The means test in Maryland: median income

Check your income against the Maryland 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 Maryland. If your household's yearly income is below the median for its size, you pass the first step.

1 person
$86,928
2 people
$114,611
3 people
$135,949
4 people
$166,173
Each extra person
+$11,100
Medians apply to cases filed on or after
April 1, 2026

Are you below the Maryland median?

Official Form 122A-1 compares your household's yearly income with the median income in Maryland. Here are the official medians:

  • 1 person$86,928
  • 2 people$114,611
  • 3 people$135,949
  • 4 people$166,173
  • 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 numbers are worked out in your browser. Nothing you enter here is saved or sent.

Before taxes. Add up all income for the last 6 months and divide by 6.

Enter your household size and income

Which court you file in, in Maryland

You file in the federal bankruptcy district where you lived (your domicile) for most of the 180 days before you file. Maryland has one district. You may file papers in either the Baltimore or the Greenbelt office. The court's locations page lists which counties each division serves: https://www.mdb.uscourts.gov/general-info/locations

Law: 28 U.S.C. 1408

U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Maryland

Divisions: Baltimore, Greenbelt (Salisbury: hearings only)

Clerk's phone: Baltimore (410) 962-2688; Greenbelt (301) 344-8018

Court's self-help page

Maryland exemptions in brief

In Maryland you use state exemptions only (exemptions are the property the law lets you keep).

Home (homestead): your equity in the owner-occupied home you live in, up to the same dollar amount as the federal homestead exemption in 11 U.S.C. 522(d)(1), as adjusted.

Wildcard (any property): Two parts: (1) $6,000 in cash or any property you choose (this $6,000 cap also covers the $500 automatically protected in a bank account); and (2) in bankruptcy only, an extra $5,000 in any personal property.

Exemptions in Maryland

In nearby states

  • District of Columbia: 1 person $85,391 · 2 people $161,397 · 3 people $161,397 · 4 people $166,598
  • Delaware: 1 person $69,515 · 2 people $94,877 · 3 people $111,273 · 4 people $132,244
  • New Jersey: 1 person $87,173 · 2 people $106,876 · 3 people $137,136 · 4 people $168,127
  • Pennsylvania: 1 person $72,230 · 2 people $87,534 · 3 people $110,151 · 4 people $135,862
  • Virginia: 1 person $78,491 · 2 people $101,171 · 3 people $123,159 · 4 people $144,826
  • West Virginia: 1 person $63,908 · 2 people $68,592 · 3 people $92,050 · 4 people $93,672

Steps for the means test in Maryland

  1. Add up 6 months of income

    Use pay stubs and benefit letters for the 6 full months before you file.

  2. Do the official first step

    Your income is figured on Official Form 122A-1.

  3. If you are above the median

    Next comes the expense calculation on Official Form 122A-2.

Free help in Maryland

Questions about the means test in Maryland

Can I keep my house in bankruptcy in Maryland?

Your equity in the owner-occupied home you live in (house, condo, converted manufactured home, or co-op), up to the same dollar amount as the federal homestead exemption in 11 U.S.C. 522(d)(1), as adjusted. Since April 1, 2025 that amount is $31,575.

Where do I file bankruptcy in Maryland?

You file in the federal bankruptcy district where you lived (your domicile) for most of the 180 days before you file. Maryland has one district. You may file papers in either the Baltimore or the Greenbelt office. The court's locations page lists which counties each division serves: https://www.mdb.uscourts.gov/general-info/locations

What income passes the means test in Maryland?

For cases filed on or after April 1, 2026: 1 person: $86,928; 2 people: $114,611; 3 people: $135,949; 4 people: $166,173; Each extra person: +$11,100.

Who helps with bankruptcy for free in Maryland?

Debtor Assistance Project (free 30-minute consultation with a volunteer bankruptcy lawyer, run with the U.S. Bankruptcy Court), Maryland Volunteer Lawyers Service and Maryland Legal Aid.

Related Maryland pages