Schedule J -take a look and let me know what you think

[Pennywise]

This is what I put on my J form:

1st I am filing singly but I am married and I have 1 dependant. Live in Oregon.
These are all under the IRS standards for our income level.

rent 1000
utilities a. water sewer 25
telephone 100
other: garbage, cable, internet 126
Home maint. 75
food 625
clothing 200
laundry 20
medical/dental 50
transportation (2 cars) 350
recreation etc 100
renters insurance 17.12
life insurance 60
auto insrunace 200
car payment 599.86
school loan 193.29
other: personal maintance, haircut, etc 150
(i have an itemized list, do I really need it?)

[anonymuse]

Your food cost sounds a little high.

http://www.usdoj.gov/ust/eo/bapcpa/20061001/bci_data/national_expense_standards.htm

Some trustees don't like when entertainment expenses get close to $100.

Keep an itemized list with you for the 341 meeting in case you are asked questions.

Do you have a lawyer or are you filing pro se?

[CAB_44]

Your food cost sounds a little high.

Our attorney listed 625. for food costs as that was allowable for family of 3 in OK ...so not really~ and 175. was allowable for entertainment....
that one shocked me.....home maint. was 100.00
hhmmmm.....I don't know~ it looks acceptable to me according to my schedule J PW~
now my Mortgage was 884. and that's over the OK allowable......bummer~

[anonymuse]

I was thinking 2 for that food, sorry.

Your lawyer knows best about local standards and what trustees allow and disallow.

[SinkingFast]

Just FYI,..........

I told our attny $75/mo for home maint. That's what I fig'd I'd spent for curtains, new bed and bath linens, new coffee maker, etc. Just replacing things for the home that had worn out. Our attny put $0.00 in the Home Maint line. I guess that's for replacing the roof or A/C unit or whatever as a home owner. Renters here evidently don't get that expense.

You might not get transportation costs for 2 cars unless your child is old enough to drive. Is that number for repairs and gasoline??

I'm with Anon. Food does sound high. We're allowed $1300/mo for food on the Schedules and attnys told us $700-$900/mo during Consults. Our attny listed our food costs at $850/mo for a family of 6.

In "Other" at the bottom of Schedule J, you do have to itemize it out. Don't forget to count in for school books/fees/lunches if that's applicable.

$100/mo is routine here for "entertainment". It's the max the Court will allow.

I'd suggest you register on PACER and see what attnys are listing for expenses on other people's filings. When you look at several filings, you'll see trends that will tell you that's what the Court allows, is used to seeing, expects to see.

[Pennywise]

Transportaton is for 2 cars -mine and my husband's. I thought the schedule said all expenses. Son is only 19 months.

Question about PACER - can you search for just ch7 filings? and for you district?

And yes I am filing pro se. Thanks for all the input. I am trying to complete these as thoroughly as possible.

[SinkingFast]

You can check the Court Dockets for 341 meetings that are coming up. In our Court here, Ch 13's go on certain days and Ch 7's go on other days. You could find several Ch 7 filings to take a look at and maybe get a feel for expenses that way. You'd also get a cross section of the approaches different attnys take in filing.

At 19 months old, did you account for diapers, immunizations, unexpected baby visits to the doctor, and other thing associated with a tot?? That could get you more expenses there.

And Baby food sure would add to your food costs. I can see that!

[ConnieS]

Our expense for home maintenance was $150 a month. We need to do a lot of repairs and updates on the house and property. We also had a $159 entertainment expense (we have 2 teenage girls and included a lot of "things" that they do) Trustee never mentioned either expense. I really think it all depends on where you file and what is the norm for your area. It's all new to the courts too.

[anonymuse]

The only home maintenance I have is a $40 A/C allergy filter once a year. I really can't think of anything else.