Expense question

[987654]

Hi everyone...yes I did look at the sticky thread but thought I'd ask:

My finance and I live together, and I pay nothing towards the mortgage/property tax in exchange for buying all the groceries/household expenses, paying the electric/gas, and internet/cable.

I did all of my paperwork and I'm ready to file. My food costs are higher than the IRS quota for three (myself and my two children) because I buy groceries for five...including my finance and his son. So I entered $645, which is around $150 a week, but of course entered nothing for rent/property tax.

Should this be a problem? Should I modify it to enter the excess as rent, since this is our arrangement? We maintain separete checking accounts, etc.

[FloridaGirl]

I don't think the IRS considers your fiance and his son as your dependents. Therefore, I don't think they will allow the extra expense on the groceries. My friend is filing, and she pays all of her fiances bills right now. She pays his car insurance, his grocery bill, his gas expenses, and everything in between. But, when she consulted her attorney, she was told that since he wasn't her husband, the extra expenses weren't allowed. That sucks because a lot of her money is going to pay his expenses. I don't know about other states, but in Florida, if you aren't married, then you are considered single. That means you are only allowed the expenses of a single person under IRS guidelines, regardless of what you might be spending on someone else who live with you. Having two kids works in your favor greatly. Did you list every expense associated with raising your two kids?

[bezoar]

My 'SO' and I own a home together - she normally pays the mortgage, I pay all the other stuff - it's easier than trying to pay 1/2 & 1/2. However, when filing, we had to file separately & each list 1/2 housing costs, food, utilities, etc. Only items such as car payments were not split. You won't be able to use his expenses for your BK...

BUT - if you are on the mortgage, you can probably show that you are paying more than your 1/2, as long as you can 'splain it, since it is a secured debt that must be paid - (assumes your fiance is on the mortgage - if not, you can probably claim the entire mortgage pmt, as you cannot claim his expenses any more than you can claim his income)

[hhou812hh]

Yeah, I pay the rent, car payment and insurance and my fiance pays the food bill and utilities. When I file I will just combine all the expenses then divide them by 2 and list the half as to what I am paying so I don't raise any flags. With doing that they are in line with IRS allowed expenses (thank goodness!).

Good luck!

[987654]

Thanks...it's not hideously higher than the IRS standards but I'm a bit concerned now. All the paperwork is done and copied and ready to be mailed, but I think I'll modify that bit and make new copies. CRAP.