2026 DOJ Median Income Data · Florida

Florida Chapter 7 Means Test Calculator 2026

Find out in 3 minutes if you qualify for Chapter 7 in Florida. Uses 2026 DOJ median income figures. Social Security benefits are excluded under 11 U.S.C. § 101(10A)(B). No account required, no credit check.

Quick answer: The Chapter 7 means test under 11 U.S.C. § 707(b)(2) compares your 6-month average gross income to the Florida state median for your household size. If you're at or below the median, you qualify for Chapter 7 without further means-test analysis. Above-median filers complete Form 122A-2 to calculate “projected disposable income” by subtracting IRS-standard expenses and actual secured/priority debt payments. Social Security benefits are excluded from the calculation under 11 U.S.C. § 101(10A)(B).

2026 Florida Median Income — Chapter 7 Means Test

Household SizeMonthly MedianAnnual Median
1 person$4,901$58,812
2 people$6,128$73,536
3 people$6,773$81,276
4 people$8,094$97,128
5 people$8,919$107,028
6 people$9,744$116,928
+1 person (each addl.)+$825+$9,900

Source: U.S. Trustee Program, “Census Bureau Median Family Income By Family Size” (2026 update). Florida figures apply uniformly across all three federal districts (M.D. Fla., N.D. Fla., S.D. Fla.). Compare your 6-month average gross income, annualized, to the figure for your household size.

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How the Florida Means Test Actually Works

Step 1 — Calculate Current Monthly Income (CMI)

Your CMI under 11 U.S.C. § 101(10A) is the average gross monthly income received during the 6 calendar months ending on the last day of the month immediately preceding the filing date. If you file in May, the look-back is November 1 – April 30. Total all income, divide by 6, multiply by 12 to annualize.

Include: wages, salary, self-employment net income, unemployment, rental income, pension, alimony received, regular child support, and most other recurring income.

EXCLUDE: Social Security retirement, SSDI, and SSI under 11 U.S.C. § 101(10A)(B). Also excluded: payments under the Victims of Trafficking and Violence Protection Act, certain war-crime victim payments, certain veteran-disability payments.

Step 2 — Determine Household Size

Florida federal courts predominantly follow the “heads-on-beds” approach: count everyone who lives in the household for whom you provide material financial support. Includes children of either spouse, dependent parents, domestic partners, and other live-in dependents. Larger household = higher median = easier to qualify.

Step 3 — Compare to Florida Median

If your annualized CMI is at or below the Florida median for your household size, the means test ends here. You qualify for Chapter 7 without further analysis. The presumption of abuse under 11 U.S.C. § 707(b)(2) does not apply.

Step 4 — If Above Median: Form 122A-2

Above-median filers complete the long-form means test (Form 122A-2). Subtract IRS-standard living expenses (national standards for food/clothing/personal care; local standards for housing/utilities/transportation) plus actual secured debt payments (mortgage, car loan), priority debts (recent taxes, support arrears), and a handful of other allowed deductions. The result is “projected disposable income” over 60 months.

If projected disposable income is below the threshold set by § 707(b)(2)(A)(i) — currently $9,075 over 60 months ($151.25/month) — the presumption of abuse does not arise and Chapter 7 is available. Above the threshold, the case is presumed abusive and most filers convert to Chapter 13.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the 2026 Florida Chapter 7 means test income limit?
The 2026 Florida median income figures (used for the Chapter 7 means test under 11 U.S.C. § 707(b)(2)) are: $4,901/month for a 1-person household, $6,128/month for 2 people, $6,773/month for 3 people, $8,094/month for 4 people, with $9,900 added per additional household member after 4. These figures are based on Census Bureau data and updated by the U.S. Trustee Program. Annual gross income at or below the median qualifies you for Chapter 7 without further means-test analysis.
What income is excluded from the Florida means test?
Social Security benefits are EXCLUDED from the means test under 11 U.S.C. § 101(10A)(B). This includes retirement, disability, and survivor benefits paid by the Social Security Administration. Excluded benefits do NOT count as “current monthly income” for the median-comparison calculation. Other excluded items include benefits received under the Victims of Trafficking and Violence Protection Act, certain payments to victims of war crimes or crimes against humanity, and certain payments to veterans receiving disability compensation.
How is the 6-month average calculated for the Florida means test?
The means test uses your “current monthly income” (CMI) under 11 U.S.C. § 101(10A) — defined as the average gross income received during the 6 calendar months ending on the last day of the month immediately preceding filing. So if you file in May, the look-back is November 1 through April 30. Annualize the average by multiplying by 12. Compare to the median for your household size. Above median requires further means-test analysis (Form 122A-2).
What if I'm above the Florida median income — am I disqualified from Chapter 7?
Not necessarily. Above-median filers complete Form 122A-2 which calculates “projected disposable income” by subtracting allowed expenses (national/local IRS standards plus actual secured debt and priority debt payments) from gross income. If projected disposable income falls below thresholds set by 11 U.S.C. § 707(b)(2)(A)(i) — currently $9,075 over 60 months ($151.25/month) — Chapter 7 is still available. Many above-median filers qualify because actual mortgage, vehicle, tax, and support payments offset the higher income.
What is household size for Florida means test purposes?
Household size includes the debtor, spouse (if married), and all dependents the debtor regularly supports. Different bankruptcy courts use different definitions: the IRS test (counting tax-return dependents), the heads-on-beds test (counting everyone who lives in the household), and an economic-unit test. Florida federal districts predominantly follow the heads-on-beds approach, counting everyone who lives in the household for whom the debtor provides material financial support — including non-dependent relatives, domestic partners, and minor children of either spouse. Household size matters because each additional member raises the median income threshold.
Does Chapter 13 use the same means test?
Chapter 13 uses Form 122C-1 which mirrors the Form 122A income test for above-median determination. Above-median Chapter 13 filers must complete a 5-year plan rather than 3 years, and projected disposable income from the means test sets the minimum unsecured-creditor distribution. Chapter 13 has no income ceiling but does have debt limits ($1,580,125 secured / $526,700 unsecured for 2026 cases).

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