Minnesota Bankruptcy - the law, courts and attorneys
Filing bankruptcy in Minnesota
Minnesota bankruptcy law allows debtors to choose between federal exemptions or state exemptions, but federal exemptions cannot be used in addition to state law. Married couples filing for joint bankruptcy can only double some state exemptions but must use the same law, i.e. both must use either state or federal exemptions. Minnesota adjusts their exemption list on every even-numbered year to compensate for inflation.
Minnesota bankruptcy state exemptions include the following:
Homestead: Property up to $360,000 is exempt and property for agriculture up to $900,000.
Personal property: Furniture, appliances and household goods up to $9,900, Bible, books and musical instrument, burial plots, clothing, food and utensils, and motor vehicles up to $4,400 ($44,000 for disabled).
Insurance: Accident and/or disability benefits, life insurance, police and fire benefits
Miscellaneous: Minor children's earnings.
Pension: IRAs, private retirement benefits, public employees, state troopers, state employees
Public benefits: Unemployment compensation, veterans' benefits, workers' compensation, crime victims compensation
Tools of trade: Farm equipment, including animals and crops, to $13,000 and tools, machines, stock in trade & library up to $11,000 (but farm equipment and tools of trade combined may not exceed $13,000), teaching materials for public school teachers.
Wages: At least 75 percent of unpaid wages or 40 times the federal minimum wage (whichever is greater).
There are four Minnesota District Bankruptcy Courts:
Duluth Division
404 U.S. Courthouse
515 West First Street
Duluth, Minnesota 55802
Tel: (218) 529-3600
Fergus Falls Courthouse
204 US Courthouse
118 South Mill Street
Fergus Falls, Minnesota 56537
NOTE: This office is unstaffed.
Minneapolis Division
301 U.S. Courthouse
300 South Fourth Street
Minneapolis, Minnesota 55415
Tel: (612) 664-5200
St. Paul Division
200 Warren E. Burger Federal Building and U.S. Courthouse
316 North Robert Street
St. Paul, MN 55101
Tel: (651) 848-1000