On-call only what if not enough money for payroll withdrawal

[frustrated51]

We have our trustee payment taken out of spouse's check. It includes our mortgage and car payment so is large. This job has now been reduced to on call only. Many employees have never been seen again after being put on "on call". What if there isn't enough money in the pay check to cover the trustee payment? Will we really not get anything at all? If that job is gone now our income is down 66% from what we said we would be earning. With unemployment it is only down 56%, but it is possible that some weeks will be zero because of teaching schedule in part-time job (sometimes unemployment won't cover even if teaching isn't your main job because they say you accepted a teaching schedule so they won't cover winter break). Our trustee payment is as much as our part-time income.

Looks like in our area the National Standards allow about $3700 for a family of our size which is more than our part-time jobs will pay, but slightly less ($6000 a year) than we would make with unemployment.

I am not sure how the on-call status will work. At the moment I figure we have absolutely no money for food, gas, bills between Dec 25-Jan 25 and those checks are small. I assume there isn't time to stop the payment from the Dec 30th check so we might see a bit of it.

We can't switch to a 7 because it is the IRS that we owe.

[keepsmiling]

Sorry to hear
You need to get to your attorney's office first thing Monday morning.
They can't take what isn't there.
Good luck, keep us posted.

[frustrated51]

Thanks. We are hoping to get a hold of them Monday. Of course, employers give no notice about these things.

[shellbell]

I know in my case, there were a few months that we had a "temporary" 10% pay cut and days I had to use FMLA. This greatly reduced my Plan payment. Some months I had nothing in my paycheck and my plan payment was short by $700.

I just paid that difference by money order to my Trustee. My Trustee is a very lenient one and never made a big deal about being a few months behind. As long as I was caught up before her yearly audit. PLEASE DO NOT THINK YOUR'S WILL BE THIS WAY. I am only speaking from personal experience. I was very lucky.

Good luck to you and I hope you road thru this journey is smooth. Another piece of advice, don't be afraid to repeatedly contact your atty for matters like this. This is why you paid a fee to retain her/him.

Just so you know. My plan was modified 4 times for it to be successful. Once again, good luck.

[frustrated51]

We won't have the money though. Our income is going to be less that our plan payment and will be less than what the National Standards allow for our family and will qualify for foodstamps. The atty is supposedly working on it, but it is difficult because we are not getting any concrete information from the employer and don't yet have a paystub that shows less money (or no payment sent). We tried to get a letter from the employer, but they said they would deal with it in January. So it looks like Dec income will be ok, but no idea if there will be any income in January.

[IamOld]

Good grief frustrated...I know this isn't much, but my best wishes...may I ask what kind of job it is?

[shellbell]

Frustrated51.. My wishes to you for peace and prosperity in 2012. ;) Keep your chin up.

[frustrated51]

Thanks, Shellbell. Job stability is at the top of our wish list!

[frustrated51]

Good grief frustrated...I know this isn't much, but my best wishes...may I ask what kind of job it is?

Thanks. It is an environmental consulting job at an engineering firm.