The means test determines how much disposable income a person has to pay their creditors. If this number is zero, then there is a good chance you could qualify for chapter 7 bankruptcy. If the number is higher, then you would likely to file chapter 13. In chapter 13 bankruptcy you would then seek to make your available disposable income lower by taking allowed deductions, similar to doing your taxes, on the means test. These deductions are often calculated from your paystubs and include things like your federal taxes, Medicare, social security etc. Therefore, if these amounts are less in the future, then you won’t get as much of a deduction on the means test.
The good news is that a consumer will have more disposable income in which to possibly avoid filing bankruptcy, although for most people, it probably will not make a significant difference. For lower income earners who are already below the median income, the impact from a bankruptcy standpoint will most likely be negligible.