Debtors May Have 21 Days to File Under Old Income Levels

The U.S. Trustee Program and Department of Justice announced new bankruptcy median income numbers for the Chapter 7 means test, which affect bankruptcy petitioners who file on or after November 1.

For debtors who income now falls above the new median income, a 21-day grace period may be granted to file under the previous levels. For more information or to begin bankruptcy proceedings to meet the 21-day deadline, connect with a local bankruptcy attorney.

Median Income Tables

One part of the Chapter 7 means test, introduced in the 2005 bankruptcy reform laws, is to compare the income of the debtor with income levels for similar family sizes in the state. In each state (plus Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico and other territories), there is a set median for families of one-to-four people, plus additional levels for families of more than four.

The median income is the middle point of all incomes for each state and family size—half of families will fall above, and half below, the median income. The provision was introduced to help prevent abuse of chapter 7 bankruptcy.

Perhaps a sign of the current recession, with unemployment rising and many workers working below full-time hours, median incomes levels in many cases have fallen. However, income levels have also risen in certain cases. For more information, compare the new median incomes with the previous incomes at the U.S. Trustee web site.

Window to File Bankruptcy Under old Incomes

Under the means test, a debtor compares his income to the median for his state and family size; if his income is below the median, he "passes" that part of the test. Debtors whose incomes are above must look at state exemptions to possibly continue under Chapter 7, or must file under a Chapter 13 debt reorganization plan.

In the rare cases where an income level has lowered (such as a single-earner in Maine, which fell from $40,618 to $38,812) and now excludes a debtor whose income falls in that range, the bankruptcy court allows for a brief 21-day window to "pass" the means test under the previous median income levels.

While most income levels only changed a small amount, for those close to the median, the change could be the difference between a debt discharge under chapter 7 and a 3-to-5 year repayment plan under chapter 13.

For more information on the chapter 7 means test, new median income levels, and if you need to file in the next 3 weeks to qualify for chapter 7 bankruptcy, visit Total Bankruptcy and connect with an attorney about filing bankruptcy.