Chapter 7 Income Limits by State (2026)
Chapter 7 has no minimum debt — eligibility is an income test. If your household income is at or below your state's median, the means test is passed. Check yours, then see the full official table.
Select your state and enter your last six months of gross income.
Official U.S. Trustee medians for cases filed on or after 2026-07-15 (households over 4: +$11,100 per person). Simplified check — marital adjustments and non-consumer debts change the analysis.
Editorially Reviewed — Content reviewed for accuracy using published legal research, government data, and verified court records. See our methodology
Reviewed by Leonard Goldberg, Editor · Last updated
Median Income Limits — All 50 States + DC
Annual median family income by household size, applicable to bankruptcy cases filed on or after July 15, 2026 (source: U.S. Trustee Program). Income at or below the figure = means test passed.
| State | 1 person | 2 people | 3 people | 4 people |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $64,321 | $77,451 | $92,698 | $106,740 |
| Alaska | $85,817 | $112,548 | $112,548 | $142,136 |
| Arizona | $73,935 | $89,027 | $104,965 | $121,174 |
| Arkansas | $58,421 | $73,630 | $82,329 | $97,054 |
| California | $79,253 | $102,797 | $116,541 | $139,071 |
| Colorado | $87,940 | $109,497 | $130,850 | $153,501 |
| Connecticut | $84,302 | $106,224 | $134,470 | $159,934 |
| Delaware | $69,515 | $94,877 | $111,273 | $132,244 |
| District of Columbia | $85,391 | $161,397 | $161,397 | $166,598 |
| Florida | $69,876 | $86,523 | $97,540 | $114,761 |
| Georgia | $68,478 | $84,965 | $101,479 | $123,481 |
| Hawaii | $85,254 | $106,202 | $123,454 | $142,181 |
| Idaho | $73,413 | $86,160 | $98,381 | $119,662 |
| Illinois | $73,180 | $93,934 | $113,625 | $137,902 |
| Indiana | $64,461 | $81,986 | $95,627 | $115,656 |
| Iowa | $67,617 | $88,800 | $104,133 | $126,058 |
| Kansas | $69,197 | $87,441 | $103,852 | $125,971 |
| Kentucky | $61,652 | $73,892 | $85,212 | $109,443 |
| Louisiana | $59,447 | $72,348 | $84,602 | $103,628 |
| Maine | $75,892 | $90,445 | $106,822 | $131,577 |
| Maryland | $86,928 | $114,611 | $135,949 | $166,173 |
| Massachusetts | $88,202 | $112,708 | $139,411 | $178,524 |
| Michigan | $67,352 | $83,432 | $103,449 | $123,010 |
| Minnesota | $77,696 | $98,328 | $126,487 | $149,882 |
| Mississippi | $53,978 | $70,328 | $82,846 | $97,464 |
| Missouri | $64,972 | $82,075 | $100,228 | $118,530 |
| Montana | $71,310 | $91,452 | $103,285 | $121,698 |
| Nebraska | $66,922 | $90,728 | $103,405 | $125,074 |
| Nevada | $72,222 | $87,914 | $101,638 | $114,110 |
| New Hampshire | $87,287 | $109,324 | $141,531 | $155,203 |
| New Jersey | $87,173 | $106,876 | $137,136 | $168,127 |
| New Mexico | $66,235 | $79,574 | $88,041 | $98,602 |
| New York | $73,272 | $92,902 | $115,579 | $139,040 |
| North Carolina | $67,117 | $84,384 | $101,535 | $116,737 |
| North Dakota | $73,549 | $96,352 | $106,686 | $137,817 |
| Ohio | $66,239 | $83,725 | $102,504 | $123,702 |
| Oklahoma | $61,180 | $77,208 | $86,845 | $101,798 |
| Oregon | $79,089 | $93,670 | $116,729 | $140,024 |
| Pennsylvania | $72,230 | $87,534 | $110,151 | $135,862 |
| Rhode Island | $77,653 | $98,736 | $119,419 | $137,479 |
| South Carolina | $64,808 | $83,761 | $95,672 | $116,314 |
| South Dakota | $69,190 | $89,809 | $100,883 | $130,738 |
| Tennessee | $63,979 | $82,846 | $97,511 | $109,585 |
| Texas | $66,837 | $86,714 | $99,273 | $117,962 |
| Utah | $87,898 | $95,757 | $112,751 | $131,741 |
| Vermont | $72,461 | $96,963 | $114,075 | $137,583 |
| Virginia | $78,491 | $101,171 | $123,159 | $144,826 |
| Washington | $88,585 | $107,100 | $131,737 | $156,567 |
| West Virginia | $63,908 | $68,592 | $92,050 | $93,672 |
| Wisconsin | $71,168 | $90,252 | $108,516 | $133,384 |
| Wyoming | $71,745 | $91,502 | $98,476 | $110,297 |
Households above 4: add $11,100 for each additional person.
How the Means Test Actually Works
The test compares your current monthly income — the average of your gross income over the six full calendar months before filing, annualized — against the median above for your state and household size. At or below the median: no presumption of abuse arises, and Chapter 7 is generally open on Form 122A-1 alone.
Above the median, the analysis continues on Form 122A-2: IRS National and Local Standard living expenses, secured and priority debt payments, and other allowed deductions come off your income. Only if the remaining disposable income clears statutory thresholds over 60 months does the presumption of abuse arise — and even then, special circumstances can rebut it.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much debt do you have to be in to file Chapter 7?
There is no minimum debt requirement — the bankruptcy code sets no floor. Chapter 7 eligibility turns on income (the means test above), not on how much you owe. Whether filing makes practical sense at lower debt levels is a different question: attorney and filing costs, credit impact, and whether your debts would be discharged at all shape that decision.
What income counts for the means test?
Your "current monthly income" (CMI): the average of nearly all gross income you received in the six full calendar months before filing — wages, business income, rental income, and regular contributions to household expenses. Social Security benefits are excluded. The average is annualized and compared to your state's median for your household size.
What happens if I'm above my state's median income?
You are not automatically barred from Chapter 7. Form 122A-2 subtracts IRS-standard living expenses, secured debt payments, and other allowed deductions from your income; if the remaining disposable income is low enough, you still pass. Many above-median filers qualify — and Chapter 13's repayment plan remains available either way.
How were these income limits set, and when do they change?
The figures are Census Bureau median family incomes published by the U.S. Trustee Program; the table above applies to cases filed on or after July 15, 2026. The UST updates the dataset periodically — always confirm the current table before filing, since a few thousand dollars can flip the result.
Does my household size include everyone living with me?
Courts differ on the exact test (heads-on-beds vs. economic-unit approaches), but broadly: household members whose income and expenses are intertwined with yours count. For households above four people, add the per-person allowance shown below the table to the four-person figure.