15.1 Introduction

The preceding chapter addressed protection of the debtor’s income—wages, benefits, and pension payments—and the debtor’s funds in a bank account. This chapter turns to the debtor’s home, the debtor’s tangible personal property, such as household goods and a car, and other assets the debtor may have, such as insurance, annuities, causes of action, and debts that others owe the debtor. All states protect at least some tangible personal property and most provide some protection for the home. However, the level of the protection varies greatly from state to state.