named programs · 3 · from sources
What they call their work
Bankruptcy Education & Resources
Comprehensive library of articles, guides, and tools explaining bankruptcy eligibility, the filing process, credit recovery, and legal rights for individuals in financial distress
Eligibility Screener
Two-minute online assessment tool that helps users determine if they qualify for Chapter 7 bankruptcy based on income, household size, and state-specific means test criteria
Free Chapter 7 Filing Tool
Web-based platform that guides eligible users through preparing and filing Chapter 7 bankruptcy forms at no cost, including automated document generation and step-by-step instructions
activities · 3 groups
What they do
-
Financial Coaching and Credit Counseling 1 activity
- Debt relief through supported bankruptcy filingsHas helped over 26,000 individuals file for bankruptcy, resulting in the elimination of more than $1.2 billion in total debt since 2018, with an average filer erasing approximately $52,000 in debt and having only $225 in their checking account upon enrollment.
-
-
Financial Literacy Education Programs 1 activity
- Financial rights education outreachProvides accessible educational content on bankruptcy and financial rights to approximately 2.9 million people annually, designed for readers at an 8th or 9th grade reading level or above.
-
-
Uncategorized 4 activities
- Bankruptcy petition review and quality assuranceConducts technical review of user-generated bankruptcy petitions for completeness, consistency, and legibility, contacting users to resolve discrepancies in financial information to ensure submissions meet court requirements.
- Free online Chapter 7 bankruptcy filing assistanceProvides a free, self-service online tool that guides low-income individuals with simple Chapter 7 bankruptcy cases through the filing process step by step, enabling them to prepare court-ready documents without hiring an attorney. The tool includes a two-minute eligibility screener and generates a filing fee waiver application as part of the process.
- Research on financial health and user outcomesConducts research using data from partners like the Financial Health Network and internal user surveys, including findings that the average Upsolve filer had $225 in their checking account upon enrollment (2022) and that 97% of filers felt more in control of their financial future after using the service (2025 survey).
- State-specific bankruptcy education resourcesProduces and maintains state-specific bankruptcy guides and a centralized resource hub covering court locations, filing procedures, and exemption rules, with content written by legal or financial professionals and reviewed by a bankruptcy attorney prior to publication.
-
financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$2.10M
Contributions & grants$1.69M81%
Program service revenue$327K16%
Investment income$76K4%
Other revenue$0
expenses
Total expenses$1.97M
Program expenses68%
Admin / overhead17%
Fundraising15%
Salaries & benefits$954K
Grants paid out$0
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$4.41M
Cash$2.74M
Investments$5K
Liabilities$1.01M
Net assets$3.40M
Liquid reserves16.7 mo
5 years on record · 2020–2024 · YoY revenue +80.3%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024
Who runs it
paid leadership · 6
| Name | Title | Hours/wk | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| JEFFREY ZHOU | CHIEF TECHNOLOGY OFFICER | 40 | $242K |
| BEN JACKSON | CHIEF PRODUCT OFFICER | 40 | $237K |
| JONATHAN PETTS | CEO | 40 | $224K |
| ZEV IZENBERG | SOFTWARE ENGINEER | 40 | $131K |
| FERNANDO URBINA | CHIEF OF STAFF | 40 | $123K |
| TINA TRAN | MANAGING ATTORNEY (THRU JUNE 2024) | 40 | $108K |
board members · 8
- ALEX MOORADIAN — DIRECTOR
- ALISA PRATT — DIRECTOR
- CHRISTINA ZALOCHA — DIRECTOR
- MARK HANSEN — DIRECTOR
- MILTON SYED — DIRECTOR
- ROHAN PAVULURI — BOARD CHAIR
- SCOTT KELLY — DIRECTOR
- STEVE LEE — DIRECTOR
relationships · 23
Who they work with
- Annie E. Casey Foundation Funder — Philanthropic funder supporting Upsolve.
- Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Funder — Philanthropic funder supporting Upsolve.
- Cambridge Credit Counseling Partner — Trusted organization that Upsolve partners with and earns referral fees from
- Department of Justice Government — Provides attestation forms for student loan discharge that are submitted to the Department of Justice for review and recommendation.
- Department of Justice Government — Relies on clarified guidance from the Department of Justice regarding the undue hardship standard for discharging student loan debt in bankruptcy.
- Eric Schmidt Funder — Former Google CEO and funder of Upsolve
- Fast Forward Funder — Supporting organization providing funding or acceleration services to Upsolve.
- Harvard Law School Access to Justice Lab Partner — Originating research partner where Upsolve began as a research project.
- Hewlett Foundation Funder — Charitable foundation providing financial support to Upsolve
- Horace W. Goldsmith Foundation Funder — Philanthropic funder supporting Upsolve.
- Jonathan Petts Government — Co-founder and CEO of Upsolve Inc
- Jonathan Petts Partner — Co-founder and CEO of Upsolve, with over 15 years of experience in bankruptcy law.
- Legal Services Corporation Government — Federally-chartered funder supporting Upsolve’s operations.
- Legal Services Corporation Government — Primary funder supporting the development and maintenance of Upsolve's free tool
- NACBA Partner — Provides referral links to local NACBA attorneys for users who need legal representation.
- New York Bar Foundation Funder — Charitable foundation providing financial support to Upsolve
- Robin Hood Funder — Philanthropic funder supporting Upsolve.
- Robin Hood Foundation Funder — Charitable foundation providing financial support to Upsolve
- Society for Advancing Business Editing and Writing Network — Upholds the Codes of Ethics from SABEW in its editorial practices.
- Solo Partner — Trusted organization that Upsolve partners with and earns referral fees from
- The New York Times Partner — Recognized by The New York Times as "The TurboTax for Bankruptcy."
- U.S. government Funder — Provides funding support to Upsolve
- Y Combinator Funder — Backer and funding partner of Upsolve.
strategies · 3
How they approach the work
Named approaches extracted from this org’s sources. Where others share an approach, follow it to see the full set of orgs running it.
- Legal Education as Financial Empowerment 41 orgsmethodology: rights_based_financial_empowermentBy educating individuals about bankruptcy exemptions and their legal rights, we empower informed decision-making that protects essential assets and enables financial fresh starts, because knowledge of legal mechanisms like asset protection and automatic stays transforms bankruptcy from punitive to rehabilitative.shared approach: Integrated Financial Empowerment →
- Readability and User-Centered Design for Legal Access 16 orgsmethodology: plain_language_legal_navigationBy optimizing legal content for readability using Flesch–Kincaid metrics and user-led form completion, we increase comprehension and successful navigation of the bankruptcy process, because simplified language and transparency in data control reduce barriers for low-literacy and vulnerable users.shared approach: Legal Empowerment →
- Self-Service Legal Empowerment via Technologymethodology: tech_enabled_legal_empowermentBy providing a free, digital, self-service platform that simplifies bankruptcy filing through plain-language guidance and a TurboTax-like interface, we enable low-income individuals to access legal relief without attorneys, because reducing cost and complexity increases access to justice and empowers users to claim their rights independently.