Help! Husband got a job

[jennyn]

My 341 is scheduled for Oct 16. When I filed my husband was not working. A major reason for filing. Since then he has found a job and is currently bringing home only about $275/wk, it will at least double in a couple months after a training period. I filed single and even adding this amt would still keep me under the median.

At my 341, will I be asked or should I tell about the new job? If so will it make any difference being such a small amt and the fact that I filed alone?

[keepmine]

Doubt you'll even be asked. Keep in mind, your husband still has expenses that'll eat into that salary. Should be a nonevent.
BTW, volunteer nothing. Just answer the questions the trustee asks. If the question can be answer "yes/no" then that's how you answer. Don't elaborate. If the trustee wants more info, let them ask for it.

[PaKettle]

My attorney told me that if my income went up a little after I file it shouldn't matter much. Especially if, after figuring it into our average income for 6 months, it would still keep us under the median for our state. And especially after the 341 meeting, he said then it probably would not matter (I suppose there are extenuating circumstances where it could matter?)

I would guess that if he's only bringing in $275/week for a couple months, then it should not matter.

There is also the issue of: Who's to say he'll keep the job, that he'll be employed after the training period, or that his income WILL go up after the training. This is purely speculation unless he has a contract in writing stating that it WILL go up on a particular date.

I'd definitely run this by your attorney, if I were you, but my guess is that it should not matter much.

And if the trustee asks - and ONLY if he asks - if either of your incomes has changed, just say the part about him making $275/week; do not add the part about "...but it is supposed to go up after the training". That would be my strategy...

[jennyn]

Thanks, km and pa

I am sure I'm worrying for nothing. I will definately zip my lip and make sure I don't offer up any info or elaborate unnecessarily.

[jp2861]

Wouldn't this extra $1,000+ a month make a difference when they look at your income versus expenses? I was under the impression that you shouldn't have more than $100 or so left over after computing your expenses for the month. Would having more than $100 a month left over change your status to a 13 instead of a 7? Maybe more will chime in.

[PaKettle]

I'm no expert, but it is my understanding that the extra money first of all would not be listed on the income for the previous 6 months, so it would not "count" unless the Trustee asked about it. Also, even if it does count it would be averaged into the previous 6 months, so it would have less impact as part of the overall average.

I think one would make the case that since the income is not guaranteed to increase, one would not count any more than the $1100/month as part of the 6 month average, which was $1000/month lower for the previous 5 months.

This is just a guess based on what I've read and heard. I'm no attorney nor even an expert.

And, jennyn, I TOTALLY understand your worrying about it! I'd ask your attorney about it, for sure. He's on your side, or should be!

[rilbrianne]

I don't know how exactly to answer this but I thought I'd put in what I know. I just had my 341 meeting and the 2 things the trustee asked everyone was
1. are there any changes?
2. Who works? Address of your workplace? How much do you make?

He told us what he was going to ask beforehand. He also told us to report any changes because now was our chance to fix anything. And, we are under oath so if something isn't reported or if someone does something fraudulently, we could be prosecuted.

[JollyGG]

The trustee may or may not ask. Only tell them if they ask. Ours did not ask about changes in income. Technically, it doesn't matter. Practically, sometimes it does come up at the 341. If they do ask just mention the current salary. Because as someone else mentioned, any future raises are only speculation at this point.
The worst that will happen then is you will be asked to redo your schedules and resubmit them. As keepmine mentioned it should be no problem to show the new income and also the new expenses such as increased gas to get to work, new clothes for work, lunches for work, ect. As you are still under the median it won't end up mattering very much.