Question on preferrential payment

[cj0203]

I was told not to make any large payments to any one creditor between now and filing as it can cause problems if you stop paying one creditor and pay extra to another. Does this include personal loans? Meaning I owe my mom like $2k because she helped us out this summer when we need it badly. If I get a good tax refund and need to "spend it down", if I pay her back some of what we owe does that count against me like it would if I paid a 'real' creditor?

Thanks!

[Lindsay]

I think that would definitily count. I would try to use the tax return to pay up your insurance, past due utility bills, food, clothing, necessities ect. You could pay your mother back at a later time. I'm pretty sure that if you give her $2000 out of your tax return, the trustee may require her to give it back to him.

[cj0203]

Thanks!