Debtor’s own filing
A court petition may be possible below RUB 500,000 if prospective insolvency is proven.
Mandatory filing
The debtor’s duty may arise at an aggregate RUB 500,000 plus inability to pay other creditors.
Creditor petition
General rule: RUB 500,000 and three months’ default.
25K–1M
The range works only with one of the enforcement conditions in Article 223.2.
Which threshold applies
| Applicant and route | Amount | Additional test |
|---|---|---|
| Individual — commercial court | No fixed statutory minimum for the right to file | Clear future inability to pay on time plus insolvency or asset insufficiency |
| Individual — mandatory filing | Aggregate amount at least RUB 500,000 | Paying some creditors makes full payment to others impossible; 30 working-day deadline |
| Creditor or authority — court | Generally at least RUB 500,000 | Three months overdue unless a statutory exception applies |
| Individual — MFC | RUB 25,000–1,000,000 | One of the enforcement situations expressly listed in Article 223.2 |
Filing below RUB 500,000
Article 213.4(2) permits a debtor to file where circumstances clearly show an inability to meet monetary obligations when due and the debtor meets the insolvency or asset-insufficiency test. Anxiety about a future instalment is not enough; the petition must be supported by contracts, payment schedules, income, assets and the expected cash-flow break.
Payment load
Compare mandatory instalments, reliable income and family subsistence needs.
Assets
Separate liquid property, security, marital property and exemptions.
Timeline
Map due dates and documented events reducing income.
Evidence
Attach agreements, statements, creditor demands and income records.
Calculation workflow
List every creditor
Include banks, microloans, taxes, utilities, private loans and judicial monetary claims.
Separate components
Record principal, interest, penalties and costs as of a fixed date.
Identify disputed claims
State the dispute and competing calculation rather than silently omitting the claim.
Check enforcement
The MFC route turns on the exact enforcement ground and date, not the amount alone.
Assess income and assets
Debt size does not by itself prove a justified court petition.
Choose one route
Court and MFC procedures have different admission tests, documents and creditor coverage.
Frequently asked questions
Can a debtor file with RUB 300,000?
Potentially yes, where prospective inability to pay and the statutory insolvency or asset-insufficiency criteria are evidenced. The amount alone creates no automatic right.
Must the debtor wait three months?
Article 213.4(2) permits prospective insolvency for the debtor’s own petition. The three-month condition in Article 213.3 is especially relevant to a creditor filing.
What debt range applies to MFC bankruptcy?
RUB 25,000 to RUB 1,000,000, together with one of the statutory enforcement conditions.
Does every debt count identically?
No. The legal nature, amount at the relevant date, enforcement status and disclosure in the creditor list must be checked.
What if the debt exceeds RUB 1,000,000?
The MFC range no longer fits; assess the judicial route instead of understating creditors.
Primary legal sources
- Insolvency Law Article 213.3
- Article 213.4: debtor filing duty and right
- Article 223.2: out-of-court MFC route
- Article 213.6: merits review
Related guides
Bankruptcy before default · MFC bankruptcy · Self-filing document builder
Need the correct route and a defensible debt calculation?
Initial consultationJudicial and MFC Bankruptcy Use Different Amount Rules
| Situation | Amount | Additional requirement |
|---|---|---|
| MFC | RUB 25,000–1 million | One Article 223.2 route |
| Debtor’s judicial petition | Not reduced to RUB 500,000 | Insolvency indicators |
| Debtor filing duty | From RUB 500,000 | Inability to pay all creditors |
| Creditor petition | From RUB 500,000 | Default and enforceable confirmation |
| Debt calculation | Sanctions may be treated differently | Claim structure |
Separate principal and sanctions
Thresholds and lists need verifiable figures.
Build a payment calendar
Insolvency follows facts, not one number.
Compare procedure cost
Judicial bankruptcy requires funding of expenses.
A Small Balance Does Not Automatically Make Bankruptcy Rational
Formal eligibility should be compared with debt size, protected and realizable property, income, costs, settlement options and consequences. The MFC range does not mean every claim inside it is discharged. A judicial filing requires evidence of inability to perform on time. Deliberately increasing debt to reach a threshold or concealing a creditor creates a non-discharge risk. Keep dated statements and orders before filing because public-system data changes and a dispute is tested at the application date. Do not sign a form with an approximate creditor, balance or legal basis. Obtain reasons for an MFC refusal; it does not replace assessment of another lawful route or prove that insolvency is absent. Keep a copy of the accepted application and attachment inventory until completion. Check the insolvency-register publication and its dates yourself; the six-month period and legal effects depend on the official entry, not merely the day documents were handed to a service desk.