Texas Bankruptcy - Filing Bankruptcy in TX
Looking into Texas bankruptcy exemptions
Texas bankruptcy laws do allow federal exemptions to be used in addition to their state exemptions, or you may substitute the federal exemptions in place of Texas state law. Which of these exemptions offer the most protection depends on the debtors' circumstances and the value of their assets. Even though the Texas bankruptcy state exemptions are quite generous, it would be worth talking it over with a lawyer.
Homestead: All property up to 10 acres within a town, village or city & 100 acres for a single person or 200 acres for a family anywhere else.
Personal property: All personal property up to $30,000 for a single person and $60,000 for a family. This includes tools of trade, furnishings, clothing, up to two firearms, sports equipment and cars - one for each member of the family with a license. Other personal property exemptions include health aids, health savings and animals.
Insurance: Life, health and accident insurance. Also church benefits, group insurance for public school employees, uniform group, employee benefits for state college and university employees.
Pension: ERISA, IRAs, tax-deferred, country or district employees, teacher, judge, law enforcement employees, firefighters, emergency medical employees, municipal employees and federal pension exemptions.
Public benefits: Crime victims' compensation, public assistance, medical assistance, workers compensation and unemployment compensation.
Tools of trade: Equipment, tools, books, vehicles (including boats) and farming or ranching implements. These are included in the personal property exemptions.
Wages: All wages earned but unpaid.
There are U.S Bankruptcy Courts in each of Texas' four districts:
Northern District of Texas
Amarillo Division
624 S. Polk - Suite 100
Amarillo, TX 79101-2389
Tel: (806) 324-2302
Dallas Division
Earle Cabell Building, U.S. Courthouse
1100 Commerce Street, Room 1254
Dallas, TX 75242-1496
Tel: (214) 753-2000
Fort Worth Division
Eldon B. Mahon U.S. Courthouse
501 W. Tenth Street
Fort Worth, TX 76102-3643
Tel: (817) 333-6000
Lubbock Division
306 Federal Building
1205 Texas Avenue
Lubbock, TX 79401-4002
Tel: (806) 472-5000
Southern District of Texas
Houston Division
515 Rusk Avenue
Houston, TX 77002
Tel: (713) 250-5500
Corpus Christi Division
U.S. Bankruptcy Court
1133 N. Shoreline Blvd.
Corpus Christi, TX 78401
Tel: (361) 888-3142
Laredo Courthouse
1300 Victoria St.
Laredo, Tx 78040
Tel: (956) 723-3542
Galveston Division
United States Post Office and Courthouse
601 Rosenberg, Room 411
Galveston, TX 77550
Tel: (409) 766-3530
Reynaldo G. Garza-Filemon B. Vela United States Courthouse
600 E. Harrison St.
Brownsville, TX 78520
Tel: (956) 548-2500
Victoria Division
Martin Luther King, Jr. Federal Building
312 S. Main, Room 406
Victoria, Texas 77901
Tel: (361) 788-5000
McAllen Division
Bentsen Tower
1701 W. Bus. Hwy. 83, Ste. 1011
McAllen, TX 78501
Tel: (956) 618-8065
Eastern District of Texas
Tyler Division
9th Floor, 110 North College Ave
Tyler, Texas 75702
Tel: (903) 590-3200
Plano Division
Suite 300B, 660 North Central Expressway
Plano, Texas 75074
Tel: (972) 509-1240
Beaumont Division
Suite 100, 300 Willow Street
Beaumont, Texas 77701
Tel: (409) 839-2617
Western District of Texas
Austin Division
Homer J. Thornberry Federal Judicial Bldg.
903 San Jacinto Blvd., Suite 322
Austin, Texas 78701
Tel: (512) 916-5237
El Paso Division
United States Bankruptcy Courthouse
8515 Lockheed
El Paso, Texas 79925
Tel: (915) 779-7362
Midland Division
U.S. Post Office Annex
Room P-163
100 East Wall Street
Midland, Texas 79701
Tel: (432) 683-1650
San Antonio Division
Hipolito F. Garcia Federal Building and United States Courthouse
615 East Houston Street, Room 137
San Antonio, Texas 78205
Tel: (210) 472-6720
Waco Division
800 Franklin Avenue, Suite 140
Waco, Texas 76701
Tel: (254) 750-1513