Expenses for Chapter 7

[huskydawgs]

I'm converting my Chapter 13 into a Chapter 7 hopefully in the next month. I just lost my job so I'm on unemployment.

How does this list of expenses look? I'm single and live in San Diego. I read that the standard for Housing and Utilities is $2162 for San Diego County

(Include mortgage or rent, property taxes, interest, insurance, maintenance, repairs, gas, electric, water, heating oil, garbage collection, residential telephone service, cell phone service, cable television, and internet service.)

Rent $995
Renters Insurance $11
Internet $40
Cable TV $78
SDG&E $38
Cell Phone $65
Car Insurance $84
Auto Fuel $248
Auto Repair and Maintenance $107
Auto Tags and Registration $7
Medical $223
Dental $38
Vision $84
Health Club $30
Groceries $391
Eating Out $230
Clothing $130
Cleaning / Laundry $49
Toiletries $84
Hair Care $25
Entertainment $150
Travel $100

[AngelinaCatHub]

I cannot go through your paper work for you, but the fact that you are/were in C13, and now lost your job, almost typifies the fact that you need out. I mean, a clean slate. You need to either go to your 13 lawyer (advised) or get a C7 lawyer. What you stated we were on the path to 13 but lost a job. C7 was for us. 'Hub

[MSbklawyer]

I cannot go through your paper work for you

I thought they banned your sorry ass for a month or so for being rude and $%it. I guess being married to a mod has its benefits. ;)

[mountanddo]

I'm converting my Chapter 13 into a Chapter 7 hopefully in the next month. I just lost my job so I'm on unemployment.

How does this list of expenses look? I'm single and live in San Diego. I read that the standard for Housing and Utilities is $2162 for San Diego County

(Include mortgage or rent, property taxes, interest, insurance, maintenance, repairs, gas, electric, water, heating oil, garbage collection, residential telephone service, cell phone service, cable television, and internet service.)

Rent $995
Renters Insurance $11
Internet $40
Cable TV $78
SDG&E $38
Cell Phone $65
Car Insurance $84
Auto Fuel $248
Auto Repair and Maintenance $107
Auto Tags and Registration $7
Medical $223
Dental $38
Vision $84
Health Club $30
Groceries $391
Eating Out $230 (that's over $7 day for 30 days)
Clothing $130 ( a month?)
Cleaning / Laundry $49
Toiletries $84
Hair Care $25
Entertainment $150
Travel $100 (for entertainment?)

Those are my initial thoughts but I don't know what flies in a chapter 7. As a single person you are spending $100 a week on food and still spending $7/day eatting out? You might not be able to put in travel but might be able to adjust expenses elsewhere to fit that in.

[momofthree]

I can tell you that you're way over national standards on several areas.

As a single person, the monthly IRS standards are:
food: $300 (this includes groceries and eating out)
housekeeping supplies: $29
apparel & services: $86
personal care and services: $32
misc: $87
total: $534

Your total is $909 and your recreational expenses total $250. That's $625/mo over the standard. If you're far enough in the negative, then it won't matter. But it could be enough to keep you in the 13 (albiet a modified plan) if you still have income coming in--and they do count unemployment as income as far as I'm aware.

[AngelinaCatHub]

I thought they banned your sorry ass for a month or so for being rude and $%it. I guess being married to a mod has its benefits. ;)

Sorry if I offended you MS. I apologize to the OP if it sounded like I was rude. It was never my intention to be a smart @zz. The response was short as it is exactly what happened to us. We originally filed a 13 and lost the job. That will put ANY 13 over the edge, no? 'Hub

P.S. It was 24 hours due to the fact that I knew I was breaking a rule. Everyone on that thread agreed the OP was abusing the system.

[SMinGA2]

The areas that strike me as problematic:
Eating Out $230
Clothing $130
Entertainment $150
Travel $100

That is easily $500 for a plan payment. (Entertainment & clothing are reasonable categories, IMO, but you have unreasonable amounts for 1 person. The clothing would be reasonable IMO for a family of 3-4 - and you have a separate line item for laundry expense. The entertainment amount might be hard to pass for a family of 5+.) I doubt any bankruptcy trustee is going to see 'eating out' or 'travel' as a necessity. "Eating Out" would need to be part of your grocery budget.

Toiletries is high for 1 person. $84?

Does your medical refer to insurance only, or do you cover out of pocket for prescriptions, copays, over the counter meds? I don't see life insurance.

You're on unemployment - so you aren't needing to spend a higher than average $ on clothing, dry cleaning, etc. for work purposes. Do you have dietary needs that make for higher food costs? There could be reasons to be high in some areas.

