What is the Washington bankruptcy wildcard exemption?

The wildcard is a flexible exemption you can apply to any personal property — cash, bank accounts, a tax refund, extra vehicle equity, whatever needs protecting. Washington's bankruptcy wildcard is $10,000 under RCW 6.15.010, as updated effective July 1, 2025.

The wildcard fills the gaps the category exemptions leave. For example, if your car exceeds the $15,000 vehicle exemption or you have savings that no specific exemption covers, the wildcard absorbs the difference.

If you elect the federal exemptions instead, the federal wildcard is $1,675 plus up to $15,800 of unused homestead exemption — up to $17,475 total, which often makes the federal set attractive for Washington renters.