Iowa Bankruptcy Law

Considering filing bankruptcy in Iowa? You need to understand Iowa bankruptcy law and exemptions.

As on overview we have listed some of the main exemptions, links to the federal courts serving Iowa, and some filing statistics for Iowa.

Iowa Exemptions

Homestead:
100%
Details:
Apartment used as a principal residence

Homestead:
1/2 acre including dwelling house and appurtenances if within city plat; otherwise, 40 acres including dwelling house and appurtenances (acreage may be enlarged if value is less than $500)
Details:
Homestead of any person (persons living together as a single household unit may claim exemption once in the aggregate.)

Motor Vehicle:
$7,000
Details:
One motor vehicle


This is just and overview and there is a detailed list of the Iowa Bankruptcy Exemptions.

Iowa Bankruptcy Courts

If you need more information about the Iowa Federal Bankruptcy Courts you can click on the link for your district.

  • Iowa Northern District
  • Iowa Southern District

    • Iowa Filing Statistics

    Here are the counties in Iowa with the highest amount of bankruptcy filings.

    Year - County
    Total
    Ch7
    Ch13
    2012 POLK
    1230
    1097
    133
    2012 LINN
    427
    384
    43
    2012 SCOTT
    360
    298
    62
    2012 WOODBURY
    287
    272
    15

    You can see the information for all counties by visiting the Iowa Chapter 7 and Chapter 13 bankruptcy filings by county page.

    Here are the most recently available statistics for monthly bankruptcy filings in Iowa.

    Year - Month
    Total
    Ch7
    Ch13
    2013 6
    449
    400
    49
    2013 5
    547
    509
    38
    2013 4
    586
    534
    52
    2013 3
    606
    558
    48
    2013 2
    403
    369
    34
    2013 1
    341
    307
    34


    You can see more data by visiting the Iowa Personal Bankruptcy Filing Statistics page.

    If you have question about filing bankruptcy please visit our Frequently Asked Questions Page or schedule a free consultation with a local attorney.