The references to Alabama statutes are to the Alabama Code.
Resources:
United States Bankruptcy Court, Northern District of Alabama
United States Bankruptcy Court, Southern District of Alabama
| Alabama Bankruptcy Exemptions | ||||||||||
| Assets | Exemption | State Statute | ||||||||
| Homestead | Real property or a mobile home: up to $5,000 for property that is 160 acres or less. | 6-10-2 | ||||||||
| The debtor must record a homestead declaration before the sale of the property to claim a homestead exemption. | 6-10-20 | |||||||||
| Insurance | Life insurance policy /avails: all. | 6-10-8; 27-14-29 | ||||||||
| Disability insurance proceeds/avails: up to $250 per month. | 27-14-31 | |||||||||
| Annuity proceeds/avails: up to $250 per month. | 27-14-32 | |||||||||
| Life insurance policy proceeds/avails: all if there is a clause prohibiting proceeds from being used to pay the creditors of the beneficiary. | 27-15-26 | |||||||||
| Benefits from a mutual aid association: all. | 27-30-25 | |||||||||
| Benefits from a fraternal society: all. | 27-34-27 | |||||||||
| Pensions | Federal pension exemptions. | |||||||||
| Judge pensions: all. | 12-18-10(a), (b) | |||||||||
| Teacher pensions: all. | 16-25-23 | |||||||||
| IRA and other retirement accounts: all. | 19-3-1 | |||||||||
| Law enforcement officer pensions: all. | 36-21-77 | |||||||||
| State employee pensions: all. | 36-27-28 | |||||||||
| Personal Property | Place of burial: all for the debtor and his/her family. | 6-10-5 | ||||||||
| Church pew: all used by the debtor and his/her family. | 6-10-5 | |||||||||
| Books: all owned by the debtor and his/her family. | 6-10-6 | |||||||||
| Clothing: all owned by the debtor and his/her family. | 6-10-6 | |||||||||
| Family portraits or pictures: all. | 6-10-6 | |||||||||
| Public Benefits | Crime victims’ compensation benefits: all. | 15-23-15(e) | ||||||||
| Unemployment compensation benefits: all. | 25-4-140 | |||||||||
| Workers’ compensation benefits: all. | 25-5-86(b) | |||||||||
| Benefits for POWs of Southeast Asian War: all. | 31-7-2 | |||||||||
| Public assistance, including aid to the blind, aged, and disabled: all. | 38-4-8 | |||||||||
| Tools of Your Trade | For state military personnel: all the equipment they must keep, including arms, uniforms, and equipment. | 31-2-78 | ||||||||
| Wages | Wages: up to 75% of net earnings per week or 30 times the federal hourly minimum wage whichever is greater, if the debt is a consumer loan, consumer credit sale, or consumer lease | 5-19-15 | ||||||||
| Wages: up to 75% of wages that have been earned but are as yet unpaid for any other debt. The bankruptcy judge can allow a larger exemption for a low-income debtor. | 6-10-7 | |||||||||
| Wildcard | Any personal property, except wages or homestead: up to $3,000. | 6-10-6 | ||||||||