It's almost 4 yrs, but I am learning

[Carmella]

I am learning not to stress so much about this 5 yr plan.

I tested positive for Covid. I don't have enough PTO time so I really didn't know if I would have enough $ in my next paycheck to cover the BK payment. I did have some money set aside after the car accident so I figured I could just pay the difference, but it might mess me up for paying utilities, etc (but a late payment with that is just a small fee).

Fortunately for the wallet the new rules allow for only 5 days of isolation not 10, but I was diagnosed on Monday so that's a full work week off for me.

There's poor communication on my job so I emailed someone and found out that it is true we can borrow PTO we haven't yet earned ONLY if sick with Covid. That means I will get a full paycheck even if I have work a month or longer to get it back to accruing.

Financially it will be status quo.

[flashoflight]

Carmella Sorry to hear about catching COVID. Very contagious. I am getting tested today too because of suspected COVID/flu/cold. Glad you can borrow PTO for COVID.

I learned a lot about which bills to delay mostly from my pre-BK experience when I had eight creditors sue me and one of them trying to find my employer and bank account.

I think utility bills are a good choice for delayed payment. The late fee is pretty small, they're willing to go into a payment plan, and some of them might be pausing disconnections due to COVID. My Internet has a low late fee and they don't charge for a disconnect/reconnect. Reconnect is instant upon payment. Cell phone is a postpaid account and they charge huge fees for disconnect/reconnect.

For my plan, the trustee payment can be made late by a few days without telling anyone. Beyond that, my lawyer wants to know so that he can warn the trustee and alleviate any Trustee Motion to Dismiss. The motions fly when there is no communications between trustee and debtor's counsel. Reality is it takes 1-3 months of arrears to get the TMD in my neck of the woods. There is the option of extending the plan until March 2022? up to 84 months due to COVID. I'll stab my eye before asking for the 84 month option. That's like saying "Your honor, I'd like to stay in prison for an extra 24 months.""

[Barbisi]

Carmella, I saw your positive Covid test post on Scottowl's thread and posted there. Again, so sorry, but glad you are getting paid at least, for the involuntary week off.
flashoflight , how right you are - five years in BK13 is a long enough sentence, but seven years is an even worse prison term!

[eap82]

Carmella, I'm so sorry to hear you have COVID. I'm glad you can use your PTO, so frustrating to not get paid for something you can't control. My job is in healthcare and the company I work for will pay you if you were Vaccinated and you don't have to use PTO. If you weren't vaccinated you are required to use PTO. I'm thankful for it because with my job, much like yours, If one of my patients or colleagues come in sick no doubt it's a matter of time before it takes off and many of us will get it. This new variant spreads so easily. I'm glad you are feeling ok and hope you get through this next year without anymore setbacks.

[Carmella]

eap82 my job is in a nursing home and the state of some nursing homes is very bad. We are short staffed/have not enough cleaning going on. It's actually what I consider very dirty. Part of me wants to blame the people in charge and part of me knows there's no enough staff. I am "old" and definitely "Old School" where I think the infection control is ultra important and would have those who do not provide direct care rolling up their sleeves. I always say if I were an administrator many would hate me. Oh well I feel like so much is out of our control.

I am glad all the cases even with our patients seem to be non life threatening and those old folks have a lot of comorbidities, but we also have a rate almost 100% vaccination with the patients. I think it was 96% last time I heard and that's above the national average, too.

flashoflight Yep I learned all those tricks, too. Plus here the utilities won't shut off during the winter it's sometime in Oct until March. I really want to get away from using the tricks, but will if I have to. I have finally caught up with the cell and cable/internet paying it on time, not taking the small fee and paying right before shut off. One month I forgot the cable/internet, but it was "only" $25 to turn back on and they do it immediately over the phone payment. This cable/internet company won't do a payment plan unless you get disconnected and will set up afterwards.

Seriously I am so glad to be back to on time paying the utilities. It's nice just to know they are paid and all is well. And it's so good to have a little buffer in my two checking accounts instead of running down to $20-50 before the paycheck. I kept a little money from the car accident to use as a buffer. It's been a long time since I actually went down to under $50 before the next paycheck. I like at the least $100 buffer since sometimes math mistakes or I forget something. My idea would be at least $500 buffer because it helps if something unexpected happens as well.

Our BK payment is taken directly from MY payroll so they get their money first if the paycheck was short...

I am getting excited that we are approaching the last year of this sentence.

[Zombie13]

Yeah, the final countdown is beginning!