →
Not the Right Fit — Right Now

Subchapter V may not be the best tool for your situation.

Based on what you've shared, you may be better served by a different approach — whether that's a simple debt negotiation, Chapter 7, or another path. We'll be happy to point you in the right direction. Join the list anyway and we'll review your situation at no cost.

Get a Free Referral →

Business owners are waking up to Subchapter V.

Composite feedback from consultations and early prospects. Names changed for confidentiality.

★★★★★

"I had $1.1M in EIDL debt and thought I was going to lose everything. Nobody told me about Subchapter V until I found this. The automatic stay alone was life-changing."

— Restaurant owner, Southern California
★★★★★

"My SBA lender was threatening acceleration on my 7(a) loan. Filing Subchapter V stopped everything cold. I proposed a plan based on what the business actually makes. It was confirmed in 11 weeks."

— Trucking company owner, Texas
★★★★★

"I quoted Chapter 11 with two law firms. Both said $300K+ to get started. Subchapter V was done for a fraction of that and I kept my equity. I had no idea this even existed."

— Retail chain owner, Florida

Secure Your Place in the First Cohort.

We're onboarding a limited number of clients in our launch cohort. Reserve your spot with a fully refundable $1,000 deposit — credited 100% toward your engagement.

Join the Priority Waitlist

Your information is confidential. We do not share or sell your data.

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$1,000 Refundable Priority Deposit
Your deposit holds your place in the first cohort and is credited 100% toward your engagement fee. If we determine Sub V isn't the right fit after your consultation, you receive a full refund — no questions asked.

By submitting, you agree to be contacted by the Instant Chapter 11 team.
This is not legal advice. Attorney engagement is a separate step.
Deposit processed securely via Stripe after form submission.

🎉 You're on the list.

We received your information. A member of our team will reach out within 1 business day to schedule your qualifying call and process your deposit.

Check your email for a confirmation.

Frequently Asked Questions

Subchapter V is a streamlined form of Chapter 11 bankruptcy created by the Small Business Reorganization Act of 2019. It was designed specifically for small businesses to allow them to reorganize and restructure debt at a fraction of the cost and time of traditional Chapter 11. It doesn't require a creditors' committee, doesn't require a complex disclosure statement, and allows only the debtor to propose the plan.
Yes — that is one of the primary advantages of Subchapter V. Unlike Chapter 7 (liquidation), Subchapter V allows the business owner to retain equity and continue operating the business throughout the process and after confirmation of the plan. You propose a plan based on what the business can afford, the court confirms it, and you move forward.
Yes. SBA EIDL loans are among the most common debts addressed in Subchapter V cases. The automatic stay that takes effect upon filing stops all collection activity from the SBA immediately. Your plan can then propose restructured repayment terms the court can confirm over creditor objection if necessary.
The current debt limit for Subchapter V eligibility is $7,500,000 in aggregate non-contingent, liquidated debt. This limit was raised from the original $2,725,625 as part of COVID relief legislation and has been extended. At least some portion of your debt must be commercial (business) debt rather than purely consumer debt.
Subchapter V is designed to be fast. The plan must be filed within 90 days of the petition date. Most cases are confirmed within 90–150 days of filing, compared to 12–36 months for traditional Chapter 11. Once confirmed, the plan runs for 3–5 years.
The deposit reserves your place in our first cohort and is credited 100% toward your total engagement fee. After you submit the form, our team will schedule a qualifying consultation call. If after that call we determine that Subchapter V is not the right tool for your situation, we will refund your deposit in full — no questions asked.
No. Nothing on this site constitutes legal advice, and Instant Chapter 11 is not a law firm. We connect qualified business owners with vetted bankruptcy attorneys experienced in Subchapter V cases and provide case management, education, and coordination services. Attorney engagement is handled separately and governed by applicable bar rules in your jurisdiction.
Cohort 1 — Limited Spots

Your debt doesn't have to be
a death sentence for your business.

The law gave small business owners a powerful tool to survive. Most of them don't know it exists. Now you do.

Reserve Your Spot — $1,000 Deposit →