341 meetings joint filing with stay at home moms

[pa308]

Hello,

Any feedback i can get from stay at home moms that have been part of a 341 would be appreciated. Specifically did the trustee:

Ask any specifice questions regarding the stay at home decision?
Did he treat with contempt since stay at home mom wasnt contributing financially?
Make you justify being a stay at home mom?

I realized there probably arent many stay at home moms on here, but i will be filing in April 08 and i am wondering what types of questions/experiences may be out there.

[magyar123]

While I'm not a "mom" - filing shouldn't make any difference. Don't hhink a trustee cares one way or another. There is no law that mandates both adults in the family have to work for wages/pay. Besides - stay at home moms are working - keeping the house clean, raising children, etc.

[yoyoma51]

magyar123 is right. Those factors won't matter.

I went from a well paying job with the company my wife and & owned to working as a gas station attendant for a friend that owns the station.

Although I have lots of retail management experience and I am *looking* for a better job, the trustee didn't ask why I have only made $8/hr for 28/hrs per week for the last 6 months...although he could probably figure it out...and so can all of you...but in the end, it doesn't really matter, just like your questions.

PLEASE NOTE: I am not a lawyer. Bankruptcy may or may not be a best scenario for you. It depends on your situation. You may assume my advice is totally useless. Talk to an experienced bankruptcy attorney (or three) in your jurisdiction for legal advice.

[pa308]

magyar123 is right. Those factors .and so can all of you...but in the end, it doesn't really matter, just like your questions.

[/B]

YOYOMA, i did not mean to offend, just looking for insight.

[yoyoma51]

No offense taken. I could have chosen better words.

I just meant to say that just like our situation, the trustee won't really care. He's in it for the money/assets as he receives 25% of whatever he reclaims on behalf of creditors.

PLEASE NOTE: I am not a lawyer. Bankruptcy may or may not be a best scenario for you. It depends on your situation. You may assume my advice is totally useless. Talk to an experienced bankruptcy attorney (or three) in your jurisdiction for legal advice.

[Hollyhomemaker]

I am a stay at home mom and I will be filing either at the end of March or early April.

It is nice to meet you!

[DivorceRuinedMe]

my husband is a stay at home dad. He stays home partly due to the circumstances surrounding the bankruptcy but mostly b/c we just have too many kids to put in daycare and it didn't make sense for him to keep working once the baby was born. I filed alone. I think the trustee may have asked me if he works or why he doesn't work and all I said was we have 4 kids. She didn't say anything or ask anything more after that about it. Hope this helps!

[pa308]

Thanks for the responses

I was/am a little concerned because my wife and I decided when our kids were born 7 years ago that she would stay home and raise. Neither one of us has any regrets on that front. In the Nolo book it mentions that "voluntary unemployment can be considered abusive because the debtor could pay back some or all of the debts if employed"

I have seen different takes on this on the internet and i realize no one has a crystal ball. I wont be filing until arond april and this waiting and thinking is killing me. Every time i feel ok a twinge of uncertainty like this issue jumps into my mind and I think what if after all this the trustee dismisses me, what kind of financial shape am i going to be in then

[coma]

Staying home to raise kids is not really the same as voluntary unemployment, though. Kids are work, plain and simple. Additionally, if the parent cannot make enought to cover child care and other work related expenses, then it is usually in the family's best interest, since it makes no sense to work solely to pay a sitter. I think most trustees realize this.

[funEface]

No questions from the trustee or my lawyer about me being a sahm.

[whatamess]

I filed as a stay at home mom..the trustee could not have cared less. I heard from someone, cant place where that if you have children under 15 or so they cant consider you involuntarily unemployeed. Since many states wont allow kids home by themselves (thank goodness) and moms work harder than anyone it all okay, no worries.
Daycare is expensive and not a better option to mom or dad and they know this.
WAM

[nazstar]

I'll be a SAHM when we file. I will be quitting a job that pays $120K a year to raise my two infants. I'm not expecting any hassle. We tried to do flex time but my husband's job is less than accomodating - it took it's toll on us emotionally. He wasn't able to give full attention to the baby or to work and just wound up miserable. I can't work from home 5 days a week so it just makes sense to divide the tasks. I take care of the children/house and he takes care of bringing hom a paycheck.

Honestly, it doesn't hurt that it allowed us to qualify for 7 vs. 13 either! But what can the trustee say? I'll be sitting at the 341 with 2 children under 16 months old.

[cj0203]

I'm a SAHM also, and pregnant with another baby. Our atty didn't mention it being an issue at all. If I WERE to work, the cost of a 2yr old and infant in daycare would probably be more than I'd make anyways, so it's NOT worth it to us.

[pa308]

Thank you all so much for your replies. It does help take the worry away. And all of you SAHMs let me say that I do realize what an important job that you (and of course my lovely wife) do every day!