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Nebraska Bankruptcy Exemption Worksheet

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Nebraska Bankruptcy Exemption Worksheet

A. Debtor and Case Information

Field Entry
Debtor name [________________________________]
Joint debtor name (if any) [________________________________]
Address [________________________________]
County of residence [________________________________]
Date of present residence in Nebraska [__/__/____]
Continuous Nebraska residence ≥ 730 days? (11 U.S.C. § 522(b)(3)(A)) ☐ Yes ☐ No
Domicile in 180 days before 730-day period [________________________________]
Chapter to be filed ☐ 7 ☐ 11 ☐ 12 ☐ 13
Filing date (anticipated) [__/__/____]
Head of family within meaning of § 40-115? ☐ Yes ☐ No
Spouse joining in petition? ☐ Yes ☐ No

B. Nebraska Opt-Out Acknowledgment

Nebraska has elected, under Neb. Rev. Stat. § 25-15,105, to retain the personal exemptions provided by Nebraska statute and the Nebraska Constitution and to reject the federal exemptions of 11 U.S.C. § 522(d). A Nebraska-domiciled debtor:

  • ☐ MUST claim Nebraska state exemptions (and applicable federal non-bankruptcy exemptions under 11 U.S.C. § 522(b)(3)(B)–(C)).
  • ☐ MAY NOT claim the § 522(d) bankruptcy schedule.
  • ☐ MAY claim the federal retirement-funds exemption of 11 U.S.C. § 522(b)(3)(C) and (d)(12), which is available regardless of opt-out.

Debtor signature acknowledging opt-out: ____________________________ Date: [__/__/____]

C. Exemption Schedule — Real Property

C.1 Homestead — Neb. Rev. Stat. § 40-101 et seq.

Item Limit Statute
Homestead value cap $120,000 (effective July 18, 2024 per 2024 Neb. Laws LB 1195, § 10) § 40-101
Urban lot limit Up to two contiguous lots within an incorporated city or village § 40-101
Rural acreage limit Up to 160 acres outside an incorporated city or village § 40-101
Eligible claimant "Each natural person residing in this state" § 40-101 (post-LB 1195)
Pre-July 18, 2024 cases Prior $60,000 cap may apply to cases governed by pre-amendment law; verify against effective-date provisions LB 1195, § 10

Homestead worksheet:

Field Entry
Property address [________________________________]
Legal description (Exhibit A) [________________________________]
Acreage / lot count [____]
Fee simple owner(s) [________________________________]
Tenancy (sole, joint, tenancy by entirety, tenancy in common) [________________________________]
Date acquired [__/__/____]
Purchase price $[____________]
Current fair market value (basis) $[____________]
Senior consensual liens (mortgages / deeds of trust) $[____________]
Construction / mechanic's liens (§ 40-103 exception) $[____________]
Vendor's liens (§ 40-103 exception) $[____________]
Pre-existing judgment liens against non-claimant spouse $[____________]
Net equity (FMV minus encumbrances) $[____________]
Equity claimed as exempt under § 40-101 $[____________]
Non-exempt equity (potential trustee asset) $[____________]
11 U.S.C. § 522(o) reduction (transfers to homestead in prior 10 years with intent to hinder, delay, or defraud) $[____________]
11 U.S.C. § 522(p) cap (additions in 1,215 days; current statutory cap, verify) $[____________]
Homestead allowance after federal caps $[____________]

C.2 Wildcard in Lieu of Homestead

A debtor who does not own or claim a homestead may, under § 25-1552, claim the $5,000 personal-property wildcard against any non-wage personal property. The wildcard is not available in addition to the homestead for the same debtor.

Field Entry
Debtor claims homestead under § 40-101? ☐ Yes ☐ No
If No, debtor claims § 25-1552 wildcard in lieu ☐ Yes ☐ No
Items to which wildcard is applied (list below) [________________________________]

D. Exemption Schedule — Personal Property

D.1 Section 25-1556 Specific Exemptions

Category Limit (subject to CPI adjustment per § 25-1556) Worksheet
Immediate personal possessions (apparel) of debtor and dependents Unlimited as to fair use Items: [________________________________]
Household furnishings, household goods, household computers, household appliances, books, musical instruments held primarily for personal, family, or household use $3,000 aggregate FMV (CPI-adjusted; verify current published figure) Total claimed: $[____________]
Equipment or tools, including a vehicle used in or for commuting to principal place of business or trade $2,400 aggregate (CPI-adjusted; verify current published figure) Items / VIN: [________________________________]
Perpetual care funds, grave markers, burial plots Per § 12-605 and related sections; verify [________________________________]