[huskydawgs]

The areas that strike me as problematic:
Eating Out $230
Clothing $130
Entertainment $150
Travel $100

That is easily $500 for a plan payment. (Entertainment & clothing are reasonable categories, IMO, but you have unreasonable amounts for 1 person. The clothing would be reasonable IMO for a family of 3-4 - and you have a separate line item for laundry expense. The entertainment amount might be hard to pass for a family of 5+.) I doubt any bankruptcy trustee is going to see 'eating out' or 'travel' as a necessity. "Eating Out" would need to be part of your grocery budget.

Toiletries is high for 1 person. $84?

Does your medical refer to insurance only, or do you cover out of pocket for prescriptions, copays, over the counter meds? I don't see life insurance.

You're on unemployment - so you aren't needing to spend a higher than average $ on clothing, dry cleaning, etc. for work purposes. Do you have dietary needs that make for higher food costs? There could be reasons to be high in some areas.

Eating - I usually buy organic, non processed foods, grass feed meat
Clothing - I'm getting married this year (need a suit) and also going to be interviewing so I need to buy another suit, some dress shirts and some dress shoes.
Entertainment - Wedding stuff (paid for the Photographer and Ceremony site)
Travel - Plane flight - I go home for either Thanksgiving or Christmas and also my grandma just passed away so I'll be needing to buy another flight to go up for the service.

[SMinGA2]

The wedding & travel expenses: discuss with your attorney. Trustee might have an argument saying that going to visit family & paying for a wedding when you can't pay your debts is a conflict. As for the organic, etc. - perhaps start keep receipts for backup. You might need it.

If your current budget finds you in a major negative, your budget may not be that important. But if the items you listed here have you about even, the trustee just might see it as reason to try to keep you in a 13.

[huskydawgs]

Ok, I editing my numbers:

$995 - Rent
$11 - Renters Insurance
$40 - Internet
$78 - Cable TV
$38 - SDG&E
$65 - Cell Phone
$84 - Car Insurance
$248 - Auto Fuel (should I increase due to gas prices going up to $5/gallon?)
$107 - Auto Repair and Maintenance (Should I increase due to future repairs?)
$7 - Auto Tags and Registration
$223 - Medical (May be getting eye surgery this year. Gonna cost between $3-5k. Should I increase?)
$38 - Dental
$84 - Vision
$30 - Health Club
$391 - Groceries
$130 - Clothing (General clothes, plus new suit, dress shirt and shoes for interviewing---loss of job)
$49 - Cleaning / Laundry
$84 - Toiletries
$25 - Hair Care
$38 - Entertainment
$100 - Travel

[keepsmiling]

You may need to start eating more beans.

[AngelinaCat]

Try Goodwill and other thrift stores for your clothing needs. I shop them routinely and have several nice outfits. Some items still had the labels on them. It has been ages since I set foot in a department store, and paid full retail price for something, other than underwear. When I need underwear I go to a KMart, or the like.

Shoes are a different matter. I have very narrow feet, and cannot find anything that fits that doesn't start at $100.00 a pair. So I save up for them, and take advantage when the store has a 'Customer Appreciation Sale.'

[sandra123]

For filing Chapter 7 bankruptcy those expenses are fine. In fact, they look on the low side for most folks. Many people even include expenses like a pet if you have one. If you are unemployed and your expenses are like you show, he should have no problem qualifying to file Chapter 7 bankruptcy. The bankruptcy court wants to make sure to qualify to file Chapter 7 bankruptcy that the individual has no more than $150 disposable cash at the end of the month after paying all their household expenses. If you have a bankruptcy lawyer you should run these figures by them. If you don't have one, it's best to find a low cost bankruptcy lawyer that can represent you. With a large number of bankruptcy filings, the cost of hiring an attorney for Chapter 7 bankruptcy has gotten competitive.

[mountanddo]

I don't think you can base your expenses on what might happen in the future such as rising gas prices. As far as the eye surgery goes, if it is for surgery to correct your eyesight such as lazik I am not sure you can budget for that and you already have $1000 budgeted for vision. Also, you still have travel in there. IMO I would just take that out. I assume that you already went to the funeral and holiday visits probably wouldn't be considered necessary. $109 for tolietries and haircare?

I tend not to spend a lot of money on stuff because I just don't have the money. I spend about $5 on haircare but I will admit if I had the money to buy expensive shampoo/conditioner I probably would. What you spend and what the trustee will find reasonable is might be different. You have to run this all by your attorney as they will know what they will accept.