Do you qualify for Chapter 7 bankruptcy? Check instantly using 2025-2026 Census Bureau median income data.
Three steps. Instant result. No data collected.
Choose the state where you have lived for the greater part of the last 180 days.
Count everyone in your household -- yourself, spouse (even if not filing), and dependents.
Add up all gross income (before taxes) for the last 6 full calendar months, then divide by 6. Include wages, self-employment, pensions, Social Security, rental income, and any other regular income.
Enter your average monthly gross income. We will annualize it (multiply by 12) to compare against the annual median.
The means test was introduced by BAPCPA in 2005 to determine whether a debtor's income is low enough to file Chapter 7 bankruptcy. It has two parts:
Compare your annualized income (average of last 6 months, multiplied by 12) to the median income for your state and household size. If you are below the median, you pass -- no further analysis needed. This calculator performs Part 1.
If your income is above the median, you may still qualify. Part 2 subtracts allowable expenses (IRS standards, actual secured debt payments, priority debts) from your income. If disposable income is low enough, you can still file Chapter 7.
Veterans with disabilities incurred during active duty or homeland defense are exempt from the means test entirely, under 11 U.S.C. Section 707(b)(2)(D).
If your debts are primarily business debts rather than consumer debts, the means test does not apply. The 50% threshold is calculated from your total debt.
Members called to active duty or homeland defense for 90+ days in the preceding 540 days are exempt from the means test.
If you pass Part 1 (below state median), you effectively pass the entire means test. No expense calculation is needed.
The means test uses "current monthly income" (CMI) as defined in 11 U.S.C. Section 101(10A). This is broader than what you might think of as income:
Being above the median does not automatically disqualify you from Chapter 7. It means you must complete Part 2 of the means test (Form 122A-2), which deducts allowable living expenses, secured debt payments, and priority debt payments from your income. Many people with above-median income still qualify after these deductions. If you do not qualify, Chapter 13 remains an option for debt reorganization.
The means test uses the average of your gross income over the 6 full calendar months before your filing date. This is called "current monthly income" under 11 U.S.C. Section 101(10A). Note: it uses full calendar months, not the most recent 180 days. If your income has recently dropped (e.g., job loss), you may benefit from waiting to file so the higher-income months roll off the 6-month window.
If you are married and filing alone (not jointly), you must include your spouse's income on Form 122A-1 -- but you can then deduct a "marital adjustment" for the portion of your spouse's income that is not used for your household expenses or your dependents' expenses. If filing jointly, both incomes are included and compared against the median for your combined household size.
The DOJ updates the median family income data twice per year, effective for cases filed on or after April 1 and November 1. The data comes from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey. The figures in this calculator are based on the November 2025 data. Always confirm the current figures at justice.gov/ust/means-testing before filing.
Form 122A-1 (Chapter 7 Statement of Your Current Monthly Income) is the official means test form. All Chapter 7 filers must complete it. If your income is above the state median, you must also complete Form 122A-2 (Chapter 7 Means Test Calculation). Both forms are available for free at uscourts.gov. This calculator helps you estimate the result of 122A-1 before you fill out the official form.
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