Washington State Exemption List

State or Federal Exemptions Allowed

In the state of Washington you may choose either the state of Washington bankruptcy exemption list or the federal bankruptcy list. If you choose the Washington bankruptcy list, there may be certain federal supplemental exemptions you can use too. All exemptions should be discussed with your Washington Bankruptcy Attorney.

Washington has created bankruptcy exemptions to allow you to maintain enough public benefits, wages, personal property and insurance to start over after filing bankruptcy in Washington. There may be certain residency requirements to use the Washington state exemption list.

The following table will outline the Washington Bankruptcy Exemptions. Many of your assets may not have a matching exemption.

Exemptions	Exemption Amount	Statutes
Homestead	Real property or mobile home to $40,000 ( no limit if seeking to discharge debt based on failure to pay a state income tax assessed on retirement benefits received while a resident of Washington, 6.15.030) Must file homestead declaration before sale of home if property unimproved or home unoccupied	6.13.010,6.13.030 6.15.040
Tools of Trade	Farm trucks, stock, tools, seed, equipment & supplies of farmer to $5000 total Library, office furniture, office equipment & supplies of physician, surgeon, clergy or other professional to $5000 total Tools & materials used in another’s trade to $5000	6.15.010(4) (a) 6.15.010(4) (b) 6.15.010(4) ( c)
Wages	Minimum 75% of earned but unpaid wages; bankruptcy judge may authorize more for low-income debtors	6.27.150
Public Benefits	Child welfare Crime victims’ compensation General assistance Industrial insurance (workers’ compensation) Old-age assistance Unemployment compensation Child Support	74.13.070 7.68.070, 51.32.040 74.04.280 51.32.040 74.08.210 50.40.020 6.15.010(3)(d)
Miscellaneous	Property of business partnership	25.04.250
Pensions	City employees ERISA-qualified benefits IRAs Public employees State patrol officers Volunteer firefighters	41.28.200 6.15.020 6.15.020 41.40.380 43.43.310 41.24.240
Insurance	Annuity contract proceeds to $250 per month Disability proceeds, avails or benefits Fire insurance proceeds for destroyed exemption Fraternal benefit society benefits Group life insurance policy or proceeds Life insurance proceeds or avails if beneficiary is not the insured	48.18.430 48.18.400 6.15.030 48.36A.180 48.18.420 48.18.410
Personal Property	Appliances, furniture, household goods & home yard equipment to $2700 total (no limit on any property located within Washington if seeking to discharge debt based on failure to pay a state income tax assessed on retirement benefits received while a resident of Washington, 6.15.025) Books to $1500 Burial plots sold by nonprofit cemetery association Clothing, no more than $1000 in furs, jewelry, ornaments Food and fuel for comfortable maintenance Keepsakes & pictures One motor vehicle for each individual to $2500 total (2 motor vehicles as community property of spouses two motor vehicles to $5000 total) Professionally prescribed health aids Personal bodily injury payments- not to exceed $16,150; or payment for loss of future earnings to the extent reasonably necessary	6.15.010(3) (a) 6.15.010(2) 68.20.120 6.15.010(1) 6.15.010(3) (a) 6.15.010(2) 6.15.010(3) ( c) 6.15.010(3)(e) 6.15.010(3)(f)

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