Long list of Documentation from Trustee!

[gettingby2008]

Our 341 hearing was yesterday, our attorney contacted the Trustees office this morning to get the full list of all items requested....well it is fairly large. We are a family of 3 (2 adults and 2 year old) and here is what they are asking for:

supporting documentation for Food (claimed 650 month)
Supporting documentation for Clothing (claimed 150 month)
Supporting documentation for charitable expense (claimed 50 month)
supporting documentation for personal care/grooming (claimed 75 month)
supporting documentation for pet expense (claimed 75 month) (we have 3 dogs black lab/chocolate lab/golden retreiver and 2 cats)
supporting documentation for home energy cost (claimed 190 electric) (we live in the desert where it gets to 118 in the summer)

We claimed 400 in medical expense and no questions asked....

I have receipts going back to October and will have to use bank statements and such going back to August.

Back then we were charging allot of day to day items and I do not have cc statements at all, how can I obtain copies of these will citibank send copies?

[optimistic1]

That's ridiculous, most of your expenses are well below the IRS standards, I dont get it.

[DUMBAGAIN]

WOW, I've never heard of that, what state do you live in?

[catleg]

This reminds me of the advice I've been giving to floridian.

They don't want to see big buckets with large numbers in them.

They want to see small detailed buckets.

So they aren't necessarily looking for receipts here, just make up a sample accouting of how you would spend that 650 on food.

Likewise the 50 in charitable. Tell them to whom you give. That's all.

Honestly, I think the trustee is trying to help you here. I think he is sending you a message that your amounts are too low!

[Gerry]

That could be. Your amounts seem low.

[michele71]

I was asked for documentation as well because my expenses seemed high. I provided bank statements, cancelled checks and any and all receipts I had from previous six months. Remember the trustee does not have fianl say the judge does. We were confirmed with that proof.

[gettingby2008]

Thanks Everyone - Our attorney stated they are requesting proof of those because all of the rest of our #'s are solid and those are the #'s they can "play with" I was able to get receipts for all of Oct - Jan and used bank statements and cc statements for Sept and August. Once put on paper and added up actual expenses were higher so hopefully that will be the end of that.

I am very happy with the proposed plan payment so hopefully it stays around that # of 700.00

[optimistic1]

Its still ridiculous that they would ask for receipts, especially for the food costs, for 3 people, that is way under the IRS standards, sounds like an anal trustee.

Good for you, and thanks for posting this, I will be saving receipts starting today, so I can stick it to the local trustee if they act like yours did.

[kornellred]

That's absurd. I guess there are not that many BKs out West. Neither my attorney nor the trustee in my Chapter 13 case asked for any documentation of my spending. Never looked at my checkbook ledger. Never questioned any amount in any category. Here in New Jersey, everything is so expensive that it is a waste of time quibbling over what a debtor might spend on food, clothing, or entertainment. You get the maximum allowable under law for your household size simply because you would have to work real hard to spend any less.

[spearmint]

Since when does a trustee (for the creditors) ever try to help the debtor?

[catleg]

Since when does a trustee (for the creditors) ever try to help the debtor?

Maybe he wants the plan to have a reasonable chance of surviving 60 months.
If there is a high failure rate of ch13 plans it might reflect badly on his job performance.

[optimistic1]

How is one to succeed without sacrifices? I would love to spend $800 a month on super nutritious and expensive organic foods from Whole Foods. But if you are trying to pay off debts and such through a Ch.13, you can't claim that amount, instead, you would need to be a savvy shopper and spend only $500. Why the hell would the trustee want you to spend more money on fodd, etc.,etc.??????

I am going to start saving all my receipts for food, clothing, gas, pet food, etc.

That way, when the Trustee sends me a nasty gram, I can overnight him a detailed list of all of my expenses with receipts, to one up his A$$.