D.2 Section 25-1552 Personal-Property "Wildcard"

Field Entry
Statutory base amount $5,000 (CPI-adjusted; verify)
Wages excluded from § 25-1552? ☐ Yes (wages governed by § 25-1558)
Real property excluded from § 25-1552? ☐ Yes
Item 1 to which wildcard applied [____________________] FMV $[____________]
Item 2 [____________________] FMV $[____________]
Item 3 [____________________] FMV $[____________]
Total wildcard claimed $[____________] (≤ statutory cap)

D.3 Motor Vehicles

Nebraska does not have a stand-alone motor-vehicle exemption. Vehicle equity is protected through:

Source Mechanism
§ 25-1556 tools-of-trade subsection A vehicle "used in or for commuting to" principal place of business may be claimed up to the tools-of-trade aggregate (currently $2,400, CPI-adjusted)
§ 25-1552 wildcard Up to $5,000 (CPI-adjusted) may be applied to a non-business vehicle if no homestead is claimed, or stacked above the tools-of-trade allowance for a business-use vehicle
Field Vehicle 1 Vehicle 2
Year / make / model [____________] [____________]
VIN [____________] [____________]
Title in name of [____________] [____________]
Use (commute / business / personal) [____________] [____________]
Current FMV (NADA / KBB attached) $[__________] $[__________]
Lien balance $[__________] $[__________]
Net equity $[__________] $[__________]
§ 25-1556 tools-of-trade applied $[__________] $[__________]
§ 25-1552 wildcard applied $[__________] $[__________]
Non-exempt equity remaining $[__________] $[__________]

D.4 Wages, Earnings, and Pensions

Item Limit Statute
Earned but unpaid wages 75% of disposable earnings (the federal floor); 85% if debtor is head of a family (per § 25-1558(2)(b)) § 25-1558
Alternative cap Amount by which weekly disposable earnings exceed 30 × federal minimum hourly wage § 25-1558(1)(b)
Additional protection Court may increase percentage protected for low-income debtors § 25-1558(2)(b)
Pension, profit-sharing, stock-bonus, IRA, 401(k), 403(b), 408, 408A Exempt to the extent reasonably necessary for support of debtor and dependents § 25-1563.01
ERISA-qualified plan Excluded from the bankruptcy estate under Patterson v. Shumate, 504 U.S. 753 (1992) 11 U.S.C. § 541(c)(2)
IRA / Roth IRA federal cap (non-rollover) Capped under 11 U.S.C. § 522(n); rollover IRAs uncapped 11 U.S.C. § 522(n)
State/county/municipal/teachers' retirement Exempt §§ 79-948, 84-1324, 23-2322, 79-9,105
Field Entry
Average weekly disposable earnings $[____________]
Head of family? ☐ Yes (85%) ☐ No (75%)
Earned but unpaid wages at petition $[____________]
Wage exemption claimed (§ 25-1558) $[____________]
ERISA plan name and balance [____________] / $[__________]
IRA/Roth IRA balance $[__________]
§ 25-1563.01 limitation – amount reasonably necessary $[__________]
Contributions / amendments increasing employer-or-debtor contributions within 2 years pre-filing? ☐ Yes ☐ No

D.5 Insurance and Annuities

Item Limit Statute
Life insurance proceeds and avails to surviving family Exempt up to statutory limits; verify current language § 44-371
Annuity contract proceeds Subject to §§ 44-1089, 44-371; verify aggregate cap §§ 44-371, 44-1089
Fraternal benefit society proceeds Exempt § 44-1072
Group life and accident proceeds Exempt § 44-1719

D.6 Public Benefits and Support

Item Limit Statute
Unemployment compensation Exempt § 48-647
Workers' compensation benefits Exempt § 48-149
Public assistance (ADC/TANF, GA, Medicaid) Exempt § 68-1013
Aid to Aged, Blind, Disabled Exempt §§ 68-1013, 68-1501
Crime-victim reparations Exempt § 81-1836
Social Security, SSI, SSDI Exempt under federal law 42 U.S.C. §§ 407, 1383(d)
Veterans benefits Exempt under federal law 38 U.S.C. § 5301
Earned income tax credit Reasonably necessary for support – verify case law § 25-1563.01; In re Vasquez, etc.

