Means vs Schedule J

[mayhave2file]

Confused on the difference between the means and Schedule J. If your OVER the median income but qualify by the means test, what if your schedule J shows some disposable.

Because of high unsecured debt and wanting to stay current, what happens if I am frugal with the exempted things like food, keeping utilities down, reduce cable package etc. Will they use the IRS standards if over median income or strictly the Schedule J?

Thanks in advance...wish there was some cut and dry with this stuff but it seems to be all over the place. lol

Illinois here if that matters

[TEW]

My lawyer called Schedule J and I the post BK budget. That is what you are going to look like after discharge ON PAPPER!!
You need to look worse off after BK then before.

[okiebk09]

so how do you make it look worse if you no longer have all those bills? this seems to get more and more complicated. my underdstanding is that you do not want more than $100 left after everything or you will be thrown into ch13. is this right? so what happened to the fed guideline or allowance for a fam of 4 that was on the means test? the means test just an average and the schedule j is actual expenses? i don't get why there is a difference. I also did not see a place on the schedule j for daycare expenses or student loan payments. we have both of those. does the trustee not take that into account? i am confused. there should just be one clear cut answer to this and there isn't. from what i am gathering everything will come down to who your trustee is and what kind of mood they are in the day you see them.

[willowhare]

On sched. J

There are lines for other essential expenses not covered on the rest of the page. I have been told that is where stuff like student loans and maintenence for a high-mileage car should go.

And yes, the trustee is supposed to take things like student loans and day care costs in account. Those are things that could determine your ability to pay back your debts. In the case of student loans, these cannot be discharged in the bk, so it is unrealistic not to take that into account.