Free state-by-state bankruptcy guides with homestead exemption data, district information, and real statistics from the Federal Judicial Center covering 4.9 million cases.
Sorted alphabetically. Badges highlight extreme homestead exemptions and dismissal rates.
Every guide includes your state's homestead exemption, federal judicial districts, local dismissal rates, and educational resources. All free, all backed by federal court data.
A homestead exemption determines how much equity in your primary residence is protected from creditors in bankruptcy. Each state sets its own exemption amount. Some states -- like Iowa and Arkansas -- offer unlimited protection, meaning no creditor can force the sale of your home regardless of its value.
States with low homestead exemptions (like Tennessee at $5,000 or Illinois and Missouri at $15,000) leave homeowners with significant equity at risk in Chapter 7 bankruptcy. In these states, a trustee could sell your home if your equity exceeds the exempt amount.
The number of federal judicial districts in a state affects where you file and which local rules apply. States with multiple districts -- like Georgia (3), Tennessee (3), and Ohio (2) -- can have dramatically different court cultures, trustee practices, and dismissal rates depending on which district handles your case.
Iowa and Arkansas offer unlimited homestead exemptions in bankruptcy. In Iowa, the homestead exemption has no dollar cap regardless of property value. In Arkansas, the exemption is unlimited for married filers or heads of household. These states allow debtors to protect their primary residence from creditors in bankruptcy regardless of the home's value, though federal exemptions may apply differently.
Tennessee has the highest Chapter 13 dismissal rate in our state guide network, with Memphis (Western District of Tennessee) reaching 79.6% based on Federal Judicial Center data. Georgia follows closely, with the Northern District of Georgia (Atlanta) at 72.9%. Both states have three federal judicial districts each.
The number of federal judicial districts varies by state. Among the 14 states in our guide network: Georgia, Illinois, and Tennessee each have 3 districts. Arkansas, Iowa, Missouri, and Ohio each have 2 districts. Alaska, Colorado, Delaware, Maryland, Minnesota, Rhode Island, and Vermont each have 1 district. More districts generally means more variation in local court practices.
A homestead exemption protects equity in your primary residence from creditors during bankruptcy. Each state sets its own exemption amount -- ranging from as low as $5,000 in Tennessee to unlimited in Iowa and Arkansas. The exemption determines how much home equity you can keep. If your equity exceeds the exemption, a Chapter 7 trustee could sell the home and pay you the exempt amount. States with higher exemptions offer more protection for homeowners filing bankruptcy.
All data comes from the Federal Judicial Center's Integrated Database (FJC IDB), which contains records for every federal bankruptcy case filed in the United States. The Open Bankruptcy Project has screened 4.9 million cases across all 94 federal judicial districts. Homestead exemption amounts are based on current state statutes and are updated periodically.
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