Oregon State Exemptions

Only State Exemptions Allowed

In the state of Oregon, you will not be able to use the federal exemption list. Only the state exemption list is allowed. You may be able to use certain supplemental federal exemptions and additional Oregon residency requirements may apply to use the state exemptions.

It is important to discuss all exemptions with an Oregon Bankruptcy Attorney prior to filing Chapter 7 Bankruptcy or Chapter 13 Bankruptcy. The goal of the Oregon exemption list is to allow you to keep enough wages, public benefits, personal property, pensions and homestead exemptions to be able to start over after bankruptcy.

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

Exemptions	Exemption Amount	Statutes
Homestead	Real property, mobile home or houseboat you occupy to $25,000 ($33,000 for joint owners); if you don’t own land mobile home is on, to $23,000 ($30,000 for joint owners); property cannot exceed 1 block in town or city or 160 acres elsewhere; sale proceeds exempt 1 year from sale, if you intend to purchase another home	23.164, 23.240, 23.250
Wages	Minimum 75% of earned but unpaid wages; bankruptcy judge may authorize more for low-income debtors Wages withheld in state employee’s bond savings accounts	23.186 292.070
Wild Card	$400 of any personal property, however, can’t use to increase existing exemption Husband and wife may double	23.160(1) (o) In re Wilson, 22 B.R. 146 (D. Or. 1983)
Tools of Trade	Tools, library, team with food to last 60 days, to $3000 (husband and wife may double)	23.160(1) ( c)
Public Benefits	Aid to blind Aid to disabled Civil defense & disaster relief Crime victims’ compensations (husband and wife may double) General assistance Injured inmates’ benefits Medical assistance Old-age assistance Unemployment compensation Vocational rehabilitation Workers’ compensation	412.115 412.610 401.405 23.160(1) (j) (A), 147.325 411.760 655.530 414.095 413.130 657.855 344.580 656.234
Personal Property	Bank deposits to $7500; cash for sold exempt property Books, pictures & musical instruments to $600 total (husband and wife may double) Burial plot Clothing, jewelry & other personal items to $1800 total (husband and wife may double) Domestic animals, poultry with food to last 60 days to $1000 Food & fuel to last 60 days if debtor is householder Furniture, household items, utensils, radios & TVs to $3000 total Health aids Lost earnings payments for debtor or someone debtor depended on, to extent needed (husband & wife may double) Motor vehicle to $1700 (husband and wife may double) Personal injury recoveries to $10,000, not to include pain & suffering ( husband and wife may double) Pistol, rifle or shotgun if owned by person over 16, to $1000 Earned income tax credits	23.166 23.160(1) (a) 65.870 23.160(1) (b) 23.160(1) (e) 23.160(1) (f) 23.160(1) (f) 23.160(1) (h) 23.160(1) (l) 23.160(1) (d) 23.160(1) (k) 23.200 23.160(1)(n)
Miscellaneous	Alimony, child support needed for support Liquor licenses Property of business partnership	23.160(1) (i) 471.301(1) 68.420
Pensions	ERISA-qualified benefits Public officers, employees School district employees	23.170 237.980 239.261
Insurance	Annuity contract benefits to $500 per month Fraternal benefit society benefits Group life policy or proceeds not payable to insured Health or disability proceeds or avails Life insurance proceeds or cash value if you are not the insured	743.049 748.207 743.047 743.050 743.046