Over Median Income

[tallberry]

We are way in the negative between J and I. In fact, I am thinking they will question how we will manage even with the CH 7. For instance, I spend $600 to $800 in food each month and I would like to see anyone feed 2 teenage boys over 6' and a husband over 6'5" for less than that. They eat me out of house and home and I clip coupons and buy store brand of almost everything. Our rent here in Florida is $1300 although I am sure they won't allow that much. I just simply wrote down the actual amount I spend with zero padding (some even a bit low). My husband and I drive quite a ways for work, so our gas and tolls (Suncoast Pkwy is about $5 a day) run closer to $600-$650 a month. Again, no padding just the actual cost of doing business. We don't go out for dinner, go to the movies or anything...just go to my sons sporting events (football and baseball). I don't know how in the world any family of 4 can survive on the median income FL uses as a guideline.

[nazstar]

YEAH! Huge difference between your 2 teenage boys and my little 8 month old girl and new bean (arriving in June). Although it sounds like our husbands might have been separated at birth! We pay about $400-600 a month in groceries and that includes buying some luxury pregnancy craving items each week, pet food for 3 dogs, and baby food, wipes, etc. Grocery bill is a bit higher if I buy her pampers and formula at the supermarket (which I rarely do, but sometimes I have a coupon).

Are you sure that $1300 is way over for your county's rent allowance? Which county are you in? $650 a month is alot for gas/tolls - ugh!!! Luckily, I work very close to home and only go into the office 3 days a week - it's only 4 miles down the street. Both of our cars are fairly gas friendly.

I'll be truthful when filling out the schedules and can back it up with receipts. I'm not gonna worry about it until the trustee says something. What choice do I have?! If you are being honest and have nothing to hide, I have to believe you'll be okay!

[tallberry]

Thanks for the words of encouragement, naz. We have pets also (kitties), but they are pretty inexpensive to maintain. I live in Pasco County, FL, so we will file in Tampa. Did you say that you have already filed? If so, did your attorney give you any feedback regarding your chances to sail through without issues?

[tallberry]

sorry, naz, I see now that you stated in your earlier thread that you have not yet filed. Hope things go well for you, you have your hands full with a little one here and one on the way (plus going through the stress of BK). There is certainly light at the end of the tunnel for all of us though...

[nazstar]

Thanks for the words of encouragement, naz. We have pets also (kitties), but they are pretty inexpensive to maintain. I live in Pasco County, FL, so we will file in Tampa. Did you say that you have already filed? If so, did your attorney give you any feedback regarding your chances to sail through without issues?

Your rent is REALLY close to the allowance so I don't see it being a problem from that regard.

No, I haven't filed yet. To be honest, I can't really see where the trustee would have a problem.
-We have no savings, and no assets that don't EASILY clear the exemption,
-we have 2 small children so me being at home is rational,
-my husband has a good job,
-we have no real luxuries,
-our house is included in the BK, so no property.
-We will be below the median income, and neg on the J & I.
-we haven't used credit cards in months
-we haven't made any preferential payments to anyone

[tallberry]

Honestly, Naz, I can't imagine that you would have a single bit of trouble. You sound like a textbook scenario. I'm sure it will work out fine.

[dp1969]

Your rent is REALLY close to the allowance so I don't see it being a problem from that regard.

No, I haven't filed yet. To be honest, I can't really see where the trustee would have a problem.
-We have no savings, and no assets that don't EASILY clear the exemption,
-we have 2 small children so me being at home is rational,
-my husband has a good job,
-we have no real luxuries,
-our house is included in the BK, so no property.
-We will be below the median income, and neg on the J & I.
-we haven't used credit cards in months
-we haven't made any preferential payments to anyone

Naz,

I might be slow here but what is the J & I?

Dp

[slydog1967]

Happy to share my situation.
Rent = 1600
Electricity = 150
Water = 60
Telephone = 30
Cell = 100
Home maintenance = 30
Food = 400
Clothing = 100
laundry = 20
medical = 100 (prescriptions mostly)
transportation = 200 (hubby drives 90 miles roundtrip on turnpike for work)
recreation = 50
car insurance = 425
student loans = 75
car payment= 390
back taxes to IRS payment plan = 263
other (pampers, formula) = 100
TOTAL: 4,093

I know the rent is a little higher than the norm for our area but not by much. Our car insurance is really high too, but that is because my husband needs special SR22 insurance mandated by the state - that's $350 a month. Mine is significantly less. Other than that, we are at or below allowed expenses and still come up short about $200 a month. I suppose they can blink at the $200 for transportation but I have toll receipts and gas receipts - we live 45 miles away from my husband's job - that's like 100 miles a day he drives for work. It's costs money to make money!

Wow $200 for transportation, I spend 140 a week in gas and do not hardly drive for that far for work we claimed 640 for transpotation

[nazstar]

Naz,

I might be slow here but what is the J & I?

Dp

One is a schedule of your income and the other is a schedule of your expenses. Essentially, it's like your monthly cash flow. There is a link in the general bankruptcy section - it's a sticky with all the documents. That's where I got the link. They are really straightforward - 1 page each.

[nazstar]

Wow $200 for transportation, I spend 140 a week in gas and do not hardly drive for that far for work we claimed 640 for transpotation

I work 3 days a week outside the home and that's an 8 mile roundtrip commute. Husband works outside the home only 2 days a week and that's the killer 90 mile roundtrip commute. If I'm not commuting to work, I rarely drive farther than 5-10 miles away from home to run errands with the baby. We keep the cars serviced on schedule so they run as efficiently as possible, and we have a Jetta Turbo which gets really good gas mileage and a Honda Element that gets AWESOME gas mileage. So, that all helps. Do you have an SUV of some sort? I can't imagine spending $140 a week in gas.

[tallberry]

I have a Maxda CX9 and my husband has a Chevy 2500 Quad-Cab (diesel no-less). Unfortunately, we have these vehicles (truck and SUV) because we moved here to FL from IN in '07 and SUV's are a way of life in the snow belt! I wish we both had more economical vehicles but I am stuck with mine for 2-1/2 more years due to a lease. Actually, I shouldn't say "stuck" because I love my CX9 but it gets horrible gas mileage, wish I would have gone with the smaller version. Anyway, I drive 45 minutes each way, just to get to my sales territory and then do driving within my territory. So needless to say I spend a lot of money for gas just trying to make money.

[Cali]

Wow $200 for transportation, I spend 140 a week in gas and do not hardly drive for that far for work we claimed 640 for transpotation

We have a SUV and a truck, both V8's and we don't spend that much per week in gas. We spend anywhere from 90$ to 100$ per week.