Upsolve

Upsolve is a nonprofit online web application that enables low-income Americans to file for Chapter 7 bankruptcy on their own.[1][2][3][4]

Upsolve
FounderRohan Pavuluri, Jonathan Petts
Type501(c)(3) nonprofit organization
Area served
United States
ServicesLegal Aid
Websiteupsolve.org

History

Upsolve received seed funding from Y Combinator,[5] the Legal Services Corporation, the Robin Hood Foundation, Harvard University, and former Google CEO Eric Schmidt.[6][7][8]

Upsolve was inspired by the Financial Distress Research Project, launched by Professors Jim Greiner (Harvard Law School), Dalié Jiménez (University of California, Irvine School of Law), and Lois Lupica (University of Maine Law School) to study the effectiveness of self-help material in assisting low-income Americans through their legal problems.[9][10][11][12] In 2016, Upsolve spun out of the Access to Justice Lab at Harvard Law School.[13][14]

Upsolve began by serving low-income residents of New York City before expanding to the rest of the United States.[15][16]

Process

Users take an online screener to see if they qualify for assistance from Upsolve.[17] If they qualify, users then answer a series of questions on the Upsolve web application about their financial situation.[18][19] When users finish answering questions, Upsolve's application populates the bankruptcy forms.[20][21]

After the paperwork review is finished, users print and deliver their completed bankruptcy paperwork to the court on their own.[22][23] Upsolve is free for end users.[24][25][26][27]

In 2020, TIME named Upsolve to its annual 100 best inventions of the year list.[28] In 2018, the American Bar Association Journal named Upsolve a top web tool.[29]

References
  1. Roose, Kevin (2018-12-21). "The 2018 Good Tech Awards". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2018-12-24.
  2. Ferek, Katy Stech. "For Struggling Consumers, a Cheaper Way to File for Bankruptcy". WSJ. Retrieved 2018-12-01.
  3. "Bankruptcy is a powerful tool for fighting predatory bills. This app helps you do it for free". Fast Company. 2018-10-09. Retrieved 2018-12-01.
  4. Fisher, Daniel. "Too Broke To Go Bankrupt? Harvard Student Uses Software To Tackle Problem For Poor". Forbes. Retrieved 2018-12-01.
  5. "YC-backed Upsolve is automating bankruptcy for everyone". TechCrunch. Retrieved 2019-02-11.
  6. Denhart, Chris Albers. "Upsolve Moves Upward: Under 30 Cofounder's Bankruptcy Service Is Just One Click Away". Forbes. Retrieved 2018-12-01.
  7. "A fresh start to fight poverty". www.seas.harvard.edu. 2017-06-22. Retrieved 2018-12-01.
  8. "Harvard President's Innovation Challenge creates answers to future needs". Harvard Gazette. 2017-05-10. Retrieved 2018-12-01.
  9. "These Two Nonprofit Entrepreneurs Are Revolutionizing Bankruptcy and Revitalizing Lives". Inc.com. 2017-01-06. Retrieved 2018-12-02.
  10. "Project Designed to Help Debtors Fight Back in Court - UConn Today". today.uconn.edu. Retrieved 2018-12-02.
  11. "Kristin Turner '17 named Public Welfare Foundation A2J Tech Fellow - Harvard Law Today". Harvard Law Today. Retrieved 2018-12-02.
  12. "Greiner, HLS students spearhead new Consumer Debt Relief Project - Harvard Law Today". Harvard Law Today. Retrieved 2018-12-02.
  13. "Harvard Law School's Access to Justice Lab aims to challenge legal exceptionalism - Harvard Law Today". Harvard Law Today. Retrieved 2018-12-01.
  14. Juetten, Mary. "Upsolve: Another Piece in the Access-to-Justice Puzzle". Forbes. Retrieved 2018-12-01.
  15. Fisher, Daniel. "Too Broke To Go Bankrupt? Harvard Student Uses Software To Tackle Problem For Poor". Forbes. Retrieved 2018-12-02.
  16. Denhart, Chris Albers. "Upsolve Moves Upward: Under 30 Cofounder's Bankruptcy Service Is Just One Click Away". Forbes. Retrieved 2018-12-02.
  17. "Bankruptcy is a powerful tool for fighting predatory bills. This app helps you do it for free". Fast Company. 2018-10-09. Retrieved 2018-12-02.
  18. "Analysis | What happens when you can't afford to go bankrupt". Washington Post. Retrieved 2018-12-01.
  19. "Legal tech is opening the system to those who need legal representation the most". TechCrunch. Retrieved 2018-12-01.
  20. "Analysis | What happens when you can't afford to go bankrupt". Washington Post. Retrieved 2018-12-01.
  21. "Armed with high-tech assistance, legal aid attorneys aim to assist more people filing for bankruptcy". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Retrieved 2018-12-01.
  22. Ferek, Katy Stech. "For Struggling Consumers, a Cheaper Way to File for Bankruptcy". WSJ. Retrieved 2018-12-01.
  23. Kiel, Paul. "What if you can't afford to go bankrupt?". chicagotribune.com. Retrieved 2018-12-01.
  24. Ferek, Katy Stech. "For Struggling Consumers, a Cheaper Way to File for Bankruptcy". WSJ. Retrieved 2018-12-01.
  25. "'TurboTax' for Bankruptcy: Upsolve a Potential Industry Disrupter". www.bna.com. Retrieved 2018-12-01.
  26. "Program enables poor to more easily file for bankruptcy". Press Herald. 2018-01-17. Retrieved 2018-12-01.
  27. "Lawyers and Legal Advice | USAGov". www.usa.gov. Retrieved 2018-12-01.
  28. "Upsolve: The 100 Best Inventions of 2020". Time. Retrieved 2020-11-24.
  29. "Best web tools of 2018". ABA Journal. Stephen Rynkiewicz. Retrieved 2018-12-01.CS1 maint: others (link)
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