By Robert A. Stiberman, Esq., Member of The Florida Bar since 1998, representing Florida bankruptcy clients since 2009. Last reviewed: June 2026.
These are real, anonymized outcomes from Florida bankruptcy cases our firm has handled, consumer Chapter 7 and Chapter 13 filings, and business Subchapter V reorganizations. Names, exact figures, and identifying details have been removed or generalized to protect client privacy. Firmwide, we have filed more than 2,500 Florida bankruptcies since 2009.
Past results do not guarantee or predict a similar outcome. Every case depends on its own facts. For client reviews in our clients’ own words, see our testimonials page.
By the Numbers
- 2,500+ Florida bankruptcies filed since 2009
- 300+ five-star client reviews
- Confirmed Subchapter V business reorganizations across multiple Florida federal districts
- Recognized with the Avvo Clients’ Choice Award (2025) and Martindale-Hubbell Platinum Client Champion (2025)
Business Reorganizations: Subchapter V (Chapter 11)
Subchapter V is the streamlined small-business path through Chapter 11. Below are four confirmed reorganizations our Firm handled. Learn more on our Chapter 11 / Subchapter V page.
We saved an e-commerce manufacturer after a lender froze its online store. South Florida (SDFL, Palm Beach Division). A family-run home-goods manufacturer selling through major online marketplaces had taken on Merchant Cash Advance (MCA) financing. An MCA lender froze its merchant account and placed a lien on its primary marketplace account. The merchant was about ot to release the funds it was holding to the lienholder. This was revenue that our client was relying on, and the consequences would have been devastating. We filed an emergency Subchapter V petition to trigger the automatic stay and restore operations. We then obtained authority to use cash collateral and pay pre-petition wages. This gave the company some much-needed breathing room. We worked with the client to prepare a plan that separated the legitimate secured equipment loans from the predatory MCA claims. Outcome: plan confirmed on a consensual basis; the company continued operating, preserved its team, and restructured roughly $ 450,000 in debt without losing its storefront.
Organic-products manufacturer reorganized around multi-state litigation. Central Florida (MDFL, Orlando Division). A maker of natural products for agricultural growers faced regulatory “stop-sale” actions and class-action litigation across several states, exposing it to over $2.7M in disputed and contingent claims; the litigation, not ordinary trade debt, was the existential threat. We used Subchapter V to contain the litigation exposure, protect operations under the automatic stay, address priority taxes, and propose a plan built around a sustainable, scaled-down model. Outcome: plan confirmed on a consensual basis; the company resolved its legal exposure within the bankruptcy framework and continued operating, an outcome that ordinary negotiation could not have delivered.
Restaurant reorganization confirmed over creditor objection (cramdown). South Florida (SDFL, Fort Lauderdale Division). A neighborhood take-out and delivery restaurant, about a decade in business, had taken on high-interest MCA loans after COVID-era losses; an MCA creditor froze its merchant accounts, and it carried a large SBA loan plus other debt (roughly $810K total). We filed Subchapter V, stabilized operations, and proposed a plan devoting projected disposable income to creditors. When consensus could not be reached, we pursued confirmation under Subchapter V’s non-consensual (“cramdown”) provisions. Outcome: the court confirmed the plan over creditor objection, and the restaurant stayed open, a result many firms avoid, because we will litigate a confirmation through to the end when the numbers support it.
A pool service company restructured its heavy equipment and MCA debt load. Central Florida (MDFL, Orlando Division). A pool installation and maintenance company with about 16 employees had stacked multiple high-interest MCA loans on top of significant secured debt, a financed vehicle fleet, SBA-type loans, and inventory financing, well over $2M against limited free cash flow. We used Subchapter V to separate genuine secured equipment financing from the MCA claims, obtain authority to use cash collateral and keep payroll running, and structure a plan the business could sustain. Outcome: plan confirmed; the company kept operating with its workforce intact, preserving about 16 jobs.
Chapter 13 Results: Keeping Homes and Cars, Repaying on Your Terms
Chapter 13 reorganizes debt into a 3- to 5-year plan that can stop foreclosure, protect property, and discharge the remainder. A sample of anonymized outcomes (see our Chapter 13 page):
“I physically couldn’t work several jobs anymore, Hurricane Irma really set me back, and high surgery costs for my declining health.” Monroe County: 36-month plan at $150/month; a mobile home fully protected and paid off, two cars paid off, eliminating about $156,000 in debt.
“I couldn’t pay, I didn’t have the means.” Pinellas County: 60-month plan at $150/month; homestead fully protected with two mortgages paid outside the plan, one car paid outside, eliminating about $72,000 in debt.
“We didn’t have enough money to pay our credit cards and couldn’t get back on our feet.” Polk County: joint filing, 60-month plan at $180/month; homestead fully protected, two cars paid off, eliminating about $53,000 in debt.
“Way over my head in debt, a lot of it from medical bills.” Duval County: 36-month plan at $130/month; kept a residential lease and a paid-off car, protected a security deposit and bank funds, eliminating about $50,000 in debt.
“I couldn’t afford all my cars or the payments.” Miami-Dade County: 36-month plan at $150/month; three cars handled (one paid off, two paid outside), retirement and bank funds protected, a lawsuit stopped, eliminating about $21,000 in debt.
Chapter 7 Results: A Clean Break in About Four Months
Chapter 7 erases qualifying debt for filers who pass the means test, while Florida’s exemptions protect most property. A sample of anonymized outcomes (see our Chapter 7 page):
- Levy County: a retiree on Social Security protected their bank funds and eliminated about $34,000 in debt, discharged in about three months.
- Volusia County: stopped a creditor lawsuit (Velocity Investments), surrendered an underwater car, protected an investment account, and eliminated about $60,000 in debt.
- Broward County: a single mother of two stopped a lawsuit, kept her vehicle with equity exempted, and eliminated about $56,000 in debt, without facing liquidation.
- Miami-Dade County: stopped a wage garnishment, reaffirmed one vehicle, and eliminated about $33,000 in debt.
- Hillsborough County: homestead fully protected and a paid-off vehicle kept, eliminating about $87,000 in debt.
Talk to a Florida Bankruptcy Attorney
Every result above came from a real Florida case, and every one started with a free, confidential consultation. If you want to know what’s realistic in your situation, call 954-922-2283 or request a free consultation.
Results are illustrative and anonymized. Past results do not guarantee or predict a similar outcome; every case depends on its own facts.
