Just starting...my head is swimming...

[irishonyx33]

My husband is filing, mainly due to taxes. He owes a large amount to the IRS and State. We don't own a home, own 2 cars outright (a 2000 Jeep and a 1996 Toyota), and really have no assets besides furnishings and wedding rings. I stay at home with our baby and attend online college. He has 3 children that live out of state that he pays support for. So, there's my backround and I have just a couple questions...

He is filing alone because the taxes owed were all his before we married. I have a credit card solely in my name that we can afford to make payments on with the cushion in our budget (total amount owed is only $1000. Should that be listed as an expense, or how should this be handled?

He pays child support of $800 per month. The kids are here for 2.5 months in the summer, 2 weeks in the spring, and a week and a half in the winter for the holidays. So in total thats just over 3 months per year. I'm specifically concerned with the summer when our bills fo way up while they are here, but the child support does not go down. Is there any kind of plan where the payments would go down for the 2 full summer months they are with us?

The attorney said something about striping the tax lien? Can someone give me a brief explanation how that works? I've tried to research but all I find is striping a mortgage.


Thank you for taking the time to help me.

[minan]

I have a credit card solely in my name that we can afford to make payments on with the cushion in our budget (total amount owed is only $1000. Should that be listed as an expense, or how should this be handled?

You cannot include payments made to your credit card as monthly expenses.

He pays child support of $800 per month. The kids are here for 2.5 months in the summer, 2 weeks in the spring, and a week and a half in the winter for the holidays. So in total thats just over 3 months per year. I'm specifically concerned with the summer when our bills fo way up while they are here, but the child support does not go down. Is there any kind of plan where the payments would go down for the 2 full summer months they are with us?

Once the payment is established for the bankruptcy, that is it. You cannot adjust it seasonally, etc...believe child support is a priority debt and as are the taxes so these will get paid first in a bankruptcy.

[irishonyx33]

Thank you for your response. He is current on all child support and he pays the mother directly. There is a court order, but because he was never in arrears the state of MS doesn't take it our of his paycheck. Will he still pay the mother directly outside of the bankruptcy?

[RunningMan]

Since she is not filing bankruptcy, only her husband, I think she can count her credit card payment as an expense. However, I don't know how that works if she has no income of her own to pay her bills.

[newbie2]

Since she is not filing bankruptcy, only her husband, I think she can count her credit card payment as an expense. However, I don't know how that works if she has no income of her own to pay her bills.

The husband won't be able to claim her credit card bill as an expense, even though she has no income to pay for it. They will have to work out the payment from other parts of the allowed budget (groceries, etc.)

[irishonyx33]

The husband won't be able to claim her credit card bill as an expense, even though she has no income to pay for it. They will have to work out the payment from other parts of the allowed budget (groceries, etc.)

Thank you newbie2. We have enough cushion for the payment, but I wasn't sure if because we lived in a community property state (but this was my cc before marriage) if it had to be listed.