Bankruptcy in Ohio
In Ohio you use state exemptions only (exemptions are the property the law lets you keep). Your home (homestead): $182,625 in equity in one parcel or item of real or personal property that you or a dependent use as a residence (a house, condo or mobile home).
You file in one of 2 federal bankruptcy courts:
Checked against official sources: October 25, 2026. · Free letter and checklist ↓
What you can keep in Ohio
Exemptions are the property the law lets you keep. You use the Ohio list. The federal list is not available in Ohio.
Law: Ohio Rev. Code 2329.662
| What | Ohio exemption |
|---|---|
Home (homestead) | $182,625 in equity in one parcel or item of real or personal property that you or a dependent use as a residence (a house, condo or mobile home) Per person: the statute protects 'the person's interest', so when a married couple who both own the home file a joint case, each spouse can claim the exemption. No declaration or recording is needed. Amount applies to cases filed April 1, 2025 through March 31, 2028. Law: 11 U.S.C. 522(m); Ohio Rev. Code 2329.66(A)(1)(b) |
Car or other vehicle | $5,025 in equity in one motor vehicle, per person Law: Ohio Rev. Code 2329.66(A)(2) |
Household goods and clothing | Household furnishings and goods, clothing, appliances, books, animals, crops, musical instruments, firearms, and hunting and fishing gear: up to $800 per item and $16,850 total. Jewelry: $2,125 total. Cash, bank deposits, money owed to you within 90 days, security deposits and tax refunds (other than wages): $625. Medically necessary health aids are fully exempt. Law: Ohio Rev. Code 2329.66(A)(3), (A)(4)(a)-(b), (A)(7) |
Wildcard (any property) | $1,675 in any property (only in bankruptcy cases) Law: Ohio Rev. Code 2329.66(A)(18) |
Tools of your trade | $3,200 total in implements, professional books or tools of your profession, trade or business, including farming Law: Ohio Rev. Code 2329.66(A)(5) |
Wages | Earned but unpaid wages are exempt up to the greater of 75% of disposable earnings or 30 times the federal minimum hourly wage per week (60 times biweekly, 65 times semimonthly, 130 times monthly). Law: Ohio Rev. Code 2329.66(A)(13) |
Retirement accounts | Ohio public employee pensions (PERS, STRS, SERS, police and fire, and others) are exempt. IRAs, Roth IRAs and education IRAs are exempt to the extent they come from contributions within the yearly legal limits or allowed rollovers, plus their earnings; inherited IRAs are exempt. Keogh plans and private pension payments are exempt to the extent reasonably necessary to support you and your dependents. Money put in to avoid paying a debt is not protected. Law: Ohio Rev. Code 2329.66(A)(10)(a)-(e) |
Public benefits | Workers' compensation, unemployment benefits, Ohio Works First cash assistance, Prevention, Retention and Contingency benefits, and vocational rehabilitation maintenance payments are exempt. Law: Ohio Rev. Code 2329.66(A)(9)(a)-(e) |
Other exemptions |
Law: Ohio Rev. Code 2329.66(A)(9)(f); Ohio Rev. Code 2329.66(A)(12); Ohio Rev. Code 2329.66(A)(11); Ohio Rev. Code 2329.66(A)(6), (A)(8), (A)(10)(c) |
Amounts: Amounts effective April 1, 2025 through March 31, 2028, as adjusted by the Ohio Judicial Conference under Ohio Rev. Code 2329.66(B) and published by the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Ohio. The statute text itself still shows the base amounts (e.g., $125,000 homestead).
The means test in Ohio: first step
Official Form 122A-1 compares your household's yearly income with the median income in Ohio. Here are the official medians:
- 1 person$66,239
- 2 people$83,725
- 3 people$102,504
- 4 people$123,702
- 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
Where to file in Ohio
You file in the district where you lived (your domicile) for most of the last 180 days. Ohio has two districts, Northern and Southern. To find your division, see the Northern District's county map (https://www.ohnb.uscourts.gov/content/county-distribution-map) or the Southern District's courthouse pages, which list the counties each one serves (https://www.ohsb.uscourts.gov/court-locations-and-entry-requirements).
