SAN ANTONIO, TX, October 06, 2026 /24-7PressRelease/ -- 4XH Logistics, a freight and delivery company in the San Antonio area, plans to lay off 230 employees between Nov. 6 and Nov. 19, according to a notice filed with the Texas Workforce Commission and reported by KENS 5. Leinart Law Firm advises affected workers carrying credit card debt and other balances to review the timing of any bankruptcy filing before their last day. A bankruptcy lawyer in San Antonio, TX can show how recent wages affect Chapter 7 eligibility.

Unemployment in the San Antonio-New Braunfels metro area reached 4.7 percent in July, up from 3.8 percent in April, according to preliminary Bureau of Labor Statistics figures.

How the Means Test Treats a Layoff

For workers considering Chapter 7 bankruptcy, the timing of a layoff affects eligibility. The federal means test relies on current monthly income, defined in 11 U.S.C. § 101(10A), and works in this order:

1. Income from nearly all sources is averaged over the six full calendar months before the filing month.
2. Wages received before a layoff stay in that average until their month leaves the window. A final paycheck received in November 2026 counts in any case filed through May 2027.
3. The average is multiplied by 12 and compared to the Texas median family income for the same household size.
4. A filer at or below the median passes the means test without further calculation.
5. A filer above the median completes a second calculation that subtracts allowed living expenses, and the result may favor a Chapter 13 repayment plan instead.

When Filing Sooner Makes Sense

Waiting for higher-income months to leave the window is not always practical. A creditor lawsuit, a scheduled foreclosure sale, or a repossession can make an earlier filing the better choice because the automatic stay halts most collection activity on filing.

"A layoff changes a household's finances right away, but the means test reflects that change gradually over six months," said Marcus Leinart, founder of Leinart Law Firm. "We review each month in that window with a client so the filing date accounts for both the income calculation and what creditors are already doing."

About Leinart Law Firm:

Leinart Law Firm represents individuals and families across Texas in Chapter 7 and Chapter 13 bankruptcy cases and in matters involving foreclosure, repossession, wage garnishment, and credit card debt. Marcus Leinart, who founded the firm in 2005, earned his law degree from Texas Tech University School of Law and has held a Texas law license since 1995. A member of the National Association of Consumer Bankruptcy Attorneys, he has filed thousands of bankruptcy cases during his career. The firm has offices in Dallas and Fort Worth, and consultations can be scheduled online.

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