D.7 Personal Injury and Wrongful Death

Item Treatment
Personal-injury proceeds attributable to debtor Exempt to the extent reasonably necessary for the support of the debtor and dependents (Nebraska is a "support" state) – verify current case law and § 25-1563.01 analogy
Wrongful-death proceeds Generally exempt to the extent reasonably necessary for support
Structured-settlement payments Exempt to extent of underlying claim character
11 U.S.C. § 522(d)(11) federal counterpart NOT available – Nebraska has opted out
Field Entry
Pending PI claim docket / claim no. [________________________________]
Estimated gross recovery $[____________]
Estimated portion attributable to pain & suffering / loss of consortium / future support $[____________]
Allocation reasonably necessary for support $[____________]
Non-exempt portion (potential estate property) $[____________]

E. Federal Non-Bankruptcy Exemptions Preserved Under § 522(b)(3)(B)

Source Items
5 U.S.C. § 8346 Federal civil service retirement
10 U.S.C. § 1440 Military survivor benefits
22 U.S.C. § 4060 Foreign service retirement
38 U.S.C. § 5301 Veterans benefits
42 U.S.C. § 407 Social Security
45 U.S.C. § 231m Railroad Retirement
50 U.S.C. § 3947 Servicemembers' Civil Relief Act protections

F. Property NOT Exempt Under Nebraska Law (Common Items)

  • ☐ Cash and bank deposits beyond § 25-1552 wildcard
  • ☐ Stocks, bonds, brokerage accounts (non-retirement)
  • ☐ Cryptocurrency
  • ☐ Second homes, recreational/vacation property
  • ☐ Boats, ATVs, recreational vehicles beyond wildcard
  • ☐ Collectibles, art, jewelry beyond § 25-1556 / § 25-1552 caps
  • ☐ Tax refunds attributable to pre-petition period beyond wildcard
  • ☐ Inherited IRAs (per Clark v. Rameker, 573 U.S. 122 (2014))
  • ☐ Settlement proceeds beyond "reasonably necessary for support"

G. Schedule C Mapping (Official Form 106C)

Item from worksheet Schedule A/B line Current value Exemption claimed Specific law / statute
Homestead A/B 1.1 $[__________] $[__________] Neb. Rev. Stat. § 40-101
Vehicle 1 A/B 3.1 $[__________] $[__________] Neb. Rev. Stat. §§ 25-1552, 25-1556
Vehicle 2 A/B 3.2 $[__________] $[__________] Neb. Rev. Stat. §§ 25-1552, 25-1556
Household goods A/B 6 $[__________] $[__________] Neb. Rev. Stat. § 25-1556
Clothing A/B 11 $[__________] $[__________] Neb. Rev. Stat. § 25-1556
Cash on hand A/B 16 $[__________] $[__________] Neb. Rev. Stat. § 25-1552
Deposits A/B 17 $[__________] $[__________] Neb. Rev. Stat. § 25-1552
Retirement / pension A/B 21 $[__________] $[__________] Neb. Rev. Stat. § 25-1563.01; 11 U.S.C. § 522(b)(3)(C), (d)(12)
Life insurance cash value A/B 31 $[__________] $[__________] Neb. Rev. Stat. § 44-371
Tools of trade A/B 45 $[__________] $[__________] Neb. Rev. Stat. § 25-1556
Wages owed A/B 29 $[__________] $[__________] Neb. Rev. Stat. § 25-1558
Personal-injury claim A/B 33 $[__________] $[__________] Neb. Rev. Stat. § 25-1563.01

Election under 11 U.S.C. § 522(b): ☐ Subsection (b)(3) – Nebraska state and federal non-bankruptcy exemptions (REQUIRED — Nebraska opt-out)

