Though not included in the Missouri statutory homestead exemption, a court has held that property owned as a tenancy by the entirety by a married couple may be exempt if only one of the spouses owes the debt. A court has also held that a cause of action for personal injury is exempt from bankruptcy.
The references to Missouri statutes are to the Missouri Revised Statutes.
Resources:
United States Bankruptcy Court, Eastern District of Missouri
United States Bankruptcy Court, Western District of Missouri
| Missouri Bankruptcy Exemptions | |||
| Assets | Exemption | State Statute | |
| Homestead | Real property: up to $15,000 for single or joint owners. | 513.475 | |
| Mobile home: up to $5,000 for single or joint owners. | 513.430(6) | ||
| Insurance | Life insurance proceeds: all if policy is owned by a woman and insures her husband. | 376.530 | |
| Life insurance proceeds: all if policy is owned by an unmarried woman and insures her father or brother. | 376.550 | ||
| Life insurance proceeds or assessment plan: all. | 377.090 | ||
| Stipulated insurance premiums: all. | 377.330 | ||
| Life insurance policy (unmatured): all. | 513.430(7) | ||
| Benefits from fraternal benefit society: up to $5,000 for policy purchased over 6 months before filing for bankruptcy. | 513.430(8) | ||
| Life insurance dividends/loan value/interest: up to $150,000 for policies purchased over 6 months before filing for bankruptcy. | 513.430(8) | ||
| Disability or illness benefits: all. | 513.430(10)(c) | ||
| Miscellaneous | Property belonging to a business partnership: all. | 358.250 | |
| Child support or alimony: up to $750 per month. | 513.430(10)(d) | ||
| Pensions | Federal pension exemptions. | ||
| Pensions of employees of cities with 100,000 or more people. | 71.207 | ||
| Public officer and employee pensions: all. | 70.695; 70.755 | ||
| Police department employee pensions: all. | 86.190; 86.353; 86.1430 | ||
| Firefighter pensions: all. | 87.090; 87.365; 87.485 | ||
| Pensions for employees of highway and transportation departments: all. | 104.250 | ||
| State employee pensions: all. | 104.540 | ||
| Teacher pensions: all. | 169.090 | ||
| Employee benefit spendthrift trust: all. | 456.014 | ||
| IRAs, Roth IRAs, ERISA qualified benefits, and other retirement accounts: all necessary for support. | 513.430(10)(e), (f) | ||
| Personal Property | Burial grounds: up to $100 for up to 1 acre. | 214.190 | |
| Household goods and furnishings, appliances, clothing, books, musical instruments, animals, and crops: up to $3,000 total. | 513.430(1) | ||
| Wedding rings: up to $1,500. | 513.430(2) | ||
| Other jewelry: up to $500. | 513.430(2) | ||
| Motor vehicle: up to $3,000. | 513.430(5) | ||
| Health aids: all professionally prescribed. | 513.430(9) | ||
| Recoveries for wrongful death of person on whom debtor was dependent: all. | 513.430(11) | ||
| Public Benefits | Workers compensation benefits: all. | 287.260 | |
| Unemployment compensation benefits: all. | 288.380(10)(l); 513.430(10)(c) | ||
| Public assistance benefits: all. | 513.430(10)(a) | ||
| Social Security benefits: all. | 513.430(10)(a) | ||
| Veteran's benefits: all. | 513.430(10)(b) | ||
| Crime victim's compensation benefits: all. | 595.025 | ||
| Tools of Your Trade | Tools of trade, implements, books: up to $3,000 total. | 513.430(4) | |
| Wages | Wages of common laborer or servant: up to $90 total. | 513.470 | |
| Wages: at least 75% of the weekly earnings for someone other than the head of household and at least 90% of the weekly earnings for head of household or 30 times the federal minimum hourly wage, whichever is greater. The bankruptcy judge may allow a larger exemption for low-income debtors. | 525.030 | ||
| Wildcard | For nonhead of household, any property: up to $600. | 513.430(3) | |
| For head of household, any property: up to $1,250 plus up to an additional $350 for each child. | 513.440 | ||