Keeping Grocery Receipts

[ejny65]

Hi everyone:
Even though I pay with check at crocery store, should I keep the receipts for trustee to see the milk, egg, waffles.... or my cancelled checks are enough?
If yes, so how come cancelled check for utilitiy bills are enough but not for grocery?
Thank you!

[magyar123]

Cancelled checks are enough

[Cali]

If you don't use checks, will the receipts be good enough?

[HHM]

I have yet to see or hear of anyone that has actually had to turn over grocery store receipts, but I suppose their is no harm in being prepared. Unless, for some reason, your grocery bill is WAY outside the norm, I wouldn't worry about it.

[monkatom]

I use an ATM card and have kept all receipts for every purchase for the last four months just in case. I have a pickel jar that we throw the receipts in including gas, etc. Never hurts to err on the side of caution i guess.

[no_it_all]

What exactly are the receipts for? You only get a certain amount to claim for <living expenses> anyway. It is the IRS standard. Can you imagine a Trustee going through a pickle jar looking at grocery receipts????

[coma]

What exactly are the receipts for? You only get a certain amount to claim for <living expenses> anyway. It is the IRS standard. Can you imagine a Trustee going through a pickle jar looking at grocery receipts????

You can take higher expenses in some situations, and as long as you can prove them. It not that cut and dry as only being allowed a certain amount. I'd say it's probably not necessary to save every receipt, but better safe than sorry.

[monkatom]

I normally save most receipts for taxes anyway as my wife is a teacher and usually purchases stuff for her classroom when we are out anyway. never know what the trustee might ask for.

[woohoogirl]

I use my debit card and that shows where I made purchases...that would suffice, right?

[no_it_all]

You can take higher expenses in some situations, and as long as you can prove them.

True, but that has nothing to do with saving grocery receipts, which is a waste of energy.

[jp2861]

You can take higher expenses in some situations, and as long as you can prove them. It not that cut and dry as only being allowed a certain amount. I'd say it's probably not necessary to save every receipt, but better safe than sorry.

Thats true. I recently found out that the IRS allowances aren't a player when you fill out your expenses. Those numbers are left up tp the trustee to make a call on. For instance, if someone claims a high amount on medical they may ask for proof. If you go over 50 bucks on food or some other normal living expenses it probably won't be asked about. If someone is filing pro se it might be a good idea to be in the negative just in case the trustee says you need to lower the amount. But, the IRS allowances are used for the means test though. I've found the whole process quite frustrating as there's alot of grey areas that one would assume would be carved in stone. I guess in a way it's better to be able to fluctuate around some of the numbers.

[no_it_all]

Hi everyone:
Even though I pay with check at crocery store, should I keep the receipts for trustee to see the milk, egg, waffles....

Why would a trustee want to see your grocery receipts? Are you over the income limits on the Means Test Calculation ? I never heard of this. BTW, since you can pick up grocery receipts all day long out of trash cans they have no real value. Your checks would be your documentation..

[epiphany]

Why would a trustee want to see your grocery receipts? Are you over the income limits on the Means Test Calculation ? I never heard of this. BTW, since you can pick up grocery receipts all day long out of trash cans they have no real value. Your checks would be your documentation..

I refuse to save grocery receipts because I am lazy and have enough crap laying around the place. I'm not worried about it.

EP

[gophermn]

Heck, you might be asked for gas receipts as those feel like taking out small loans everytime you go to the pump!!
I know I never heard of keeping gas receipts. Nonetheless everything is in the bank statement which is what my Trustee wants to see.

[One Half Full]

I was not asked for reciepts. Just bank statements.