Schedule J help for separated couple

[JoeBankrupt33]

My wife (legal spouse) and I are planning to file chapter 7 bankruptcy. We are separated and don't plan on ever living together again, so we will be filling out two separate schedule j's.

I'm confused on how to fill out questions 20a and 20b.

20a - Average monthly income from Line 15 of Schedule I (this is our total combined income).
20b - Average monthly expenses from Line 18 above
20c - Monthly net income (a. minus b.)

Let's just say, for example, that our combined income is $3000. My expenses are $1600 and her expenses are $1400.

If I fill out 20a and 20b exactly as directed on both forms, the first form will show income $3000, expenses $1600, and net income $1400. The second form will show income $3000, expenses $1400, and net income $1600. If you just looked at this, it could look like we have $3000 in net income to pay our creditors. Ofcourse, this isn't true, because our real net income is $0.

So, although we are instructed to fill out 2 schedule j's, it doesn't tell us how to combine our expenses or how to split up our income.

Help!

[Tbornetun]

On the line for other put the spouse's monthly expenses on each, then the totals should come out to the same. Don't forget to check the box stating that you maintain separate households.

[JoeBankrupt33]

Revised Question

I just looked at the forms again. Line 15 on schedule I is for our individual incomes.

So, new question... Most of her income is money that I give her (I could care less about supporting her, but there are 4 kids involved too). Since we are not legally divorced, can I list this as an expense on my schedule J and as income on her schedule I? If we did this, it would show that I have $3000 income minus $3000 expenses (my actual expenses of $1600 plus the $1400 I give her) and she would show $1400 income minus $1400 expenses.

Or... if we ignore the transfer of money, it would show that I have $3000 income minus $1600 expenses, with $1400 left over. For her, it would show $0 income minus $1400 expenses, with -$1400 left over.

I just don't know if I'm over analyzing this. Any reasonable person could see that we have nothing left at the end of the month regardless of where we put the numbers. I just don't want to have any sort of delay, since I have creditors threatening judgements and garnishing wages.

[JoeBankrupt33]

On the line for other put the spouse's monthly expenses on each, then the totals should come out to the same. Don't forget to check the box stating that you maintain separate households.

Do you, or anyone else, know if this is a standard procedure in this case? Thanks for the input in any case.

[GreenInkOnPaper]

Joe,
If you maintain seperate households, list your income and expenses as they are. Have her list her income and expenses as they are. So yes! show the transfer of money. Be sure to document the money you give her. Good luck.