United States · California · Bankruptcy means test
California bankruptcy median income 2026.
The California median family income used in the Chapter 7 means test for cases filed on or after July 15, 2026, by household size, with a check of your own income.
Short answer: For bankruptcy cases filed on or after July 15, 2026, the California median family income is $79,253 a year for one earner, $102,797 for two people, $116,541 for three and $139,071 for four, plus $11,100 for each person above four. If your current monthly income times 12 is at or below the median for your household size, the means test presumption of abuse does not arise from income. Figures are from the U.S. Trustee Program.
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California median family income by household size
In California, a one-earner household has a median of $79,253 and a four-person household $139,071, which puts California 12th and 14th among the 50 states and D.C. These are the amounts the means test compares your income with if you file a bankruptcy case in California on or after July 15, 2026.
| Household size | Yearly median | Monthly equivalent | Rank among 50 states and D.C. (1 = highest) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 earner | $79,253 | $6,604 | 12th |
| 2 people | $102,797 | $8,566 | 11th |
| 3 people | $116,541 | $9,712 | 14th |
| 4 people | $139,071 | $11,589 | 14th |
| 5 people | $150,171 | $12,514 | derived: 4 people + $11,100 |
| 6 people | $161,271 | $13,439 | derived: 4 people + $22,200 |
The U.S. Trustee Program table lists four columns; households above four add $11,100 for each additional person, shown here as derived rows. The monthly column and the ranks are our arithmetic on the published figures.
California next to four other large states
| State | 1 earner | 2 people | 3 people | 4 people |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| California | $79,253 | $102,797 | $116,541 | $139,071 |
| Florida | $69,876 | $86,523 | $97,540 | $114,761 |
| Illinois | $73,180 | $93,934 | $113,625 | $137,902 |
| Pennsylvania | $72,230 | $87,534 | $110,151 | $135,862 |
| North Carolina | $67,117 | $84,384 | $101,535 | $116,737 |
California ranks 12th for one earner and 14th for four people among the 50 states and D.C. In this comparison the four-person median is $139,071, against $114,761 in Florida, $137,902 in Illinois, $135,862 in Pennsylvania, $116,737 in North Carolina.
What changed and when it applies
The U.S. Trustee Program's table is labelled for cases filed on or after July 15, 2026. Its page notes the Census Bureau income data was updated in March 2026 and applied to cases filed on or after April 1, 2026, and that the administrative expense multipliers and IRS standards were updated on June 30, 2026 for cases filed on or after July 15, 2026. A case filed before July 15, 2026 uses an earlier table, and a later case may use a newer one. Check the date you file.
Worked example
A two-person California household has gross income of $3,000 a month for the six full calendar months before filing, $18,000 in total. Current monthly income is $18,000 divided by 6, which is $3,000, and times 12 is $36,000. The California median for two people is $102,797, so income is $66,797 below the median and the income test is passed. If the same household had $9,566 a month, income would be above the median and Form 122A-2 would compare income after allowed expenses.
Common mix-ups
- It is six months, not the last pay stub. Current monthly income is the average of the six full calendar months before the case is filed, from all sources whether or not taxable.
- The median is a yearly figure. You compare it with your monthly average times 12.
- Household size follows the forms. A larger household has a higher median, and above four people the table adds $11,100 per person.
- Being under the median is not the whole test. It means income alone does not create a presumption of abuse; other parts of Chapter 7 still apply.
- Over the median is not an automatic denial. It sends you to Form 122A-2, where allowed expenses are deducted.
Method
The California figures were read from the U.S. Trustee Program table on November 9, 2026. The tool averages the six-month total into a monthly figure, multiplies by 12, and compares it with the median for your household size, adding $11,100 for each person above four. That is the comparison in 11 U.S.C. 707(b)(7), using current monthly income as defined in 11 U.S.C. 101(10A). Ranks are computed from the 51 rows of the table, and the monthly and 5 and 6 person figures are derived.
What this does not cover
- The expense side of the means test on Form 122A-2, including IRS national and local standards.
- Chapter 13, where the median sets the length of the plan, and the state exemptions that decide what you keep.
- Whether Chapter 7 or another chapter is right for you, which needs a bankruptcy attorney.
- Cases filed before July 15, 2026 or after a later update of the table.
Figures read from the sources below on November 9, 2026. Last updated November 9, 2026.
Sources
- U.S. Trustee Program: Census Bureau Median Family Income by Family Size (cases filed on or after July 15, 2026) (retrieved November 9, 2026)
- 11 U.S.C. 707: dismissal and the means test (Cornell LII) (retrieved November 9, 2026)
- 11 U.S.C. 101: definition of current monthly income (Cornell LII) (retrieved November 9, 2026)
Frequently asked questions
What is the California median income for bankruptcy in 2026?
$79,253 for one earner, $102,797 for two people, $116,541 for three and $139,071 for four, for cases filed on or after July 15, 2026.
What is the California Chapter 7 income limit for a family of 4?
The median for four people is $139,071, which is $11,589 a month. Above it, Form 122A-2 applies.
How is current monthly income figured?
As the average of all income from all sources over the six full calendar months before you file, then multiplied by 12 for the comparison.
What if my household has more than four people?
Add $11,100 for each person above four, as the table notes.
Is the California median the same as the Census median household income?
It comes from Census Bureau median family income data, arranged by family size by the U.S. Trustee Program for Forms 122A-1 and 122C-1.
Does being under the median guarantee Chapter 7?
No. It means the income test does not create a presumption of abuse. Other requirements still apply.
Where is the official table?
The U.S. Trustee Program page linked in the sources.
Not legal advice
This page is general information from an unofficial guide, not legal advice. Bankruptcy eligibility depends on facts this page does not see. Talk to a bankruptcy attorney or a nonprofit credit counselor before you file. Nothing you type is sent anywhere. It runs in your browser.