I am a law school graduate. What I offer is mere information, not to be construed as forming an attorney client relationship.
CALIFORNIA CODE OF CIVIL PROCEDURE
703.140. (a) In a case under Title 11 of the United States Code,
all of the exemptions provided by this chapter including the
homestead exemption, other than the provisions of subdivision (b) are
applicable regardless of whether there is a money judgment against
the debtor or whether a money judgment is being enforced by execution
sale or any other procedure, but the exemptions provided by
subdivision (b) may be elected in lieu of all other exemptions
provided by this chapter, as follows:
(1) If a husband and wife are joined in the petition, they jointly
may elect to utilize the applicable exemption provisions of this
chapter other than the provisions of subdivision (b), or to utilize
the applicable exemptions set forth in subdivision (b), but not both.
(2) If the petition is filed individually, and not jointly, for a
husband or a wife, the exemptions provided by this chapter other than
the provisions of subdivision (b) are applicable, except that, if
both the husband and the wife effectively waive in writing the right
to claim, during the period the case commenced by filing the petition
is pending, the exemptions provided by the applicable exemption
provisions of this chapter, other than subdivision (b), in any case
commenced by filing a petition for either of them under Title 11 of
the United States Code, then they may elect to instead utilize the
applicable exemptions set forth in subdivision (b).
(3) If the petition is filed for an unmarried person, that person
may elect to utilize the applicable exemption provisions of this
chapter other than subdivision (b), or to utilize the applicable
exemptions set forth in subdivision (b), but not both.
(b) The following exemptions may be elected as provided in
subdivision (a):
(1) The debtor's aggregate interest, not to exceed fifteen
thousand dollars ($15,000) in value, in real property or personal
property that the debtor or a dependent of the debtor uses as a
residence, in a cooperative that owns property that the debtor or a
dependent of the debtor uses as a residence, or in a burial plot for
the debtor or a dependent of the debtor.
(2) The debtor's interest, not to exceed two thousand four hundred
dollars ($2,400) in value, in one motor vehicle.
(3) The debtor's interest, not to exceed four hundred dollars
($400) in value in any particular item, in household furnishings,
household goods, wearing apparel, appliances, books, animals, crops,
or musical instruments, that are held primarily for the personal,
family, or household use of the debtor or a dependent of the debtor.
(4) The debtor's aggregate interest, not to exceed one thousand
dollars ($1,000) in value, in jewelry held primarily for the
personal, family, or household use of the debtor or a dependent of
the debtor.
(5) The debtor's aggregate interest, not to exceed in value eight
hundred dollars ($800) plus any unused amount of the exemption
provided under paragraph (1), in any property.
(6) The debtor's aggregate interest, not to exceed one thousand
five hundred dollars ($1,500) in value, in any implements,
professional books, or tools of the trade of the debtor or the trade
of a dependent of the debtor.
(7) Any unmatured life insurance contract owned by the debtor,
other than a credit life insurance contract.
(8) The debtor's aggregate interest, not to exceed in value eight
thousand dollars ($8,000) in any accrued dividend or interest under,
or loan value of, any unmatured life insurance contract owned by the
debtor under which the insured is the debtor or an individual of whom
the debtor is a dependent.
(9) Professionally prescribed health aids for the debtor or a
dependent of the debtor.
(10) The debtor's right to receive any of the following:
(A) A social security benefit, unemployment compensation, or a
local public assistance benefit.
(B) A veterans' benefit.
(C) A disability, illness, or unemployment benefit.
(D) Alimony, support, or separate maintenance, to the extent
reasonably necessary for the support of the debtor and any dependent
of the debtor.
(E) A payment under a stock bonus, pension, profit-sharing,
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 the debtor and any dependent the debtor, unless all of the following apply:
(i) That plan or contract was established by or under the auspices
of an insider that employed the debtor at the time the debtor's
rights under the plan or contract arose.
(ii) The payment is on account of age or length of service.
(iii) That plan or contract does not qualify under Section 401(a),
403(a), 403(b), or 408 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986.
(11) The debtor's right to receive, or property that is traceable
to, any of the following:
(A) An award under a crime victim's reparation law.
(B) 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.
(C) A payment under a life insurance contract that insured the
life of an individual of whom the debtor was a dependent on the date
of that individual's death, to the extent reasonably necessary for
the support of the debtor and any dependent of the debtor.
(D) A payment, not to exceed fifteen thousand dollars ($15,000),
on account of personal bodily injury, not including pain and
suffering or compensation for actual pecuniary loss, of the debtor or
an individual of whom the debtor is a dependent.
(E) A payment in compensation of loss of future earnings of the
debtor or an individual of whom the debtor is or was a dependent, to
the extent reasonably necessary for t
