Minnesota is a single-district state with a $450,000 homestead exemption and one of the lowest Chapter 13 dismissal rates in the country. Here is everything Twin Cities filers need to know about mandatory courses, D. Minn. court locations, and Minnesota's debtor-friendly exemption scheme.
Federal law (11 U.S.C. sections 109(h) and 111) requires two courses. Minnesota adds no state-level requirements beyond the federal mandate.
Complete within 180 days before filing. A DOJ-approved counselor evaluates your finances and discusses alternatives to bankruptcy. Takes 60--90 minutes. Available online, by phone, or in person at agencies throughout the Twin Cities metro.
File the certificate as Official Form 301 with your petition at the Diana E. Murphy Courthouse.
Complete after filing but before discharge. Covers budgeting, financial planning, and responsible credit use. About 2 hours. Must be from a DOJ-approved provider for the District of Minnesota.
File the certificate as Official Form 423. In Chapter 7, typically due within 60 days of the 341 meeting. In Chapter 13, before your final plan payment.
Minnesota's low dismissal rate suggests that cases filed here are more likely to succeed. Strong legal aid infrastructure, generous exemptions, and robust trustee practices contribute to this outcome. Completing your education requirements promptly keeps you on the path to discharge.
Minnesota is a single federal judicial district covering the entire state. The D. Minn. bankruptcy court has its primary courthouse in Minneapolis with additional hearing locations.
Diana E. Murphy U.S. Courthouse
300 S. Fourth Street, Suite 301
Minneapolis, MN 55415
Phone: (612) 664-5200
Serves all 87 Minnesota counties. The clerk's office accepts filings electronically via CM/ECF or in person. The vast majority of D. Minn. bankruptcy cases are administered from this location.
341 meetings are held at the Office of the U.S. Trustee, 1015 U.S. Courthouse, 300 S. Fourth Street, Minneapolis, MN 55415, or by telephone/video depending on current procedures.
U.S. Courthouse
316 N. Robert Street
St. Paul, MN 55101
Some hearings and 341 meetings are conducted at the St. Paul federal courthouse, particularly for Ramsey County and eastern metro cases.
Gerald W. Heaney Federal Building
515 W. First Street
Duluth, MN 55802
Serves northeastern Minnesota. The court schedules periodic hearings and 341 meetings in Duluth to serve the Iron Range and Lake Superior region.
U.S. Post Office and Courthouse
118 S. Mill Street
Fergus Falls, MN 56537
Serves western Minnesota counties. Periodic hearings scheduled for filers in the Red River Valley and western prairie regions.
Minnesota requires debtors to use state exemptions -- federal exemptions are not available under Minn. Stat. section 550.37. Minnesota's exemption scheme is among the most debtor-friendly in the Midwest.
Minn. Stat. section 510.01--510.02 protects up to $450,000 of equity in your primary residence. For agricultural homesteads, the exemption jumps to $1,125,000. The property must not exceed one-half acre in a city or 160 acres elsewhere. This is one of the highest fixed-dollar homestead exemptions in the country, exceeded only by states with unlimited homesteads (Florida, Texas, Kansas, Iowa).
| Property | Minnesota Exemption | Statute |
|---|---|---|
| Homestead (non-agricultural) | $450,000 (half-acre city / 160 acres rural) | Minn. Stat. 510.01-510.02 |
| Homestead (agricultural) | $1,125,000 (160 acres) | Minn. Stat. 510.02 |
| Motor vehicle | $5,000 | Minn. Stat. 550.37(12a) |
| Household goods/furniture | $10,800 total | Minn. Stat. 550.37(4)(a) |
| Clothing, watches, jewelry | Unlimited (personal wearing apparel) | Minn. Stat. 550.37(4)(a) |
| Appliances & kitchenware | Included in household goods | Minn. Stat. 550.37(4)(a) |
| Tools of trade, farm equipment | $13,000 | Minn. Stat. 550.37(5) |
| Retirement accounts (ERISA) | Unlimited | Minn. Stat. 550.37(24) |
| IRA/Roth IRA | Unlimited | Minn. Stat. 550.37(24) |
| Life insurance proceeds | $46,000 + $11,500 per dependent | Minn. Stat. 550.37(10) |
| Public benefits (welfare, SNAP) | Unlimited | Minn. Stat. 550.37(14) |
| Workers' compensation | Unlimited | Minn. Stat. 176.175 |
| Wages (past 60 days) | 75% (all if on public assistance) | Minn. Stat. 550.37(13) |
| Social Security | Unlimited | 42 U.S.C. 407 |
| Bible and schoolbooks | Unlimited | Minn. Stat. 550.37(2) |
Minnesota has opted out of the federal exemption scheme under Minn. Stat. section 550.37. You must use Minnesota state exemptions. Unlike Missouri and Illinois, there is no choice between state and federal. However, Minnesota's state exemptions are generous enough that this rarely disadvantages debtors.
