April 28, 2024

Bankruptcy Exemptions by State and by Property Type

These bankruptcy exemption amounts are just to give you a very rough idea of what is exempt in each state.  The various bankruptcy exemptions, and their associated statutes, are very complex and vary a great deal from state to state.  Further research is required, and checking with an attorney is strongly recommended prior to any action. (Note: These amounts are based on an exemption for a single person, and some amounts may double if you are married.)

In some cases, we just couldn’t decipher the statute, or we couldn’t find a short way to summarize it.  In those cases, we placed a “?” in the box.

Bankruptcy Exemptions


State Federal Allowed? Homestead Car Personal Property Wild Card Wages More
FED N/A $21,625 $3,450 $11,525 $1,150 + $10,825 unused homestead
AL No $5,000 100% for Business Unlimited $3,000 75%/<30x Fed Min Here
AK Yes $70,200 $3,900 $3,900 None $456/week Here
AZ No $150,000 $5,000 $4,500 None 75%/<30x Fed Min Here
AR Yes Unlimited $0 $200 None 60 days earned but unpaid wages Here
CA-703 No $22,075 $3,525 $550/ item $23,250 ? Here
CA-704 No $75,000 $2,725 Unlimited None 75%/<30x Fed Min Here
CO No $60,000 $5,000 $4,500 None 75%/<30x Fed Min N/A
CT Yes $75,000 $3,500 Included as Homestead $1,000 75%/<40x Fed Min Here
DE No $100,000 $15,000 for employment None $25,000 85% earned up unpaid wages Here
FL No Unlimited $1,000 $1,000 $4,000, if no homestead ? Here
GA No $10,000 $3,500 $300/ item $5,000 total $600+$5k unused homestead 75%/<40x Fed Min N/A
HI Yes $20,000 $2,575 Unlimited None Unpaid wages of 31 days Here
ID No $100,000 $7,000 $750/item – $7,500 total $800 75%/<30x Fed Min Here
IL No $15,000 $2,400 Wearing apparel, book, pictures $4,000 85%/<45x Fed Min Here
IN No $17,600 None $9,700 None 75%/<30x Fed Min Here
IA No Unlimited $7,000 $8,000 $1,000 Varies according to income Here
KS No Unlimited $20,000 Reasonable amount None 75%/<30x Fed Min Here
KY Yes $5,000 $2,500 $3,000 $1,000 75%/<30x Fed Min Here
LA No $35,000 $7,500 Unlimited None 75%/<30x Fed Min Here
ME No $47,500 $5,000 $200/Item $400 N/A Here
MD No $21,625 None $1,000 $6,000 75%/$145 per week Here
MA Yes $125,000 $7,500 $17,500 None 85%/<50x Fed Min Here
MI Yes $34,450 $3,175 $3,450 None ? Here
MN Yes $360,000 $4,400 $9,900 None 75%/<40x Fed Min Here
MS No $75,000 None $10,000 None 75%/<30x Fed Min N/A
MO No $15,000 $3,000 $3,000 $600 75%/<30x Fed Min Here
MT No $250,000 $2,500 $4,500 None 75%/<30x Fed Min Here
NE No $60,000 None $1,500, Unlimited wearing apparel $2,500 75%/<30x Fed Min Here
NV No $550,000 $15,000 $12,000 $1,000 75%/<50x Fed Min Here
NH Yes $100,000 $4,000 $4,300 $1,000 + 7k of unused exemptions 50x Fed Min N/A
NJ Yes None None $1,000 + clothing $1,000 90%, if <$7,500 N/A
NM Yes $60,000 $4,000 Unlimited $500 75%/<40x Fed Min N/A
NY Yes $75,000 $4,000 $10,000 $1,000, if no homestead claimed 90% of Wages Here
NC No $35,000 $3,500 $4,000 $5,500 Earned But Unpaid Wages Here
ND No $100,000 $3,950 $8,750 $7,500 In Lieu of Homestead 75%/<40x Fed Min Here
OH No $21,625 $3,450 $11,950 $1,150 Wage earned 30 days prior to filing Here
OK No Unlimited $7,500 Unlimited, $4,000 clothing None 75% of wages 90 days before filing Here
OR No $40,000 $3,000 $3,600 $400 75%/$170 per week N/A
PA Yes None None $300 + clothing None Earned but unpaid wages N/A
RI Yes $300,000 $12,000 $9,600 + clothing $5,000 Earned but unpaid wages to $50 Here
SC No $53,375 $5,350 $4,275 $5,350 of unused exemptions N/A Here
SD No Unlimited None $4,000 None 60 days of wages Here
TN No $5,000 None $10,000 None 75%/<30x Fed Min N/A
TX Yes Unlimited Unused personal property $30,000 None Earned but unpaid wages Here
UT No $20,000 $2,500 $500 + clothes and certain furnishing None 75%/<30x Fed Min Here
VT Yes $125,000 $2,500 $3,200 $400 +7,000 unused exemptions 75%/<30x Fed Min N/A
VA No $5,000 $6,000 $6,000 Unused Homestead 75%/<40x Fed Min Here
WA Yes $125,000 $2,500 $4,700 None 75%/<30x Fed Min Here
WV No $25,000 $2,400 $400 per Item -$8,000 Total $800, + unused exemption 80% earned but unpaid wages Here
WI Yes $75,000 $4,000 + $12k unused personal $17,000 None 75%/<30x Fed Min Here
WY No $10,000 $2,400 $3,000 None 75%/<30x Fed Min Here
D.C. Yes Unlimited $2,575 $8,625 $850, +$8,075 of unused homestead 75% of wages N/A

What is exempt property?

Please see this link for more information on exemptions in your state.  Exemptions Express

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