Bankruptcy in Wyoming (2026): Exemptions & Means Test

Bankruptcy is governed by federal law, but the property you can protect when you file in Wyoming is set largely by Wyoming's own exemption statutes. Wyoming has opted out of the federal bankruptcy exemptions, so filers here use the state list in Title 1, Chapter 20 of the Wyoming Statutes rather than the federal menu. The figures below reflect amounts in effect in 2026, and you should confirm the current numbers before relying on them.

This page is general legal information, not legal advice. It is part of our Bankruptcy by State series.

Does Wyoming use state or federal bankruptcy exemptions?

Wyoming is an opt-out state. Under 11 U.S.C. 522(b), a state may bar its residents from using the federal bankruptcy exemptions, and Wyoming has done so in Wyo. Stat. 1-20-109. A debtor whose domicile has been in Wyoming for the applicable period before filing must use the Wyoming exemptions in Title 1, Chapter 20 rather than the federal 522(d) list. You cannot pick the federal menu, and you cannot mix the two systems.

Even though the federal 522(d) menu is off the table, a Wyoming filer can still claim the federal nonbankruptcy exemptions, which protect items like Social Security benefits and certain federal pensions, alongside the Wyoming exemptions. Domicile timing matters: the rules in 11 U.S.C. 522(b)(3) look back over the years before filing to decide which state's exemptions apply, so a recent move can change which list governs your case. Married couples filing jointly can generally each claim a full set of the Wyoming exemptions.

Wyoming homestead exemption

Wyoming's homestead exemption is the headline protection for homeowners. Under Wyo. Stat. 1-20-101, every resident is entitled to a homestead not exceeding $100,000 in value, exempt from execution and attachment. The legislature raised the amount to $100,000 effective in 2023, so it is far higher than the $20,000 cap that applied for many years before.

The exemption is granted per person. Under Wyo. Stat. 1-20-102, when two or more persons jointly own and occupy the same residence, each is entitled to the homestead exemption, so a married couple who jointly own and live in the home can protect up to $200,000 combined. The homestead may consist of a house and the land it sits on, or a mobile home, under the terms of Wyo. Stat. 1-20-104.

Homestead protection covers equity, not the full value of the home. A residence worth more than the mortgage plus the available exemption can still leave non-exempt equity that a Chapter 7 trustee may reach. Because the figure is fixed by statute rather than indexed, confirm the current amount in Wyo. Stat. 1-20-101 before filing.

Vehicle, wildcard, and personal-property exemptions

Beyond the home, Wyoming protects a range of everyday property under Wyo. Stat. 1-20-106:

• Motor vehicle: up to $5,000 of equity in one vehicle under subsection (a)(iv).
• Bedding, furniture, household articles, and food: up to $4,000 in value per person living in the home under subsection (a)(iii).
• Tools of the trade, or a library and the implements of a profession, or the team, stock in trade, and equipment used in a business or trade: up to $4,000 under subsection (b).
• Wearing apparel, a Bible, schoolbooks, and family pictures: exempt under subsection (a)(i).
• Wages and earnings: protected by the garnishment limits in Wyo. Stat. 1-15-511, generally the greater of 75% of disposable weekly earnings or 30 times the federal minimum hourly wage.
• Retirement accounts: tax-qualified plans are protected under Wyo. Stat. 1-20-110 and under federal law.

Wyoming does not provide a separate general dollar wildcard the way the federal exemptions do, so the per-category limits above set what household property a filer can keep. Confirm the current figures in the statute before filing, because the legislature can amend them.

The Chapter 7 means test in Wyoming

The means test screens who can file Chapter 7. The first step compares your household's current monthly income, annualized, to the median family income for a Wyoming household of the same size. If your income is at or below the Wyoming median, you generally pass and may proceed with Chapter 7. If it is above the median, you complete the longer calculation that subtracts allowed expenses to see whether you have disposable income that should fund a Chapter 13 plan instead.

The U.S. Trustee Program publishes the median figures and updates them periodically. For cases filed on or after April 1, 2026, the Wyoming median family income is:

Add $11,100 for each additional person beyond four. These figures apply only to cases filed on or after April 1, 2026. The U.S. Trustee Program revises the median income data roughly twice a year, so confirm the current numbers for your filing date.

Chapter 7 vs. Chapter 13 in Wyoming

Chapter 7 is a liquidation. A trustee can sell non-exempt property to pay creditors, but because Wyoming's exemptions protect most household property and significant home equity, many Chapter 7 cases are "no-asset" cases where nothing is sold. Most remaining unsecured debt, such as credit cards and medical bills, is discharged in a few months.

Chapter 13 is a reorganization for filers with regular income. You keep your property and repay some or all of what you owe through a three-to-five-year plan. Chapter 13 is often chosen by homeowners who are behind on a mortgage, because the plan can spread out the missed payments and stop a foreclosure while you catch up.

In both chapters, filing triggers the automatic stay under 11 U.S.C. 362. The stay immediately halts most collection activity, including foreclosure sales, wage garnishment, repossession, and collection calls, while the case proceeds.

Where you file bankruptcy in Wyoming

Wyoming is a single federal bankruptcy district. All Wyoming bankruptcy cases are filed in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Wyoming, which has offices in Cheyenne and Casper and covers the entire state. Before filing, federal law requires you to complete an approved credit-counseling course, and you must complete a debtor-education course before your debts are discharged.

What bankruptcy can and cannot do

Bankruptcy discharges most unsecured debts, but several categories generally survive: most student loans (absent a separate showing of undue hardship), recent income taxes, child support and alimony, and debts from fraud or willful injury. Secured debts like a car loan or mortgage continue if you want to keep the collateral and keep paying.

Because exemption amounts change, and the choice between Chapter 7 and Chapter 13 depends on your full financial picture, many people consult a licensed Wyoming bankruptcy attorney before filing.