Expenses on Schedule J Vs IRS Website

[chelle]

I have a question. The paralegal gave me a copy of the Schedule J print out and it seems lower than the standard amount that is documented on the IRS site for a family of 6. Is schedule J just a preliminary document, not what is going to be handed in to the 341 meeting. Any help or insight is appreciated.

[HHM]

Schedule J is the list of your "actual" expenses, what you actually spend each month. Did you provide answers on a questionnaire at some point? In that questionnaire, did it ask you what you spen on food, clothing etc. If yes, that is what is on schedule J right now.

Schedule J is an official form of the BK. The IRS allowed expenses are used on Form B-22, the means test. Schedule J is where you disclose what you actually spend each month.

[DSIG]

chelle, my trustee analyzed both documents. My attorney actually advised to tweak the amounts on schedule J so that the disposable income on the schedule was within about $100 of the means test. Before filing, we tweaked the wrong expenses, which impacted the means test without realizing this, so we had to refile an adjusted schedule J so the means test would go back to where it was pre-filing. I guess you can say its a game---beef up your expenses and see how many stick. Your actuals matter, but whats more important is can you afford the monthly plan payment based on your DMI

[optimistic1]

good that you are under rather than over, because you would be turned into a receipt hoarder, and no one likes a hoarder.