Chapter 7 Means Test Estimator

Before you can file Chapter 7 bankruptcy, your income has to clear this first hurdle. You'll need your household's average gross income over the last 6 months and the current median-income figure for your state and household size, which this tool links you to rather than guessing at — that number changes twice a year.

Chapter 7 means test — first pass

Step 1 of the means test compares your household's average gross income over the last 6 months, annualized, against the median income for a household of your size in your state. This tool does that comparison — it does not embed the median-income table itself, since it changes over time. Look up your number from the official table first.

  1. Open the U.S. Trustee Program's current median family income table (opens in a new tab):justice.gov/ust — Means Testing Information and find the figure for your state and household size.
  2. Enter that figure, and your own household's annualized income, below.

Passing this first step means you can generally proceed with Chapter 7. Being over the median doesn't disqualify you — it means a second, more detailed calculation (IRS allowable-expense standards) applies, which this tool doesn't yet cover. Not legal advice; a bankruptcy attorney can run the full calculation.

Questions about this calculator

What happens if I pass the median income comparison?

You can generally proceed with Chapter 7 without the second, more detailed IRS expense-standards calculation. It isn't an automatic discharge — a trustee can still review the case — but the income hurdle itself is cleared.

— US Debt Compass Editorial Team

What happens if my income comes in above the median?

You're not automatically disqualified from Chapter 7. A second calculation, using IRS allowable-expense standards against your actual expenses, determines whether you still qualify or need to file Chapter 13 instead. See Chapter 7 vs. Chapter 13 for how the two compare once you know which one applies.

— US Debt Compass Editorial Team

Why doesn't this tool just include the median income table itself?

The U.S. Trustee Program updates those figures roughly twice a year based on Census data, and they vary by both state and household size — hardcoding a number here would eventually go stale and could misinform someone about eligibility. This tool walks through the mechanism and sends you to the current official table for your one live figure instead.

— US Debt Compass Editorial Team