Will Trustee Question New Expenses?

[ChaseDidThis]

No, I won't have any problem using up the allotted amounts. The problem is paying for the added expenses!! :0

That's interesting what you say about your atty. wanting you to adjust according to district averages. I am not finding much info in that regard.

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I thought so to, but i guess thats the local knowledge advantage an attorney has. I also thought being negative is what i wanted, but he wouldn't sign the reaffirmation on an auto loan I had if i was negative, so thats why the positive DMI.

To get some examples try going to the courts website and look at the calendar of 341 meetings, they show the case numbers there that you could use to look on Pacer to see what others have done in your area, BUT BEWARE Pacer charges .08 per page so every case you look at could cost a few dollars to look at.

I honestly got most of my help from reading this forum while filling out the expenses, just when I was done I had the security of my attorney signing off on it.

[ApresMoi]

I have been wondering the same thing as we have been wanting to add homeowners insurance, insurance on my engagement/wedding rings and stuff for the past couple of years and haven't been able to afford it. I would love to do it now that I have stopped paying the credit cards, but wasn't sure if it would look bad or not...

Hi -- From what I am reading here, it should be okay to add a few things that are necessary. I am planning to take out renter's insurance (should have had it all along) and add better auto insurance. I also plan to add health insurance, which really galls me because it's a huge ripoff, imho. I'll see if I can find a plan that actually gives me something for my $300+ per month! Goes without saying...this is not legal advice.

[ApresMoi]

Thanks. There's always a risk that a creditor might object that I used the cards while unemployed and knew I could not repay. I don't think that risk is 'high' based on what I have read, but, still, it's there. I did not use the cards for anything luxury, for one thing, and I also made payments to cover my purchases right to the very end (when a few things happened that made continuiing payments impossible). They could say, "you were insolvent, and you knew", etc., but I don't think that would hold much weight since I had a lot of that debt at the time I lost my job (several years ago).

The one way I could screw up filing pro se is not understanding how the expenses are handled in my district. I plan to look into this a little more to see if I can get any clues/tips on that.

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well on my schedules, i actually had my expenses lower (a lot lower) than my actuals and much lower than IRS standards. I orginally wanted to reaffirm the car, and thought it would never happen if i put my actual numbers. I'm really about $600 negative every month, but i put that i was only about $100 negative on the schedules.
I think the neg $224 is fine. Obviously there's nothing else you can stretch- you need BK. The trustee can't really question you're filing just because your that much negative.

I wasn't questioned for anything at all though. The trustee was actually very nice. I don't remember what district of CA that you're in - but i'm in Eastern and everything went so smoothly- i'm glad i didn't hire an attorney. I ddin't really have the extra money to spend on one; but i would have gotten it somehow. After the 341 though- i realized it wasn't necessary in my case. Unless things are pretty complicated, or you don't want to deal with the paperwork- you can do it yourself pretty easily.

[jribe]

what district are you in?

I'm in Eastern- and no one's expenses were questioned.

Thanks. There's always a risk that a creditor might object that I used the cards while unemployed and knew I could not repay. I don't think that risk is 'high' based on what I have read, but, still, it's there. I did not use the cards for anything luxury, for one thing, and I also made payments to cover my purchases right to the very end (when a few things happened that made continuiing payments impossible). They could say, "you were insolvent, and you knew", etc., but I don't think that would hold much weight since I had a lot of that debt at the time I lost my job (several years ago).

The one way I could screw up filing pro se is not understanding how the expenses are handled in my district. I plan to look into this a little more to see if I can get any clues/tips on that.

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[ApresMoi]

Good tip. Thanks.

To get some examples try going to the courts website and look at the calendar of 341 meetings, they show the case numbers there that you could use to look on Pacer to see what others have done in your area, BUT BEWARE Pacer charges .08 per page so every case you look at could cost a few dollars to look at.