This Smart Chart allows users to easily see the Federal and State Bankruptcy exemptions, which protect some property of individual bankruptcy filers from creditors, and provides links to the federal exemptions, each state’s exemptions, and whether the state allows debtors to choose either its state or the federal exemptions.
Property that is exempt cannot be sold to benefit unsecured creditors under Chapter 7, and although individuals may keep their property under Chapter 13, applicable exemptions help determine how much must be paid to unsecured creditors under a Chapter 13 repayment plan.