The means test in Kansas: median income
Check your income against the Kansas median, and see what the second step and Chapter 13 involve.
Checked against official sources: October 25, 2026.
Short answer
These are the official U.S. Trustee Program medians for Kansas. If your household's yearly income is below the median for its size, you pass the first step.
- 1 person
- $69,197
- 2 people
- $87,441
- 3 people
- $103,852
- 4 people
- $125,971
- Each extra person
- +$11,100
- Medians apply to cases filed on or after
- April 1, 2026
Check the first step in Kansas
Official Form 122A-1 compares your household's yearly income with the median income in Kansas. Here are the official medians:
- 1 person$69,197
- 2 people$87,441
- 3 people$103,852
- 4 people$125,971
- Each extra person+$11,100
Applies to cases filed on or after April 1, 2026. 1 = one earner; 2, 3, 4 = people in the household; add = amount added for each person over 4
The bankruptcy courts in Kansas
You file in the federal district where you lived (your domicile) for most of the last 180 days. All of Kansas is one district. For a Chapter 7 or Chapter 13 case: if you live in Wyandotte or Johnson County you must file in Kansas City, in Shawnee or Douglas County in Topeka, and in Sedgwick or Butler County in Wichita; from any other county you may file in any of the three offices (Standing Order 25-1: https://www.ksb.uscourts.gov/sites/ksb/files/SO_25_1.pdf).
Law: 28 U.S.C. 1408
Divisions: Kansas City, Topeka, Wichita
Clerk's phone: 913-735-2110 (Kansas City); 785-338-5910 (Topeka); 316-315-4110 (Wichita)
Kansas exemptions in brief
In Kansas you use state exemptions only (exemptions are the property the law lets you keep).
Home (homestead): unlimited value.
Car or other vehicle: $20,000 of your interest in one vehicle you regularly use to get around or to get to work. No dollar limit for a vehicle designed or equipped for a person with a disability.
In nearby states
- Oklahoma: 1 person $61,180 · 2 people $77,208 · 3 people $86,845 · 4 people $101,798
- Nebraska: 1 person $66,922 · 2 people $90,728 · 3 people $103,405 · 4 people $125,074
- Missouri: 1 person $64,972 · 2 people $82,075 · 3 people $100,228 · 4 people $118,530
- Iowa: 1 person $67,617 · 2 people $88,800 · 3 people $104,133 · 4 people $126,058
- Colorado: 1 person $87,940 · 2 people $109,497 · 3 people $130,850 · 4 people $153,501
- Arkansas: 1 person $58,421 · 2 people $73,630 · 3 people $82,329 · 4 people $97,054
Your next steps in Kansas
Total your income
Collect proof of all income for the last 6 months.
Do the official first step
The court uses Official Form 122A-1.
If you are above the median
Next comes the expense calculation on Official Form 122A-2.
File in your court
You file the forms in U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Kansas.
Get help
Legal aid can help for free: Kansas Legal Services and Kansas Bar Association Lawyer Referral Service.
Free legal help in Kansas
Questions about the means test in Kansas
What is the homestead exemption in Kansas?
Unlimited value. Up to 160 acres of farmland, or up to 1 acre inside a city or town, or a manufactured or mobile home, that you or your family live in.
How do I find my bankruptcy court in Kansas?
You file in the federal district where you lived (your domicile) for most of the last 180 days. All of Kansas is one district. For a Chapter 7 or Chapter 13 case: if you live in Wyandotte or Johnson County you must file in Kansas City, in Shawnee or Douglas County in Topeka, and in Sedgwick or Butler County in Wichita; from any other county you may file in any of the three offices (Standing Order 25-1: https://www.ksb.uscourts.gov/sites/ksb/files/SO_25_1.pdf).
What income passes the means test in Kansas?
For cases filed on or after April 1, 2026: 1 person: $69,197; 2 people: $87,441; 3 people: $103,852; 4 people: $125,971; Each extra person: +$11,100.
Where can I get free help with bankruptcy in Kansas?
Kansas Legal Services and Kansas Bar Association Lawyer Referral Service.