U.S. Bankruptcy Help
Illustration representing bankruptcy residency lookback rules and state exemption law determination.

Bankruptcy Exemption Law Finder

Wondering which state's exemption laws apply to your bankruptcy case? This free tool walks you through your residency history over the past two years to estimate which state exemptions govern your property. No email or contact information required.

Portrait of attorney Casey Yontz, bankruptcy lawyer
Written by Casey Yontz, JD, Bankruptcy Legal Content Editor
Legally reviewed by Benjamin Wright, Bankruptcy Attorney
Last reviewed on
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How Our Bankruptcy Exemption Law Finder Works

Federal bankruptcy law dictates that your property protections depend entirely on where you have lived. This interactive tool determines your applicable exemption scheme through a step-by-step evaluation:

  • 1. Enter Your Current Residence & Timeline: Input your current state and how long you have lived there.
  • 2. Evaluate the 730-Day Rule: If you have lived there for at least 730 days (2 years), your current state's exemptions apply. If not, the tool prompts you for your prior state of residence.
  • 3. Analyze Predecessor Lookback Windows: The tool checks the 180-day period preceding that 2-year window to pinpoint the correct governing state and allows you to print or save your results as a PDF.

Enter your residency history below to find out which state laws likely govern your asset protection.

Exemption law finder

Which Bankruptcy Exemptions Can I Use?

Where you live today does not always determine which bankruptcy exemptions you can use. Enter your domicile history to see which exemption law may apply.

This tool identifies the exemption system you may be eligible to use. It does not determine whether a particular house, vehicle, bank account, or other asset is fully protected.

When do you expect to file bankruptcy?

Changing the filing date can change the 730-day and prior 180-day result.

Why Residency Rules Matter in Bankruptcy

When you file for Chapter 7 or Chapter 13 bankruptcy, you get to protect certain assets using bankruptcy exemptions. However, you cannot simply choose any state's laws you want. Federal law establishes strict domicile and lookback requirements to prevent people from moving to states with generous exemption laws right before filing.

The 730-Day Rule Explained

Under 11 U.S.C. Section 522(b)(3)(A), to use a specific state's exemption scheme, you generally must have been domiciled in that state for the 730 days (2 full years) immediately preceding the date your bankruptcy petition is filed.

If you lived in multiple places during that two-year window, the law looks at where you lived for the major portion of the 180-day period prior to those 730 days. This tool automates that exact multi-step calculation to give you a clear educational breakdown.

What You Can Do With Your Results

Once the tool determines your likely governing state, you can immediately review that state's specific protection limits—such as your homestead, vehicle, and wildcard exemptions. You can also generate a clean PDF summary of your residency timeline to keep for your records or bring to your consultation with a local bankruptcy attorney.

What This Tool Cannot Tell You

  • It cannot provide binding legal advice or override a court's interpretation of domicile.
  • It may not account for complex multi-state property transfers or dual-residency disputes.
  • It does not replace a full consultation with a qualified bankruptcy attorney in your filing district.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What state's bankruptcy exemption laws apply when I file?

Generally, you must use the exemption laws of the state where you have lived for the 730 days (2 years) immediately preceding your bankruptcy filing.

What happens if I haven't lived in my current state for 730 days?

If you haven't lived in your current state for 730 days, the bankruptcy code looks back to the 180-day period right before that 730-day window to determine which previous state's exemption laws govern your case.

What is the 730-day bankruptcy rule?

Under 11 U.S.C. Section 522(b)(3)(A), a debtor must be domiciled in a specific state for 730 days before filing to use that state's exemption laws.

Can I print or save my results from this tool?

Yes. The tool allows you to generate a PDF summary of your residency history and exemption law estimate to save for your records or bring to an attorney consultation.

Do I need to provide an email or phone number to use this tool?

No. This tool is completely free, runs locally, and requires no contact information.

Is this tool legal advice?

No. It provides an educational estimate only based on your residency timeline and does not constitute formal legal advice.

US Bankruptcy Help is an educational publisher, not a law firm. This page provides general information and educational estimates only. It is not legal advice.

Explore Bankruptcy Help by State

Browse our state guides to learn exemptions, means test rules, costs, and local procedures. Use these links to jump between states and compare your options.