Louisiana Chapter 7 Means
Test Calculator

The Chapter 7 means test determines whether your household income is low enough to file for Chapter 7 bankruptcy in Louisiana. Created by the 2005 Bankruptcy Abuse Prevention and Consumer Protection Act (BAPCPA), the test compares your average monthly income over the past six months to the median income for a household of your size in Louisiana.

If your income falls below the Louisiana median, you automatically qualify for Chapter 7 without further analysis.

Louisiana bankruptcy cases are filed in the Eastern, Middle, Western Districts of Louisiana. The Chapter 7 filing fee is $338, which can be paid in installments or waived for filers below 150% of the federal poverty guidelines.

Louisiana has a higher-than-average bankruptcy filing rate, reflecting economic pressures that lead many residents to seek debt relief through the federal bankruptcy system.

Successfully passing the means test and receiving a Chapter 7 discharge eliminates most unsecured debts — credit cards, medical bills, personal loans, and utility arrears — typically within 3 to 6 months of filing. However, certain debts survive bankruptcy: student loans (absent undue hardship), recent tax obligations, domestic support obligations (child support and alimony), and debts arising from fraud or willful injury.

Key statutory reference: La. C.C.P.

Art. 3431.

Louisiana bankruptcy cases are filed in the Eastern (New Orleans), Middle (Baton Rouge), and Western (Shreveport/Monroe/Lafayette) Districts. The U.S.

Trustee's office in New Orleans (Region 5, also covering Mississippi) oversees the Chapter 7 trustee panel. Louisiana has opted out of federal exemptions.

Louisiana's $35,000 homestead exemption (up to 5 acres) is modest for a state with significant homeownership. Notably, Louisiana does not have a wildcard exemption — protection for cash and personal property is limited to specific categories.

Louisiana operates under a civil law system (derived from the Napoleonic Code) rather than common law, which affects property rights and community property rules for married filers. Louisiana imposes a state income tax; state income tax debts for returns filed 3+ years pre-petition are generally dischargeable.

The U.S. Trustee Program publishes updated median income figures that determine whether you pass the Chapter 7 means test in Louisiana.

For the current period, the Louisiana median income thresholds are: $48,048 for a 1-person household, $58,596 for a 2-person household, $66,672 for a 3-person household, and $79,044 for a 4-person household. For each additional household member beyond four, add approximately $9,900 to the 4-person figure.

These figures represent annualized gross income — meaning all income received in the six calendar months before filing, doubled. Income includes wages, salary, tips, overtime, bonuses, self-employment income, rental income, pension distributions, unemployment benefits, and contributions from non-filing household members.

Social Security retirement and disability benefits are excluded from the calculation in most courts, which can significantly help retirees qualify.

Louisiana's median income thresholds fall near the national midpoint, providing a reasonable baseline for determining Chapter 7 eligibility relative to the state's cost of living.

Earning above the Louisiana median income does not automatically disqualify you from Chapter 7 — it simply triggers the second part of the means test. In this phase, you subtract IRS-standardized living expenses from your current monthly income to determine your "disposable income." If your monthly disposable income is below $167.08 (approximately $10,025 over 60 months), you still pass the means test and can file Chapter 7.

The IRS expense standards used in the means test include national standards for food, clothing, personal care, and miscellaneous expenses; local standards for housing and utilities based on your Louisiana county; and local standards for transportation. You also deduct actual secured debt payments (mortgage, car loan), priority debt payments (back taxes, domestic support), mandatory payroll deductions (taxes, Social Security, health insurance), and certain other allowable expenses like child care, health care beyond insurance, and court-ordered payments.

Many above-median filers in Louisiana still qualify for Chapter 7 after deductions. Homeowners with significant mortgage payments, families with high medical costs, and filers with substantial student loan payments often find their disposable income drops below the threshold.

A bankruptcy attorney can run a preliminary means test calculation to determine whether you'll pass before you commit to filing.

Louisiana has opted out of the federal bankruptcy exemptions, meaning filers must use Louisiana's state exemption system to protect their property in Chapter 7. This is an important distinction — approximately two-thirds of states have opted out, each creating their own exemption framework.

Under Louisiana's exemption system, the homestead exemption protects $35,000 (up to 5 acres) of equity in your primary residence. The vehicle exemption covers $7,500.

Louisiana does not offer a general wildcard exemption, so property protection is limited to the specific categories defined by state law. Retirement accounts (401(k), IRA, pension) are fully exempt under federal law regardless of state exemptions, with traditional and Roth IRAs protected up to approximately $1.5 million.

Louisiana's homestead exemption of $35,000 (up to 5 acres) is above average nationally, providing substantial protection for homeowners.

Filing Chapter 7 in Louisiana requires completing the means test (Official Forms 122A-1 and 122A-2), gathering financial documentation, taking a credit counseling course from an approved agency, and submitting the bankruptcy petition to the Eastern District of Louisiana Bankruptcy Court (or the applicable district). The filing fee is $338.

Required documents include 6 months of pay stubs, the most recent tax return, bank statements, a list of all debts, and a complete inventory of assets and property.

Within 30 to 45 days of filing, you will attend a Meeting of Creditors (341 meeting) where the Chapter 7 trustee and any attending creditors can ask questions about your financial situation and petition. In practice, most 341 meetings in Louisiana last 5 to 10 minutes and creditors rarely appear for consumer bankruptcy cases.

You must bring a government-issued photo ID and proof of Social Security number. After the meeting, you must complete a financial management course (debtor education) before the court will issue your discharge.

The typical Chapter 7 case in Louisiana takes 3 to 6 months from filing to discharge. Most consumer Chapter 7 cases are "no-asset" cases, meaning the trustee determines that all of the debtor's property is exempt and there is nothing to distribute to creditors.

In asset cases — where the debtor owns non-exempt property — the process takes longer as the trustee liquidates non-exempt assets and distributes proceeds. An experienced Louisiana bankruptcy attorney can usually predict whether a case will be no-asset before filing.

If you don't pass the Chapter 7 means test in Louisiana, Chapter 13 bankruptcy offers an alternative path to debt relief. Chapter 13 allows you to keep all of your property while repaying a portion of your debts through a 3- to 5-year payment plan.

The plan duration depends on income: filers below the Louisiana median income qualify for a 3-year plan, while above-median filers must commit to 5 years. At the end of the plan, remaining eligible unsecured debts are discharged.

Chapter 13 may be preferable to Chapter 7 in Louisiana even if you pass the means test in certain situations: if you're behind on mortgage payments and want to cure the arrears over the plan period; if you have non-exempt property you want to keep (you can protect it by paying its value to creditors through the plan); if you have debts that cannot be discharged in Chapter 7 (such as certain tax obligations); or if you received a Chapter 7 discharge within the past 8 years.

Before filing any bankruptcy in Louisiana, consider alternatives such as debt negotiation or settlement, credit counseling and debt management plans, and state law remedies that may protect income and property from creditors. Louisiana's wage garnishment limits, bank account exemptions, and other debtor protections may provide sufficient relief without bankruptcy.

The pre-filing credit counseling requirement ensures that every filer has explored these alternatives with a certified counselor before proceeding.

If you qualify for Chapter 7 under the means test, the Louisiana Bankruptcy Exemption Calculator shows exactly which assets you can keep. If Chapter 7 isn't available, the Louisiana Chapter 13 Payment Plan Calculator estimates your monthly repayment obligation.

And if protecting your home equity is the priority, the Louisiana Homestead Exemption Calculator covers Louisiana's specific exemption amount and any acreage or residency limits.