Property & exemptions
Michigan bankruptcy exemptions
Selected key Michigan exemptions — the homestead, vehicle, wildcard categories below are quoted from the statute that states them. This is not a complete list of everything Michigan protects.
Which exemption list applies in Michigan
Not published yet. Whether Michigan lets you choose the federal exemptions under 11 U.S.C. § 522(d), or limits you to Michigan law, is the fact that decides which list applies to everything you own — so we are not going to guess at it here.
This page is still being completed
No completeness decision has been recorded for Michigan. We show what has been verified rather than filling the gap with something we have not checked — but treat what follows as partial.
Homestead — your home
Michigan publishes more than one current amount here. Which applies depends on your circumstances — compare the conditions below rather than assuming the largest.
- Michigan adjusted homestead$51,150
Current Michigan adjusted homestead limit.
- Michigan adjusted senior or disabled homestead$76,725
Current Michigan adjusted homestead limit where the debtor or a dependent is 65 or older or disabled at filing.
Motor vehicle
- Michigan adjusted motor vehicle$4,725
Current Michigan adjusted one-motor-vehicle limit.
Wildcard and general personal property
- Federal wildcard exemptionNo single dollar figure — see the rule
The available amount is $1,675 plus the unused portion of § 522(d)(1), capped at an additional $15,800. It is not an unconditional $17,475 exemption.
11 U.S.C. § 522(d)(5); 90 Fed. Reg. 8941, corrected at 90 Fed. Reg. 10643
What these amounts do and do not mean
- An exemption protects your EQUITY — what the property is worth beyond what you still owe on it — not the item’s sticker price.
- More than one amount can apply in the same category. Where that is true the entries below are listed separately with the condition that selects each one; we do not pick for you.
- Federal limits can still apply on top of state law. 11 U.S.C. § 522(p) and (q) can cap a homestead claim for someone who moved recently or in specific circumstances.
- Which set of exemptions you may use depends on where you were domiciled during the period 11 U.S.C. § 522(b)(3)(A) measures, which is not always the state you live in today.
Turn this into a plan for your exact situation, state, and court.
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