H. Lookback and Avoidance Diagnostics

Question Response
Any transfer of property within 2 years before filing? (§ 548) ☐ Yes ☐ No
Any transfer to insider within 4 years (Neb. Rev. Stat. § 36-805 UVTA / 11 U.S.C. § 544(b))? ☐ Yes ☐ No
Any conversion of non-exempt to exempt property within 1 year, particularly into homestead? ☐ Yes ☐ No
Any homestead equity added in 1,215 days before filing? (§ 522(p)) ☐ Yes ☐ No
Any homestead equity added in 10 years with intent to hinder/delay/defraud? (§ 522(o)) ☐ Yes ☐ No
Any retirement plan amended within 2 years to increase contributions? (§ 25-1563.01) ☐ Yes ☐ No
Any preferential transfer to creditor within 90 days / insider within 1 year? (§ 547) ☐ Yes ☐ No
Tools-of-trade or household-goods purchase money lien (§ 522(f)(1)(B))? ☐ Yes ☐ No

I. Joint Filing — Doubling Analysis

Where spouses both have an ownership interest in the property, most Nebraska statutory exemptions may be doubled. Confirm element-by-element:

Item Doubling permitted? Note
§ 40-101 homestead Disputed post-LB 1195. The amended statute refers to "each natural person." The pre-amendment rule was that a married couple shared a single homestead. Until appellate guidance, treat doubling conservatively and disclose theory in Schedule C. Verify District of Nebraska bankruptcy court decisions post-July 2024
§ 25-1552 wildcard ☐ Each spouse may claim own $5,000
§ 25-1556 household goods ☐ Each spouse may claim own $3,000 if jointly owned
§ 25-1556 tools of trade ☐ Each spouse may claim own $2,400 if each uses tools in own trade
§ 25-1563.01 retirement ☐ Each spouse exempts own plan
§ 25-1558 wages ☐ Each spouse exempts own wages

J. Verification

I, the undersigned debtor, declare under penalty of perjury under the laws of the United States and the State of Nebraska that the property listed above is a true and complete inventory of property in which I have an interest, that the values stated reflect a reasonable estimate of fair market value as of the date below, and that the exemptions claimed are those I am entitled to claim under Nebraska law.
Debtor signature ____________________________
Printed name [________________________________]
Date [__/__/____]
Joint debtor signature ____________________________
Printed name [________________________________]
Date [__/__/____]

Attorney certification: I have reviewed Schedule A/B and Schedule C with the debtor(s), discussed the Nebraska opt-out, the head-of-family wage protection, the homestead $120,000 cap and § 522(p)/(o) limits, and the § 25-1563.01 retirement disqualifiers. The exemptions claimed are warranted by existing law or a non-frivolous argument.
Attorney signature ____________________________
Bar number [____________]
Firm [________________________________]
Date [__/__/____]

Sources and References

  • Neb. Rev. Stat. § 40-101 et seq. (homestead) — https://nebraskalegislature.gov/laws/statutes.php?statute=40-101
  • 2024 Neb. Laws LB 1195 (homestead increase to $120,000, eff. July 18, 2024)
  • Neb. Rev. Stat. § 25-1552 (personal property / wildcard) — https://nebraskalegislature.gov/laws/statutes.php?statute=25-1552
  • Neb. Rev. Stat. § 25-1556 (household goods, tools of trade) — https://nebraskalegislature.gov/laws/statutes.php?statute=25-1556
  • Neb. Rev. Stat. § 25-1558 (wage garnishment cap) — https://nebraskalegislature.gov/laws/statutes.php?statute=25-1558
  • Neb. Rev. Stat. § 25-1563.01 (retirement) — https://nebraskalegislature.gov/laws/statutes.php?statute=25-1563.01
  • Neb. Rev. Stat. § 25-15,105 (federal exemption opt-out) — https://nebraskalegislature.gov/laws/statutes.php?statute=25-15,105
  • Neb. Rev. Stat. § 44-371 (life insurance) — https://nebraskalegislature.gov/laws/statutes.php?statute=44-371
  • 11 U.S.C. § 522 (federal exemption framework, § 522(b)(3), (d)(12), (n), (o), (p))
  • Clark v. Rameker, 573 U.S. 122 (2014) (inherited IRA not exempt)
  • Patterson v. Shumate, 504 U.S. 753 (1992) (ERISA plans excluded from estate)
  • Nebraska Department of Revenue, Five-Year CPI Adjustment Notices (§§ 25-1552, 25-1556)
  • Official Form 106C (Schedule C — The Property You Claim as Exempt)
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Last updated: May 2026