Missouri

In general, a debtor may claim exemption of his homestead and certain personal property from attachment and execution of a judgment, or in a bankruptcy proceeding.

The homestead of every person, consisting of a dwelling house and appurtenances, and the land used in connection therewith, not exceeding the value of $15,000.00, is generally exempt from attachment and execution. This homestead exemption
shall not be allowed for more than one owner if one owner claims the entire amount allowed but, if more than one owner claims an exemption of the same property, the exemption allowed to each of such owners shall not exceed, in the aggregate, the total exemption allowed as to any one homestead. (Section 513.475.)
Personal property of a debtor which are exempt from attachment and execution may include:

household furnishings, household goods, wearing apparel, appliances, books, animals, crops or musical instruments that are held primarily the use of the debtor and his dependent not to exceed $1,000 in value in aggregate;
jewelry not to exceed $500.00 in value in aggregate;
burial plots, $100;
any other property of any kind, not to exceed in value $400 in the aggregate;
any implements, professional books or tools of the trade not to
exceed $2,000.00 in value in the aggregate;
any motor vehicle, not to exceed $1,000.00 in value;
any mobile home used as the principal residence, not to exceed $1,000.00 in value;
any one or more unmatured life insurance contracts shall not exceed in value $5,000.00 in the aggregate;not to be exempt from claim for child support;
professional heath aids for the debtor or his dependent;
social security benefit,
unemployment compensation or a local public assistance benefit;
veteran's benefit; disability, illness or unemployment benefit; and
alimony, support or separate maintenance, not to exceed $500.00 a month.
payments made under certain pension or annuity plans and spendthrift trusts created for the benefit of employees may also be exempt. (Section 513.430.)
If the debtor is the head of a family, he may select and hold, exempt from execution, any other property, real, personal or mixed, or debts and wages, not exceeding in value the amount of $850.00 plus $250.00 for each of such person's unmarried dependent children under the age of eighteen years, except 10% of any debt, income, salary or wages due such head of a family. (Section 513.440.)
In a bankruptcy proceeding, a debtor who is a resident of the State of Missouri, is permitted to exempt from property of the estate any property that is exempt from attachment and execution under the law of the state of Missouri or under federal law, other than Title 11, United States Code, Section 522(d), and no such person is authorized to claim as exempt the property that is specified under Title 11, United States Code, Section 522(d). (Section 513.427.)

From the Missouri Revised Statutes Website:

http://www.moga.state.mo.us/statutes/c513.htm

Property exempt from attachment--benefits from certain employee plans, exception--bankruptcy proceeding, fraudulent transfers, exception--construction of section.
513.430. 1. The following property shall be exempt from attachment and execution to the extent of any person's interest therein:

(1) Household furnishings, household goods, wearing apparel, appliances, books, animals, crops or musical instruments that are held primarily for personal, family or household use of such person or a dependent of such person, not to exceed three thousand dollars in value in the aggregate;

(2) A wedding ring not to exceed one thousand five hundred dollars in value and other jewelry held primarily for the personal, family or household use of such person or a dependent of such person, not to exceed five hundred dollars in value in the aggregate;

(3) Any other property of any kind, not to exceed in value six hundred dollars in the aggregate;

(4) Any implements or professional books or tools of the trade of such person or the trade of a dependent of such person not to exceed three thousand dollars in value in the aggregate;

(5) Any motor vehicle in the aggregate, not to exceed three thousand dollars in value;

(6) Any mobile home used as the principal residence but not on or attached to real property in which the debtor has a fee interest, not to exceed five thousand dollars in value;

(7) Any one or more unmatured life insurance contracts owned by such person, other than a credit life insurance contract;

(8) The amount of any accrued dividend or interest under, or loan value of, any one or more unmatured life insurance contracts owned by such person under which the insured is such person or an individual of whom such person is a dependent; provided, however, that if proceedings under Title 11 of the United States Code are commenced by or against such person, the amount exempt in such proceedings shall not exceed in value one hundred fifty thousand dollars in the aggregate less any amount of property of such person transferred by the life insurance company or fraternal benefit society to itself in good faith if such transfer is to pay a premium or to carry out a nonforfeiture insurance option and is required to be so transferred automatically under a life insurance contract with such company or society that was entered into before commencement of such proceedings. No amount of any accrued dividend or interest under, or loan value of, any such life insurance contracts shall be exempt from any claim for child support. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary, no such amount shall be exempt in such proceedings under any such insurance contract which was purchased by such person within one year prior to the commencement of such proceedings;

(9) Professionally prescribed health aids for such person or a dependent of such person;

(10) Such person's right to receive:

(a) A Social Security benefit, unemployment compensation or a local public assistance benefit;

(b) A veteran's benefit;

(c) A disability, illness or unemployment benefit;

(d) Alimony, support or separate maintenance, not to exceed seven hundred fifty dollars a month;