Under 11 U.S.C. section 522(b)(3), you must have been domiciled in Minnesota for at least 730 days (2 years) before filing to use Minnesota exemptions. New Minneapolis residents who recently moved from states with lower homestead exemptions (like Wisconsin at $75,000) should plan the timing of their filing carefully.
The D. Minn. Chapter 13 trustees are known for structured plan requirements. Plans must clearly address all priority claims, secured creditors, and the method of feasibility. The D. Minn.'s 35.4% dismissal rate -- one of the lowest nationally -- partly reflects effective trustee administration and debtor compliance.
Before bankruptcy, Minnesota limits wage garnishment to 25% of disposable earnings or the amount by which weekly earnings exceed 40 times the state minimum wage ($10.85/hour as of 2026), whichever is less (Minn. Stat. section 571.922). Filing bankruptcy invokes the automatic stay under 11 U.S.C. section 362, which halts all garnishment and collection immediately. Minnesota also provides strong protections for bank accounts containing exempt funds.
Minnesota attorneys are regulated by the Office of Lawyers Professional Responsibility (OLPR) under the Minnesota Supreme Court. You can verify an attorney's status at lprb.mncourts.gov/LawyerSearch. Complaints about attorney conduct can be filed with the OLPR at (651) 296-3952 or (800) 657-3601.
(612) 332-1441
Serves Hennepin County (Minneapolis) and 20 surrounding counties. Handles consumer bankruptcy, foreclosure prevention, and debt collection defense for qualifying low-income residents. Intake Monday--Friday 9 AM -- 12 PM. Main office: 430 1st Avenue N., Suite 300, Minneapolis, MN 55401.
(651) 222-5863
Serves Ramsey County (St. Paul) and eastern metro counties. Consumer bankruptcy assistance for qualifying residents. 166 E. 4th Street, Suite 200, St. Paul, MN 55101.
(612) 752-6677
Matches qualifying Minneapolis-area residents with pro bono attorneys. Coordinates with the Hennepin County Bar Association. Handles Chapter 7 filings and debt defense. 600 Nicollet Mall, Suite 390A, Minneapolis, MN 55402.
(651) 222-4731
Serves 33 counties in southern Minnesota including Dakota, Scott, and Carver counties in the southern Twin Cities metro. Free bankruptcy and debt assistance for qualifying residents.
Walter F. Mondale Hall, 229 19th Avenue S., Minneapolis, MN 55455. Law students under faculty supervision handle consumer bankruptcy cases for qualifying individuals. Located adjacent to the Minneapolis campus near the federal courthouse.
875 Summit Avenue, St. Paul, MN 55105. Provides free legal representation in consumer matters including debt and bankruptcy under faculty supervision. Intake available during the academic year.
Two courses: (1) pre-filing credit counseling within 180 days before filing, and (2) post-filing financial management before discharge. Both from DOJ-approved agencies for the D. Minn. Courses cost $10--$50 each. Minnesota has no additional state-level requirements beyond the federal mandate.
Diana E. Murphy U.S. Courthouse, 300 S. Fourth Street, Suite 301, Minneapolis, MN 55415. Phone: (612) 664-5200. Minnesota is a single-district state. The D. Minn. also holds hearings in St. Paul, Duluth, and Fergus Falls.
Minnesota protects up to $450,000 of equity in your primary residence ($1,125,000 for agricultural homesteads) under Minn. Stat. 510.01-510.02. The property must be on a half-acre or less in a city or 160 acres elsewhere. This is one of the most generous fixed-dollar homestead exemptions in the country.
No. Minnesota has opted out of the federal exemption scheme. You must use Minnesota state exemptions. However, Minnesota's exemptions are generous enough that this is rarely a disadvantage -- the $450,000 homestead and unlimited retirement/IRA protections exceed federal amounts.
Mid-Minnesota Legal Aid at (612) 332-1441 serves Hennepin County. Legal Aid of Minnesota at (651) 222-5863 serves St. Paul/Ramsey County. Volunteer Lawyers Network at (612) 752-6677 matches qualifying residents with pro bono attorneys. The University of Minnesota Law School also operates a bankruptcy clinic near the federal courthouse.
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