The amount of equity a California homeowner can protect from judgment creditors and bankruptcy trustees goes up on January 1, 2010.  A married couple will be able to exempt $100,000; a single person, $75,000; and the elderly or disabled, $175,000.

These increases are a welcome nod to the reality of California home prices: the current exemptions are almost insignificant against the cost of a house in California.

The balance of the California exemptions will change on April 1 in the tri annual adjustment for changes in the cost of living.

Remember, too, that debtors get the benefit of the unwritten exemptions.