(e) Any payment under a stock bonus plan, pension plan, disability or death benefit plan, profit-sharing plan, nonpublic retirement plan or any plan described, defined, or established pursuant to section 456.072, RSMo, the person's right to a participant account in any deferred compensation program offered by the state of Missouri or any of its political subdivisions, or annuity or similar plan or contract on account of illness, disability, death, age or length of service, to the extent reasonably necessary for the support of such person and any dependent of such person unless:

a. Such plan or contract was established by or under the auspices of an insider that employed such person at the time such person's rights under such plan or contract arose;

b. Such payment is on account of age or length of service; and

c. Such plan or contract does not qualify under Section 401(a), 403(a), 403(b), 408, 408A or 409 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, (26 U.S.C. 401(a), 403(a), 403(b), 408, 408A or 409);

except that any such payment to any person shall be subject to attachment or execution pursuant to a qualified domestic relations order, as defined by Section 414(p) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, issued by a court in any proceeding for dissolution of marriage or legal separation or a proceeding for disposition of property following dissolution of marriage by a court which lacked personal jurisdiction over the absent spouse or lacked jurisdiction to dispose of marital property at the time of the original judgment of dissolution;

(f) Any money or assets, payable to a participant or beneficiary from, or any interest of any participant or beneficiary in, a retirement plan or profit-sharing plan that is qualified under Section 401(a), 403(a), 403(b), 408, 408A or 409 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, except as provided in this paragraph. Any plan or arrangement described in this paragraph shall not be exempt from the claim of an alternate payee under a qualified domestic relations order; however, the interest of any and all alternate payees under a qualified domestic relations order shall be exempt from any and all claims of any creditor, other than the state of Missouri through its division of family services. As used in this paragraph, the terms "alternate payee" and "qualified domestic relations order" have the meaning given to them in Section 414(p) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.

If proceedings under Title 11 of the United States Code are commenced by or against such person, no amount of funds shall be exempt in such proceedings under any such plan, contract, or trust which is fraudulent as defined in section 456.630, RSMo, and for the period such person participated within three years prior to the commencement of such proceedings. For the purposes of this section, when the fraudulently conveyed funds are recovered and after, such funds shall be deducted and then treated as though the funds had never been contributed to the plan, contract, or trust;

(11) The debtor's right to receive, or property that is traceable to, a payment on account of the wrongful death of an individual of whom the debtor was a dependent, to the extent reasonably necessary for the support of the debtor and any dependent of the debtor.

2. Nothing in this section shall be interpreted to exempt from attachment or execution for a valid judicial or administrative order for the payment of child support or maintenance any money or assets, payable to a participant or beneficiary from, or any interest of any participant or beneficiary in, a retirement plan which is qualified pursuant to Section 408A of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.

(RSMo 1939 § 1323, A.L. 1982 S.B. 490, A.L. 1992 S.B. 447, A.L. 1999 H.B. 857, A.L. 2000 H.B. 1808, A.L. 2001 H.B. 738 merged with S.B. 186, A.L. 2003 S.B. 552, A.L. 2004 H.B. 959 merged with S.B. 1211)
Prior revisions: 1929 § 1159; 1919 § 1610; 1909 § 2179

(1992) Where statute permits exemption of pension plan benefits of the debtor from the bankruptcy estate, the federal Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) does not preempt state law. In re Vickers, 954 F.2d 1426 (8th Cir.).


Other property exempt--provisions--exceptions.
513.440. Each head of a family may select and hold, exempt from execution, any other property, real, personal or mixed, or debts and wages, not exceeding in value the amount of one thousand two hundred fifty dollars plus three hundred fifty dollars for each of such person's unmarried dependent children under the age of eighteen years or dependent as defined by the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, determined to be disabled by the Social Security Administration, except ten percent of any debt, income, salary or wages due such head of a family.

(RSMo 1939 § 1327, A.L. 1959 S.B. 238, A.L. 1982 S.B. 490, A.L. 2004 H.B. 959 merged with S.B. 1211)
Prior revisions: 1929 § 1163; 1919 § 1614; 1909 § 2183

(1987) Expense reimbursement president of company was to receive from company was not earnings for personal services rendered and of which ten percent was exempt from garnishment pursuant to 525.030 but was debt which debtor could assert as exempt from garnishment pursuant to this section. Dunn v. Remor Petroleum, 737 S.W.2d 187 (Mo.banc).


Homestead defined--exempt from execution--spouses debarred from selling, when.
513.475. 1. The homestead of every person, consisting of a dwelling house and appurtenances, and the land used in connection therewith, not exceeding the value of fifteen thousand dollars, which is or shall be used by such person as a homestead, shall, together with the rents, issues and products thereof, be exempt from attachment and execution. The exemption allowed under this section shall not be allowed for more than one owner of any homestead if one owner claims the entire amount allowed under this subsection; but, if more than one owner of any homestead claims an exemption under this section, the exemption allowed to each of such owners shall not exceed, in the aggregate, the total exemption allowed under this subsection as to any one homestead.

2. Either spouse separately shall be debarred from and incapable of selling, mortgaging or alienating the homestead in any manner whatever, and every such sale, mortgage or alienation is hereby declared null and void; provided, however, that nothing herein contained shall be so construed as to prevent the husband and wife from jointly conveying, mortgaging, alienating or in any other manner disposing of such homestead, or any part thereof.

(RSMo 1939 § 608, A.L. 1976 H.B. 1280, A.L. 1982 S.B. 490, A.L. 2003 H.B. 613)
Prior revisions: 1929 § 608; 1919 § 5853; 1909 § 6704

CROSS REFERENCE: Certain conveyance requirement, RSMo 442.025

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