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Filing Chapter 7 Bankruptcy in Connecticut (2026)

Reviewed by DocDraft Legal Team · Connecticut · Last updated August 18, 2026

Chapter 7 bankruptcy is federal law, but the property you keep depends on which exemption set you use in Connecticut. Connecticut is a choice state: it has not opted out of the federal exemptions, so you may elect either the Connecticut exemptions under Conn. Gen. Stat. 52-352b or the federal 11 U.S.C. 522(d) list, but you cannot combine them. This page explains Connecticut's $250,000 homestead exemption, the vehicle and wildcard figures, the means-test median income, and the single federal bankruptcy court where Connecticut residents file. Chapter 7 discharges most unsecured debt but not most student loans, recent taxes, child support, or alimony.

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Does Connecticut use state or federal bankruptcy exemptions?

Connecticut is a choice state. It has not opted out of the federal exemptions, so under 11 U.S.C. 522(b) you may elect either the Connecticut exemptions under Conn. Gen. Stat. 52-352b or the federal 522(d) list. You must choose one set in full for your case and cannot mix Connecticut and federal exemptions together.

Can I keep my house if I file Chapter 7 in Connecticut?

Often yes. Under Conn. Gen. Stat. 52-352b(21), Connecticut's homestead exemption protects up to $250,000 of equity in your home, measured as fair market value less any liens. That figure was raised from $75,000 effective October 1, 2021. If your home equity fits within that amount, Chapter 7 generally lets you keep the house.

Can I keep my car if I file Chapter 7 in Connecticut?

Usually yes if your equity is modest. Under Conn. Gen. Stat. 52-352b(10), Connecticut exempts up to two motor vehicles worth $7,000 in the aggregate, measured as value less any liens. If your combined car equity is at or below $7,000, the vehicles are protected. Equity above that may be reachable by the trustee.

What is the income limit to file Chapter 7 in Connecticut?

For cases filed on or after July 15, 2026, the U.S. Trustee median income figures for Connecticut are $84,302 for one earner, $106,224 for two, $134,470 for three, and $159,934 for four, adding $11,100 per additional person. At or below your household figure, you pass the first part of the means test.

Connecticut's Federal-or-State Choice and the 52-352b $250,000 Homestead

Connecticut is a bankruptcy choice state: it has not opted out of the federal exemption scheme, so a debtor filing here may elect either the Connecticut exemptions under Conn. Gen. Stat. 52-352b or the federal set under 11 U.S.C. 522(d). You choose one system in full and cannot combine the two. Connecticut's headline homestead exemption under 52-352b(21) protects up to $250,000 of home equity, a figure the legislature raised from $75,000 through Public Act 21-161 effective October 1, 2021, making the state exemption far larger than the federal homestead for most homeowners with equity. Connecticut also exempts up to two motor vehicles worth $7,000 in the aggregate under 52-352b(10) and provides a $1,000 wildcard for any other property under 52-352b(18). A married couple filing jointly can generally each claim the exemptions on their respective interests. All Connecticut debtors file in a single court, the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Connecticut, which sits in Hartford, New Haven, and Bridgeport.

Relevant Laws

Connecticut Exempt Property and Homestead (Conn. Gen. Stat. 52-352b)

The core Connecticut exemption statute. Subsection (21) sets the homestead exemption at $250,000 of home equity, raised from $75,000 effective October 1, 2021; subsection (10) exempts two motor vehicles worth $7,000 in the aggregate; and subsection (18) provides a $1,000 wildcard for any other property.

Connecticut Allows the Federal Exemption Choice (11 U.S.C. 522(b))

Connecticut has not opted out of the federal exemptions under 11 U.S.C. 522(b), so it is a choice state. A debtor filing here may elect either the Connecticut exemptions under Conn. Gen. Stat. 52-352b or the federal 522(d) list, choosing one set in full for the case rather than combining them.

Connecticut Earnings and Retirement Exemptions (Conn. Gen. Stat. 52-361a, 52-321a)

Section 52-361a exempts the greater of 75 percent of weekly disposable earnings or 40 times the minimum wage from garnishment. Section 52-321a places IRAs, 401(k) plans, and most pensions and retirement accounts beyond the reach of creditors, protecting them in bankruptcy.

Federal Bankruptcy Code Exemptions and Means Test (11 U.S.C. 522, 707)

The federal law behind Chapter 7. Section 522(b) lets a state opt out of the federal 522(d) exemptions, which Connecticut has not done, and section 707(b) sets the means test measured against state median income. Connecticut filers may use the 522(d) list or the state set.

Regional Variances

Connecticut Chapter 7 Exemption Table

Homestead

Conn. Gen. Stat. 52-352b(21): up to $250,000 of equity in your primary residence, measured as fair market value less any liens, raised from $75,000 effective October 1, 2021. A $75,000 cap applies to certain wilful-misconduct judgments. If you elect the federal set instead, the 522(d) homestead is much smaller.

