I am filing personal bankruptcy and own a small business...

The stock is personal property and the stock value will reflect the value of the business. If thebusiness has no A/R or inventory or equipment then there is no real issue. Depends on the value of the company.

The business is just another asset that is either exempt or not. If you own the business as a separate entity, such as a corporation, llc, etc, the value is what it might sell for. If you own the business as a sole proprietorship, you can consider whether each individual asset of the business is eligible for an exemption. Any asset that isn't exempt, may be seized by the Trustee and sold at auction. So be sure you hire an attorney experienced with business bankruptcy cases. Your concern is real! Hope this perspective helps!

Most trustees are not going to want to liquidate your business even if the "asset" cannot be fully covered with exemptions. Almost all trustees would work out a buy back agreement, if needed. It has been my experience that most businesses have no value. That is not to say it is not valuable to you (generates income). It just means that the business usually has debt beyond its assets. If that is the case, the business is listed on the bankruptcy petition as value unknown, or $0.

In general, your business only represents an asset in your individual bankruptcy case if the assets of the business could be liquidated to pay all business creditors leaving surplus money. You should discuss the value/debt issues with your bankruptcy attorney, who can give a more detailed answer to your question.