Tools of trade is a term generally used in bankruptcy law to determine what property a person would commonly use for the purpose of making a living, as items that are tools of trade are separately exempt from attachment with an additional amount above that normally given for a person's property.

Under bankruptcy law, a person might be allowed $2,000 in household effects but also allowed an additional $5,000 for tools of trade. Anything the person can show is used by them for earning a living is carried under a separate exemption. Thus, a candlemaker would have to include his computer under household effects but a computer programmer would be able to claim a computer as part of his tools of trade.