Motor vehicle

Conn. Gen. Stat. 52-352b(10): up to two motor vehicles worth $7,000 in the aggregate, measured as value less any liens. Equity above $7,000 may be reachable by the trustee. This replaced the prior single-vehicle $3,500 exemption under Public Act 21-161.

Wildcard

Conn. Gen. Stat. 52-352b(18): $1,000 in any interest in property not otherwise covered by a specific exemption. You can apply it to cash, a bank balance, or miscellaneous assets. The alternative federal 522(d) wildcard is larger and includes any unused homestead amount.

Personal property

Conn. Gen. Stat. 52-352b(1) exempts necessary apparel, bedding, foodstuffs, household furniture, and appliances without a dollar cap, and 52-352b(6) exempts health aids necessary to work or sustain health. Tools, books, and instruments necessary to your occupation are exempt under 52-352b(2).

Wages

Conn. Gen. Stat. 52-361a exempts the greater of 75 percent of your weekly disposable earnings or 40 times the state or federal minimum wage, whichever is higher, from garnishment. Disposable earnings are what remain after taxes and required withholdings. Earnings already exempt when paid keep that protection.

Retirement

Conn. Gen. Stat. 52-321a places trust and retirement income, IRAs qualified under IRC section 408, Roth IRAs, 401(k) and similar plans, and most pensions beyond the reach of creditors. Exceptions apply for qualified domestic relations orders and certain victim-recovery claims. ERISA-qualified plans are also excluded from the estate under federal law.

Suggested Compliance Checklist

Confirm the current Connecticut means-test median income

Before you file days after starting

Check your household size against the U.S. Trustee Connecticut median income figures in effect on your filing date, since these update periodically. For cases filed on or after July 15, 2026 the figures are $84,302 for one, $106,224 for two, $134,470 for three, and $159,934 for four, adding $11,100 per additional person.

Complete the pre-filing credit counseling course

Within 180 days before filing days after starting

Take an approved credit counseling course from a provider authorized for the District of Connecticut and keep the certificate. You must file it with your petition. Skipping this can get your case dismissed before your debts are addressed.

Choose the Connecticut or federal exemption set and value your assets

Before preparing your schedules days after starting

Decide between the Connecticut exemptions under Conn. Gen. Stat. 52-352b, with the $250,000 homestead, and the federal 522(d) set, which has a smaller homestead but a larger wildcard. Value your home, vehicles, and personal property so you can match assets to exemptions. You must choose one set in full.

Prepare and file your petition and schedules

Filing day days after starting

File your petition, schedules, and exemption claims in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Connecticut, the single federal bankruptcy court covering the state, with seats in Hartford, New Haven, and Bridgeport. Filing triggers the automatic stay that pauses collection and garnishment.

Attend the 341 meeting and finish the debtor education course

Before discharge days after starting

Attend the 341 meeting of creditors and answer the trustee's questions under oath, then complete the required post-filing financial management course and file the certificate. Both are required before the court will grant your discharge. An attorney can help with contested exemptions.

Frequently Asked Questions

Under Conn. Gen. Stat. 52-352b(21), Connecticut's homestead exemption protects up to $250,000 of equity in your primary residence, measured as fair market value less any statutory or consensual liens. The legislature raised this from $75,000 through Public Act 21-161, effective October 1, 2021. A narrow $75,000 cap applies to certain judgments for wilful misconduct.

Under Conn. Gen. Stat. 52-352b(18), Connecticut provides a $1,000 wildcard exemption for any interest in property not otherwise covered by a specific exemption. You can apply it to cash, a bank balance, or other assets. If you instead elect the federal 522(d) set, the federal wildcard is larger and includes unused homestead amount, which some low-equity filers prefer.

All Connecticut residents file in a single court, the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Connecticut. It holds sessions in Hartford, New Haven, and Bridgeport, and your case is assigned based on the county where you have lived for most of the prior 180 days. There is only one federal judicial district in Connecticut.

No. Chapter 7 discharges most unsecured debt like credit cards and medical bills, but it does not erase most student loans, recent income taxes, child support, or alimony, and it will not discharge debts from fraud. Secured debts like a car loan remain unless you surrender the collateral or reaffirm the loan.

Largely yes. Under Conn. Gen. Stat. 52-361a, the greater of 75 percent of your weekly disposable earnings or 40 times the minimum wage is exempt from garnishment. Under Conn. Gen. Stat. 52-321a, IRAs, 401(k) plans, and most pensions and retirement accounts are placed beyond the reach of creditors, so they generally stay protected in Chapter 7.

Other Connecticut guides

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Connecticut Notice to Quit: 2026 Landlord Rules & 3-Day Statute

Dealing With Debt Collectors in Connecticut (2026)

How to Break a Lease in Connecticut Legally (2026)

How to Dispute a Bill in Connecticut (2026)

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