Your one-stop location for bankruptcy news and information.

Exemption Amounts Increased in Oregon (a small step)

by Karen Oakes, Southern Oregon Bankruptcy Attorney on June 29, 2009 · Posted in Bankruptcy Practice and Procedure, Exemptions In Bankruptcy

On Friday, June 26, 2009, Governor Ted Kulongoski signed HB 2306, which provides increased protection for a debtor to protect his vehicle and his home from creditors.   Formerly, a debtor could protect $2150 in value of a motor vehicle.   The bill amends Oregon Revised Statute 18.345(d) motor vehicle exemption value up to $3000.    Oregon has exemption laws which protect many  different kinds of property, some of which have not been amended in many  years. **

The bill also amends Oregon’s homestead exemption as follows: for a single debtor, $40,000 and for a couple, $50,000.  Oregon formerly had a tiered homestead exemption, with two amounts listed, depending on whether single or married debtor, and with three tiers–mobile home in park, mobile home on land, and (stick-built) house.  Those complicated provisions which resulted in a debtor having to chose one of six amounts have been repealed.

**Oregon Revised Statutes 18.345(c) provides protection for:  ” The tools, implements, apparatus, team, harness or library, necessary to enable the judgment debtor to carry on the trade,occupation or profession by which the judgment debtor habitually earns a living, to the value of $3,000.”

Good to know that  your plow (implements), harness and team of horses are somewhat protected.   Problem is, is that while one cannot give away a horse right now because of the cost of hay, that exemption probably protects only one plow and one harness…..

Comments on this entry are closed.

Previous post:

Next post: