Below you will find the median family income levels utilized by the United States Trustee Program for means testing individuals who have filed for bankruptcy relief. Median income information is used in the means test utilized by bankruptcy courts when determining whether or not individuals qualify for relief under chapter 7 of the Bankruptcy Code. Median income is also used in determining the applicable commitment period for payment plans filed under chapter 13.
What is the Means Test?
The means test is a financial eligibility requirement for filing for Chapter 7 bankruptcy. It determines whether your income is high enough to repay a significant portion of your debts through a Chapter 13 repayment plan. If your income exceeds the means test limits, you may still be able to file for Chapter 7, but you’ll need to demonstrate that you have special circumstances that justify filing for Chapter 7 instead of Chapter 13. Median income levels play a large role in the means test.
The median income levels change periodically, and can either increase or decrease. An increase in the median income level generally benefits individuals who are in need of debt relief, as it typically makes it easier to qualify for chapter 7 liquidation bankruptcy. In contrast, should the median income level decrease, the debtor’s ability to qualify for chapter 7 relief will generally be harder.
Median Income figures for Bankruptcy Means Testing
The data below comes from the United States Census Bureau and is updated regularly based upon the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers. Note that being either above or below the applicable median income figure for your household size can be a good indicator of whether or not you might qualify for chapter 7 bankruptcy relief, though it is far from the only factor to be considered. Therefore, your entire situation should be reviewed by an experienced bankruptcy attorney for such a determination.
| FAMILY SIZE | ||||
| STATE | 1 EARNER | 2 PEOPLE | 3 PEOPLE | 4 PEOPLE * |
| Alabama | $60,786 | $72,639 | $83,278 | $101,771 |
| Alaska | $76,918 | $99,001 | $110,520 | $127,641 |
| Arizona | $70,919 | $85,476 | $102,909 | $113,286 |
| Arkansas | $54,772 | $67,338 | $81,484 | $96,833 |
| California | $76,190 | $99,936 | $112,536 | $130,845 |
| Colorado | $82,716 | $105,627 | $121,560 | $146,972 |
| Connecticut | $82,341 | $102,414 | $126,343 | $159,767 |
| Delaware | $72,804 | $92,178 | $104,376 | $125,676 |
| District of Columbia | $88,190 | $145,335 | $182,671 | $219,512 |
| Florida | $65,801 | $81,109 | $93,983 | $107,712 |
| Georgia | $62,401 | $81,309 | $98,564 | $114,618 |
| Hawaii | $82,196 | $96,845 | $117,068 | $137,454 |
| Idaho | $67,671 | $81,103 | $96,652 | $112,868 |
| Illinois | $69,611 | $88,824 | $108,492 | $132,536 |
| Indiana | $63,531 | $78,886 | $96,030 | $112,796 |
| Iowa | $63,225 | $84,634 | $100,735 | $115,354 |
| Kansas | $63,366 | $82,770 | $93,960 | $115,176 |
| Kentucky | $57,764 | $69,371 | $84,183 | $105,955 |
| Louisiana | $53,677 | $69,288 | $78,616 | $98,041 |
| Maine | $68,951 | $83,727 | $101,357 | $117,121 |
| Maryland | $82,646 | $109,054 | $128,624 | $154,176 |
| Massachusetts | $83,430 | $108,534 | $137,635 | $172,104 |
| Michigan | $63,994 | $78,404 | $98,800 | $121,273 |
| Minnesota | $74,083 | $94,966 | $123,343 | $144,953 |
| Mississippi | $52,797 | $64,928 | $78,140 | $89,229 |
| Missouri | $63,185 | $79,586 | $98,582 | $108,983 |
| Montana | $67,097 | $81,065 | $97,741 | $115,913 |
| Nebraska | $65,292 | $89,130 | $103,358 | $120,323 |
| Nevada | $67,756 | $83,923 | $96,120 | $107,013 |
| New Hampshire | $87,356 | $101,521 | $138,320 | $150,913 |
| New Jersey | $84,257 | $102,903 | $131,173 | $163,110 |
| New Mexico | $54,219 | $71,105 | $76,968 | $93,628 |
| New York | $68,795 | $89,052 | $108,589 | $134,443 |
| North Carolina | $63,611 | $80,315 | $94,750 | $113,793 |
| North Dakota | $73,179 | $92,605 | $114,145 | $137,294 |
| Ohio | $62,952 | $79,491 | $96,951 | $119,897 |
| Oklahoma | $58,729 | $73,910 | $84,901 | $97,330 |
| Oregon | $73,344 | $88,926 | $106,818 | $123,799 |
| Pennsylvania | $67,676 | $83,249 | $103,856 | $125,754 |
| Rhode Island | $76,377 | $96,200 | $116,185 | $140,947 |
| South Carolina | $61,635 | $77,674 | $89,568 | $103,821 |
| South Dakota | $61,022 | $92,469 | $96,008 | $116,374 |
| Tennessee | $61,951 | $78,250 | $92,789 | $109,852 |
| Texas | $63,448 | $83,037 | $95,391 | $110,719 |
| Utah | $82,581 | $92,694 | $109,600 | $124,188 |
| Vermont | $76,949 | $94,524 | $118,960 | $142,492 |
| Virginia | $77,420 | $97,833 | $117,300 | $145,585 |
| Washington | $85,482 | $102,797 | $124,869 | $145,341 |
| West Virginia | $57,197 | $65,816 | $78,785 | $96,161 |
| Wisconsin | $67,469 | $85,900 | $108,986 | $126,708 |
| Wyoming | $63,413 | $82,927 | $94,681 | $110,604 |
* Add $11,100 for each individual in excess of 4. | ||||
| COMMONWEALTH OR U.S. TERRITORY | FAMILY SIZE | |||
| 1 EARNER | 2 PEOPLE | 3 PEOPLE | 4 PEOPLE * | |
| Guam | $52,478 | $62,748 | $71,504 | $86,528 |
| Northern Mariana Islands | $35,241 | $35,241 | $41,001 | $60,304 |
| Puerto Rico | $30,013 | $30,013 | $35,444 | $49,622 |
| Virgin Islands | $41,638 | $50,043 | $53,356 | $58,457 |
* Add $11,100 for each individual in excess of 4. | ||||
