Means test - Additonal clothing\food expense

[laurannm]

Any above-median debtors out there actually use the "additional" $60 clothing and food expense on the means test (line 39)? Just wondering how much of a hard time I should expect to get from the trustee if we were to use it (we can document the additional expense)

Thanks

[Cali]

I didn't use that line.

[diviaruba]

It almost never flies. USTs have been instructed to oppose it except for special diets that are medically necessary.

[laurannm]

Thanks

Where did you see that they were instructed to oppose it?

[diviaruba]

Thanks

Where did you see that they were instructed to oppose it?

Let me put it this way - it's not written down anywhere for public consumption, but it surely exists.

[laurannm]

Found this interesting document...might be a little outdated but not much. Doesn't seem to indicate much on the additional expense, other than it "could" be used to cover special dietary needs

http://www.usdoj.gov/ust/r08/tennessee/Global_Means_Test_Presentation.pdf

[Help!]

No, but we had $1000 for food and $400 for clothing on schedule J for a family of 5. I knew we might get questioned on the clothing so I wrote up a breakdown of that clothing cost which included haircuts, shoes, winter coats, personal care items, etc.

The IRS standards changed right after we prepared our petition, so be sure to give yourself the new allowances:

http://www.usdoj.gov/ust/eo/bapcpa/20080317/bci_data/national_expense_standards.htm

[laurannm]

Our food/clothing for a family is almost the same exact number $1430). Did you end up getting questioned on these expenses (and had to provide receipts\bank statements that backed up these numbers)?

[Help!]

Our food/clothing for a family is almost the same exact number $1430). Did you end up getting questioned on these expenses (and had to provide receipts\bank statements that backed up these numbers)?

No, I really thought we'd get grilled on these but they never came up. I guess there were so many other issues with our petition that these were minor in comparison.