Ohio Bankruptcy Exemptions — What You Keep

Exemptions are the legal rules that determine what property you can keep when you file for bankruptcy. In Ohio, exemptions are critically important because they define the line between protected and at-risk assets §2329.66(A)(1).

Ohio requires use of state exemptions only — federal bankruptcy exemptions under §11 U.S.C. § 522(d) are not available. This means the specific Ohio exemption amounts below control what you can protect.

Homestead §2329.66(A)(1)

$125,000 in equity per individual. Applies to the debtor's interest in property used as a residence. Amount is per person, so a married couple filing jointly can double the exemption. This protects equity in your primary residence — if your home equity is within this limit, you keep the house in bankruptcy.

Personal property §2329.66(A)(3)–(4)

$10,775 aggregate in household goods, furnishings, wearing apparel, appliances, jewelry, and other personal items ($525 per item cap on household goods). This covers household goods, furnishings, clothing, and everyday personal items.

Vehicle §2329.66(A)(2)

$4,060 in equity. This protects equity in your car — meaning the value of the vehicle minus what you owe on it.

Wages §2329.66(A)(13)

75% of disposable earnings (or amount exceeding 30× federal minimum wage, whichever protects more). This applies to wages already earned but not yet paid at the time of filing.

Wildcard §2329.66(A)(18)

$1,075 (any property; available only in bankruptcy proceedings). A wildcard exemption can be applied to any property not fully covered by other exemptions.

Retirement accounts §2329.66(A)(10)(a)–(c)

Ohio PERS, STRS, and other public retirement system benefits are exempt under (A)(10)(a); payments under a pension, annuity, or similar plan or contract are exempt under (A)(10)(b) only to the extent reasonably necessary for the support of the debtor and dependents; IRAs, individual retirement annuities, Roth IRAs, and education IRAs are exempt under (A)(10)(c) to the extent the assets are attributable to or derived from contributions (and earnings on them) within the applicable federal deductible, Roth, or rollover contribution limits. Ohio sets no dollar cap on the IRA exemption, but assets deposited for the purpose of evading payment of a debt are not exempt, and support-order provisions (e.g., 3119.80, 3123.06) are excepted. Retirement accounts receive strong protection in bankruptcy — both under state law and federal law §29 U.S.C. § 1056 (ERISA).

Tools of trade §2329.66(A)(5)

$3,200 aggregate in tools, implements, and professional books used in trade or profession (currently, as inflation-adjusted for April 1, 2025 through March 31, 2028; statutory base $2,025, indexed every three years). This protects the equipment you need to earn a living.

• 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.

• 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)?