In Ohio, the property a judgment creditor cannot take is set almost entirely by one statute: Ohio Revised Code (R.C.) 2329.66. Unlike many states, Ohio does not let you choose the federal bankruptcy exemptions — it has "opted out," so Ohio residents must use the state list. The most striking feature is Ohio's homestead exemption, which protects a large slice of equity in your principal residence (set at $145,425 in the 2022 adjustment and indexed for inflation). Just as important, Ohio adjusts nearly all of these dollar figures for inflation every three years (the most recent adjustment took effect April 1, 2025), so the exact numbers below should always be confirmed against the current statute before you rely on them.
Ohio's homestead exemption
R.C. 2329.66(A)(1) protects equity in the real or personal property you use as your principal residence. The figure set in the 2022 inflation adjustment was $145,425 per debtor, and because Ohio indexes this amount triennially, the current figure is higher — verify the exact number for the period that applies to your case. A married couple who both own and live in the home can generally each claim the exemption, roughly doubling the protected equity.
The homestead exemption protects equity, not the whole house. If your equity exceeds the protected amount, a creditor can theoretically force a sale, pay you the exempt portion in cash, and take the rest. It also does not stop your mortgage lender or a property-tax authority — those are secured or statutory claims that survive the exemption.
Wages: Ohio follows the federal 25% cap
Ohio does not give wages a special dollar exemption. Instead, it follows the federal ceiling in the Consumer Credit Protection Act. A creditor may garnish the lesser of (1) 25% of your disposable earnings for that week, or (2) the amount by which your disposable earnings exceed 30 times the federal minimum wage. "Disposable" means after legally required deductions like taxes and Social Security. This is the same federal 25% baseline used nationwide, so Ohio is not more protective on wages than federal law — but it is not less protective either.
Higher percentages can apply for child or spousal support, taxes, and certain federal debts. Ohio also requires a creditor to send you a statutory "demand" (a 15-day notice) before it can garnish wages, giving you a short window to set up a payment plan or assert that the funds are exempt.
Retirement accounts and pensions
R.C. 2329.66(A)(10) broadly exempts retirement money: ERISA-qualified pensions, profit-sharing and 401(k) plans, and individual retirement accounts (traditional and Roth IRAs), to the extent reasonably necessary for your support. Public pensions — PERS, STRS, SERS, OP&F, and the Highway Patrol system — have their own statutory protections as well. Federal law reinforces this: ERISA plans are generally shielded from creditors, and IRAs receive a large federal cap in bankruptcy. As a practical matter, money sitting inside a qualified retirement account is one of the hardest assets for an ordinary creditor to reach.
Public benefits: Social Security, unemployment, and more
Several income streams are off-limits regardless of how large your debt is:
- Social Security and SSI — protected by federal law (42 U.S.C. 407). These funds keep their protection even after they land in your bank account, though you may have to identify them to the bank or court.
- Unemployment compensation — exempt under R.C. 4141.32.
- Workers' compensation — exempt under R.C. 4123.67.
- Public assistance, disability, and similar benefits — exempt under R.C. 2329.66(A)(9).
- Spousal and child support you receive — exempt to the extent reasonably necessary for support.
Federal rules require banks to automatically protect a "look-back" amount of directly deposited federal benefits (such as Social Security) when a garnishment order arrives, but mixing exempt and non-exempt funds in one account can complicate this — keep benefit deposits separate where you can.