Louisiana Bankruptcy Exemptions — What You Keep
What property you can protect when filing for bankruptcy in Louisiana — homestead, personal property, vehicle, wage, and retirement exemptions.
Louisiana's exemption system
Louisiana requires use of state exemptions only — federal bankruptcy exemptions under §11 U.S.C. § 522(d) are not available. This means the specific Louisiana exemption amounts below control what you can protect.
Key Louisiana exemptions
Homestead
. La. Rev. Stat. § 13:3881 contains no homestead exemption — its Subsection (A)(6) exempts the federal earned income tax credit and the refundable portion of the child tax credit. Louisiana's homestead exemption is provided by separate law and is not stated here pending verification. This protects equity in your primary residence — if your home equity is within this limit, you keep the house in bankruptcy.
Personal property §13:3881
Household goods, clothing, bedding, and furniture (no aggregate dollar cap). This covers household goods, furnishings, clothing, and everyday personal items.
Vehicle §13:3881(A)(2)
$7,500 in equity in one motor vehicle. This protects equity in your car — meaning the value of the vehicle minus what you owe on it.
Wages §13:3881(A)(1)
75% of disposable earnings (or amount exceeding 30× federal minimum wage). This applies to wages already earned but not yet paid at the time of filing.
Retirement accounts §13:3881(D)
ERISA-qualified plans, IRAs, and Louisiana State Employees' Retirement System (LASERS) and Teachers' Retirement System are exempt. Retirement accounts receive strong protection in bankruptcy — both under state law and federal law §29 U.S.C. § 1056 (ERISA).
Tools of trade §13:3881(A)(3)
$7,500 in tools, instruments, and books necessary to the debtor's trade. This protects the equipment you need to earn a living.
Louisiana exemption comparison
| Homestead | Personal property | Wildcard | |
|---|---|---|---|
| What it protects | Equity in your primary residence §11 U.S.C. § 522 | Household goods, furnishings, clothing §11 U.S.C. § 522 | Any property not covered by other exemptions §11 U.S.C. § 522 |
| Louisiana limit | Household goods, clothing, bedding, and furniture (no aggregate dollar cap) §13:3881 | Not available | |
| Key limitation | Primary residence only — not investment property §11 U.S.C. § 522 | Individual item and aggregate caps may apply §11 U.S.C. § 522 | Total cap across all wildcard-claimed property §11 U.S.C. § 522 |
| Strategic value | Can be the largest exemption | Protects everyday necessities | Fills gaps left by specific exemptions |
How exemptions affect chapter choice
- In Chapter 7, non-exempt property can be liquidated by the trustee. High exemptions mean you keep more.
- In Chapter 13, the "best interests of creditors" test means your plan must pay unsecured creditors at least what they would have received if non-exempt assets were liquidated in Chapter 7. Higher exemptions can reduce your required plan payment.
Common exemption planning considerations
- Is your home equity within the homestead limit, or does it exceed the cap?
- Do you have a vehicle loan that reduces your equity below the exemption?
- Are there assets that could be reclassified or converted to exempt form before filing?
- Would waiting to file change the exemption calculation (e.g., recent large deposit, bonus, tax refund)?
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Frequently Asked Questions
General answers to common questions. Specific outcomes depend on your facts and timing.
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Related guides
- Household goods, clothing, bedding, and furniture (no aggregate dollar cap)
- 75% of disposable earnings (or amount exceeding 30× federal minimum wage)