airfare expense

[havetodecide]

I live by myself in the USA and all my relatives live in another country (where i was born). Is airfare allowable as an expense since i usually visit my family once a year? i did not pass that info to my lawyer, i wonder if i can include it

Thanks

[familyof7]

I doubt it as it is not a nessisty. I have relatives in other states and in puerto rico and i can not afford to see them as much as I want it is not a priority I have bills first and fun later if I can not afford my own bills I can not afford to fly.

[SinkingFast]

BK is about bare necessities to live. Airfare to visit relatives would be probably be considered a luxury by the Court.

[CityGirl]

What if they pay the ticket for him???

[familyof7]

Well if they pay the ticket for him it would not be his expense to deduct.

[CityGirl]

why would he deduct that anyway?

[CindyLou]

I'm not sure what type of "deduction" we are talking about? Are we talking about an expense on the the expense schedule? Or are we talking about whether the trustee will question whether the this would be consider a luxury expense if it had been charge on a credit card prior to filing? The question is vague.

[familyof7]

I believe he is talking about living expense deduction

[CindyLou]

unfortunately, that would be a big fat "no" from a trustee as a recurring living expense.

[havetodecide]

Yes, i was comparing to something that would be included in the monthly expenses if i divide the cost of the ticket by 12 (# of months) since i go see my family every year.

So, since it is not a necessity, if i was in Chapter 13 with a plan of 5 years, that would mean not seeing my family in 5 years? Unless i could come up with some money on the side without letting the trustee know. But i will be filing Chapter 7 anyway. I am figuring out expenses to include, was curious if that was considered luxury or a transportation, even though not to work, but to visit family, being a different case since i am not from the USA.

Thanks everyone

[familyof7]

It is a luxary you can do it but they will not consider it a living expense when they look at your income and expenses it will be recreation or luxary

[CATCHMEIFYOUCAN]

It would be a recreation expense, what you do for recreation is up to you (me: gamble), I listed $100 (I think was the allowable amount) on my schedules.

FYI, Catchmeifyoucan

[CindyLou]

Yea, you could go that route.

[keepmine]

Add a few dolars to your other ongoing monthly expenses plus, include some of it in recreation. With a little effort, you can find a way to bury the expense in your schedules.

[BKOnce]

Ridiculously, ...but nowadays even Greyhound bus fair or AmTrak train fair is even higher than air fair on sale!..