If you live in Virginia, you must use the Virginia bankruptcy exemptions. If you live in Washington, D.C., however, you have the choice of using either District of Columbia or federal bankruptcy exemptions. The federal bankruptcy exemptions can be doubled by a husband and wife filing together.
The following is a complete list of the federal bankruptcy exemptions:
Homestead
522(d)(1) Real property, including mobile homes and co-ops, or burial plots up to $20,200. Unused portion of homestead, up to $10,125, may be used for other property.
Personal Property
522(d)(2) – Motor vehicle up to $3,225.
522(d)(3) – Animals, crops, clothing, appliances and furnishings, books, household goods, and musical instruments up to $525 per item, and up to $10,775 total.
522(d)(4) – Jewelry up to $1,350.
522(d)(5) – $1,075 of any property, and unused portion of homestead up to $10,125.
522(d)(9) – Health aids.
522(d)(11)(B) – Wrongful death recovery for person you depended upon.
522(d)(11)(D) – Personal injury recovery up to $20,200 except for pain and suffering or for pecuniary loss.
522(d)(11)(E) – Lost earnings payments.
Pensions
522(b)(3)(C) – Tax exempt retirement accounts; IRAs and Roth IRAs up to $1,095,000 per person.
Public Benefits
522(d)(10)(A) – Public assistance, Social Security, Veteran’s benefits, Unemployment Compensation.
522(d)(11)(A) – Crime victim’s compensation
Tools of Trade
522(d)(6) – Implements, books and tools of trade, up to $2,025.
Alimony and Child Support
522(d)(10)(D) – Alimony and child support needed for support
Insurance
522(d)(7) – Unmatured life insurance policy except credit insurance.
522(d)(8) – Life insurance policy with loan value up to $10,775.
522(d)(10)( C ) – Disability, unemployment or illness benefits.
522(d)(11)( C ) – Life insurance payments for a person you depended on, which you need for support.