Law: 28 U.S.C. 1408
Divisions: Akron, Canton, Cleveland, Toledo, Youngstown
Clerk's phone: (216) 615-4300
Divisions: Cincinnati (Adams, Brown, Butler, Clermont, Hamilton, Highland, Lawrence, Scioto counties), Columbus (Athens, Belmont, Coshocton, Delaware, Fairfield, Fayette, Franklin, Gallia, Guernsey, Harrison, Hocking, Jackson, Jefferson, Knox, Licking, Logan, Madison, Meigs, Monroe, Morgan, Morrow, Muskingum, Noble, Perry, Pickaway, Pike, Ross, Union, Vinton, Washington counties), Dayton (Champaign, Clark, Clinton, Darke, Greene, Miami, Montgomery, Preble, Shelby, Warren counties)
Clerk's phone: 1-833-809-1611
Free help in Ohio
Free letter and checklist
Letter: tell a creditor you filed bankruptcy
Notice to a creditor or debt collector with your case number, court, filing date and chapter.
Checklist: what to gather before you file
Income, tax returns, debts, property and budget papers the federal forms ask about, with Ohio's courts.
Bankruptcy in Ohio by topic
Exemptions in Ohio
Home, car, household goods, wildcard and more, with the law for each.
The means test in Ohio
The official median income and the first-step check.
Where to file in Ohio
The bankruptcy courts, divisions, fees and the 341 meeting.
Good to know in Ohio
- Ohio's amounts rise for inflation every three years on April 1; the current amounts run from April 1, 2025 to March 31, 2028, and the next change is due April 1, 2028.
Law: Ohio Rev. Code 2329.66(B)
Source: SD Ohio Bankruptcy Court notice
- The $1,675 wildcard can be used only in bankruptcy, not against ordinary collection.
Law: Ohio Rev. Code 2329.66(A)(18)
- The value of your property is measured on the date you file your bankruptcy petition.
Law: Ohio Rev. Code 2329.66(D)(1)
Changes in 2024–2026
On April 1, 2025 Ohio's amounts rose for inflation: homestead to $182,625 (from $161,375), vehicle to $5,025 (from $4,450), household goods to $800 per item and $16,850 total (from $700 and $14,875), jewelry to $2,125 (from $1,875), tools to $3,200 (from $2,825), cash to $625 (from $550), personal injury to $31,650 (from $27,950) and the wildcard to $1,675 (from $1,475). House Bill 96 (effective September 30, 2025) made only a wording change to the public deferred compensation reference.
Questions about bankruptcy in Ohio
Can I use the federal bankruptcy exemptions in Ohio?
No. Ohio requires you to use the state exemptions.
What is the homestead exemption in Ohio?
$182,625 in equity in one parcel or item of real or personal property that you or a dependent use as a residence (a house, condo or mobile home)
How much of a car can I keep in bankruptcy in Ohio?
$5,025 in equity in one motor vehicle, per person
Does Ohio have a wildcard exemption?
$1,675 in any property (only in bankruptcy cases)
What household goods can I keep in Ohio?
Household furnishings and goods, clothing, appliances, books, animals, crops, musical instruments, firearms, and hunting and fishing gear: up to $800 per item and $16,850 total. Jewelry: $2,125 total. Cash, bank deposits, money owed to you within 90 days, security deposits and tax refunds (other than wages): $625. Medically necessary health aids are fully exempt.
Are retirement accounts protected in bankruptcy in Ohio?
Ohio public employee pensions (PERS, STRS, SERS, police and fire, and others) are exempt. IRAs, Roth IRAs and education IRAs are exempt to the extent they come from contributions within the yearly legal limits or allowed rollovers, plus their earnings; inherited IRAs are exempt. Keogh plans and private pension payments are exempt to the extent reasonably necessary to support you and your dependents. Money put in to avoid paying a debt is not protected.
Are my wages protected in Ohio?
Earned but unpaid wages are exempt up to the greater of 75% of disposable earnings or 30 times the federal minimum hourly wage per week (60 times biweekly, 65 times semimonthly, 130 times monthly).
Where do I file bankruptcy in Ohio?
You file in the district where you lived (your domicile) for most of the last 180 days. Ohio has two districts, Northern and Southern. To find your division, see the Northern District's county map (https://www.ohnb.uscourts.gov/content/county-distribution-map) or the Southern District's courthouse pages, which list the counties each one serves (https://www.ohsb.uscourts.gov/court-locations-and-entry-requirements).
What is the median income for the means test in Ohio?
For cases filed on or after April 1, 2026: 1 person: $66,239; 2 people: $83,725; 3 people: $102,504; 4 people: $123,702; Each extra person: +$11,100.
Where can I get free help with bankruptcy in Ohio?
Ohio Legal Help — statewide legal information and free legal aid finder and Legal Aid Society of Cleveland — bankruptcy pro bono program (listed by the Northern District court).