Thanks to the attorneys at LifeBack Law Firm, computers are now exempt as household items under Minnesota bankruptcy exemptions for the first time in history. The world has changed a lot in the last 30 years. Computers have become a necessary household appliance to conduct all kinds of business. Many of us conduct our finances online, make medical appointments online, access our medical records online and do many other household functions.

There are two sets of exemptions you can use in Minnesota, state and federal exemptions. You can use whichever is the most beneficial to you. Below are a few examples of why you may pick one over the other.

As a general matter, homestead exemptions are to be liberally construed in favor of the exemption. All presumptions are to be made in favor of preservation and retention of the homestead. This is good news for a bankruptcy filer who wishes to protect/exempt their homestead when filing bankruptcy.

The effect of claiming an exemption is to technically exclude property from the bankruptcy estate.

In bankruptcy there are certain exemptions you can choose from. These exemptions are what protect your assets from liquidation and asset seizure.

Many people worry that if they file for bankruptcy, they will lose everything - their house, their car, anything of value that can be sold to pay their debts. Fortunately, this is not the case. Bankruptcy law provides for various exemptions that allow people to retain property and avoid creditors’ claims. One of the most important of these exemptions is called the “homestead exemption,” which allows people to keep their homes.

Last week I wrote a second installment about Exemptions Available To Bankruptcy Debtors, under both the Federal Bankruptcy Code or state law. Last week, I looked at a number of exemptions available to debtors to protect tools of the trade, life insurance policies and the several exemptions that exist to protect the right of a debtor to receive government benefits, child support and maintenance. This week we’ll look at a few more Bankruptcy Exemptions. We’ll also try to draw a clear distinction between the exemption provisions of the Bankruptcy Code and Minnesota Statutes - and what do the differences say about the policies of the United States Congress (Bankruptcy Code) and Minnesota State Legislature (Minnesota Statutes).

Last week, I wrote about the Bankruptcy Exemption Laws contained in both the Federal Bankruptcy Code as well as the exemptions contained in Minnesota’s debtor-creditor statutes. As noted, Minnesota is one of 15 states that are “opt-in” states - states that allow bankruptcy debtors to choose between the Bankruptcy Code exemptions or state law to protect property in a bankruptcy case. We also covered the exemptions available for commonly-owned property: homestead real estate, motor vehicles, household goods and furnishings, clothing and personal effects and jewelry. This week we’ll take a look at the exemptions available to people filing a bankruptcy case for property that is not quite as commonly present for most people. And we’ll look at what the differences and similarities in the state statutes and the Code tell us about the philosophy of bankruptcy law.

Financial difficulty brings with it a lot of distress. A person who is facing overwhelming debt is searching for ways to cope with, and eventually, overcome the financial challenges with which he or she is dealing. Many individuals dealing with the stress of debt that cannot be serviced look at bankruptcy as an option to resolve financial problems. But in considering whether to file a bankruptcy case, these individuals often worry about whether the property that they own ­ whether it is real estate or personal property ­will be protected if the individual decides to file a bankruptcy case.