Schedule "J"

[storesstores]

Do I enter all expenses that I incurred in the past 6 months even if I don't think that they will continue AFTER the bankruptcy?

For example,

I had some dental work 3 months ago...that cost me $600...should I enter the monthly amount as $100 per months for the past 6 months?

I also has a lot of car repairs within the past 6 months..do I still average them out of the 6 month period and enter that amount on Schedule "J" as monthly expenses?

[leftyf]

I'm in the same boat...sorry, can't help. I'm planning to report incurred daycare costs with the idea that I can eliminate/reduce these after my 13 or 7...my spouse doesn't work, but is a part-time student so I could probably avoid daycare costs if I have to. The daycare costs take me well into negative territory on my version of the means test. I've been paying it now to allow the spouse to study and because I set money aside in an FSA dependant care account at work that I have to use or lose. I also would like any opinions regarding the "J" since I'm trying to qualify for a 7. I make $5K over the median, but I never have any money left beyond the "basic" living expenses. I guess "basic" is what the Trustee, my attorney and I will be discussing...
Lefty

[SinkingFast]

I got a spiral bound notebook and started jotting expenses as I remembered them. Looked thru the maint/repair receipts on the cars for the previous year. Looked thru the checkbook register and CC statements to note expenses.

I also started saving receipts and going thru them every week or so. Breaking out food, cleaning supplies, health and beauty aids, prescriptions, and such.

Several of our numbers totally changed from the time we had our first Consult until we retained an attny.

[storesstores]

Do you include all fast food purchases as well as grocery store purchases under food?

[JRScott]

For medical expenses, car repairs and such I"d average it out over 12 months. Yes include them even if you hope to avoid them in the future because the unexpected happens.

I would also include fast food in food category. (Just be careful to stay within your districts normal ranges...)

[storesstores]

For medical expenses, car repairs and such I"d average it out over 12 months. Yes include them even if you hope to avoid them in the future because the unexpected happens.

I would also include fast food in food category. (Just be careful to stay within your districts normal ranges...)

How can I find out whats normal for my district?

[marzipan13]

http://www.legalconsumer.com/means-test-calculator/index.php

This online means test calculator determines limits on monthly expenses, based on your zipcode and family size.

[SinkingFast]

How can I find out whats normal for my district?

The Schedules Allowables and what's "normally" allowed in your Court may not be one and the same thing.

Our Schedules Allowable for food for a family of 6 was $1300/mo. But no attny here was gonna submit that figure. One said he'd file for $600/mo. One said he'd file for $700/mo. The attny we retained allowed us $850/mo due to 3 of us having special diets.

Fast food for lunch, like for work or school,......... Our attny broke out separate. Line 17, Other, and listed a Detailed breakdown of Expenses on a 2nd sheet.

If you go out to eat for dinner,........ Our attny would consider that part of our Entertainment Expense.

As you Consult around,.......... Even if you plan to file Pro Se,........ You can get some of this type information from attnys in your area.

[marzipan13]

i filed pro se and had a ball-park figure of what my monthly expenses were for food, clothing, personal care items, etc.
i compaired my calculations with the ones from that website and luckily i was under those limits. but i think my case is lot simpler than others.
i didn't bother to go through my bank statements and i never keep receipts... thankfully, the bk trustee didn't question anything and said nothing was objectional. in maryland, the limit for non-exempt household items is $1000, I was over that by $295 but the bk trustee didn't do anything. He only asked me if my total of all assets was over $12k, if it's not then it's not a problem.
He didn't even ask for a break down of values for my individual assets or expenses, how i came up with those figures.
i had even forgotten to put the description of my debts on schedule f and told him i was going to file an amendment, he said there was no need to do that.

i've had a lot of other expenses the 6 months prior to filing... my husband's visa fees, traveling to Turkey and my expenses of that trip, which were on my bank statements (I used my debit card for airfare, withdrew a lot of cash, etc). But I didn't include those into my monthly expenses. The trustee didn't even question it. When he asked me how I had gotten into so much financial trouble, I did tell him that I was out of work a lot over the past 4 years and was only working temp work infrequently, only got a permanent job last October. And that I also was financially supporting my husband who came to USA in April, that we are now waiting for his greencard and he is unable to work. He didn't even question me further about it. The people before me were questioned a lot.