Subchapter V: work backward from the plan

The statutory starting point

Under 11 U.S.C. § 1189, only the debtor may file a Subchapter V plan. The general deadline is 90 days after the order for relief. The statute permits an extension when the need is attributable to circumstances for which the debtor should not justly be held accountable.

An internal work plan

Use that framework to discuss preparation with counsel before filing. Divide work into financial information, creditor information, operating assumptions, and the proposed treatment of debts. Assign a person to each stream and make clear which numbers are estimates.

Keep a separate log of assumptions: expected sales, collection timing, essential expenditure, and any proposed asset disposition. A forecast is more useful when readers can see what would make it fail. These are management suggestions, not a model plan or a statement of every statutory requirement.

Avoid a false countdown

Use the actual order for relief and any court orders to establish the case calendar. Do not calculate a legal deadline from a newsletter, an estimated filing date, or a generic checklist.