The means test in West Virginia: median income

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

1 person
$63,908
2 people
$68,592
3 people
$92,050
4 people
$93,672
Each extra person
+$11,100
Medians apply to cases filed on or after
April 1, 2026

Are you below the West Virginia median?

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

  • 1 person$63,908
  • 2 people$68,592
  • 3 people$92,050
  • 4 people$93,672
  • 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 West Virginia

You file in the district where you lived (your domicile) for most of the last 180 days. The Southern District covers Boone, Cabell, Clay, Fayette, Greenbrier, Jackson, Kanawha, Lincoln, Logan, McDowell, Mason, Mercer, Mingo, Monroe, Nicholas, Putnam, Raleigh, Roane, Summers, Wayne, Wirt, Wood and Wyoming counties; all other counties are in the Northern District.

Law: 28 U.S.C. 1408; 28 U.S.C. 129

U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of West Virginia

Divisions: Charleston (only staffed office); court also held at Beckley, Bluefield, Huntington, Lewisburg and Parkersburg

Clerk's phone: 304-347-3003

Court's self-help page

U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of West Virginia

Divisions: Wheeling and Clarksburg offices; court also held at Elkins, Fairmont and Martinsburg

Clerk's phone: 304-233-1655

Court's self-help page

West Virginia exemptions in brief

In West Virginia you choose state or federal exemptions (exemptions are the property the law lets you keep).

Home (homestead): up to $35,000 in real or personal property that you or a dependent uses as a residence, or in a burial plot for you or a dependent.

Car or other vehicle: Up to $7,500 in one motor vehicle.

Wildcard (any property): $800 in any property, plus any unused part of the $35,000 homestead exemption.

Exemptions in West Virginia

In nearby states

  • Virginia: 1 person $78,491 · 2 people $101,171 · 3 people $123,159 · 4 people $144,826
  • Ohio: 1 person $66,239 · 2 people $83,725 · 3 people $102,504 · 4 people $123,702
  • District of Columbia: 1 person $85,391 · 2 people $161,397 · 3 people $161,397 · 4 people $166,598
  • Maryland: 1 person $86,928 · 2 people $114,611 · 3 people $135,949 · 4 people $166,173
  • Pennsylvania: 1 person $72,230 · 2 people $87,534 · 3 people $110,151 · 4 people $135,862
  • North Carolina: 1 person $67,117 · 2 people $84,384 · 3 people $101,535 · 4 people $116,737

Your next steps in West Virginia

  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

    The official first step is Official Form 122A-1.

  3. If you are above the median

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

  4. Where the forms go

    The forms are filed with Southern District and Northern District.

Free help in West Virginia

Questions about the means test in West Virginia

Can I keep my house in bankruptcy in West Virginia?

Up to $35,000 in real or personal property that you or a dependent uses as a residence (including a mobile home or a co-op), or in a burial plot for you or a dependent.

Which bankruptcy court do I use in West Virginia?

You file in the district where you lived (your domicile) for most of the last 180 days. The Southern District covers Boone, Cabell, Clay, Fayette, Greenbrier, Jackson, Kanawha, Lincoln, Logan, McDowell, Mason, Mercer, Mingo, Monroe, Nicholas, Putnam, Raleigh, Roane, Summers, Wayne, Wirt, Wood and Wyoming counties; all other counties are in the Northern District.

What are the West Virginia means test numbers?

For cases filed on or after April 1, 2026: 1 person: $63,908; 2 people: $68,592; 3 people: $92,050; 4 people: $93,672; Each extra person: +$11,100.

Who helps with bankruptcy for free in West Virginia?

Legal Aid of West Virginia (free civil legal help for people who qualify).

Related West Virginia pages