New Schedule J..please look and give opinions

[LSUTiger32]

I have stuck to the IRS guidelines...vehicle expenses, food/clothes/personals, utilities, mortgate, medical...everything is within guidelines......so I'm not sure what all the posts about sticking to the guidelines are about.

I am trying to help you, why the sourness? I am just saying, $1,200 for food is not going to fly unless you have a family of about 8. I know you lowered it some but for me $1,370 was all I could do for clothing, food, personal expenses, etc.

The only thing I have that is above and beyond is my children's activities..and it's not "texting" it's football and dance classes...

Again, I and others are trying to make you see that no one except you that is involved in your BK care about your son playing football and your daughters dance classes. Those are not NECESSARY expenses. They may be to you, but to the creditors that want to get paid, they could care less. I am just trying to explain to you that for that reason I did not include any of that stuff.

I've seen people on here try and justify being thousands over the median...and get by with a 7..I'd like to know what kind of expenses those people had that were considered "legal", if they were making that much money.

A lot of the time it is on secured debt which is my case.

We gave up our house, car, everything to do a seven and we are way under the median. What if this month we have no medical expenses but next mont we have a lot? That extra money should be in our budget in case we need it...that is why the allowances are there...you should not necessarily use that 300 for medical each month, but it should be there in case you need it. If the tt takes every extra dime from us what happens if the alternator goes out on my van? or the transmission out on my husbands truck? Well, thats when the extra vehicle expenses should come in handy. My dh broke his arm in March..had to pay 200 at the ER...would not have had that if all our money was being paid out in a 13 plan...this is what is not fair...

You are way over thinking this. They don't care about what might happen to you in three years. Life isn't fair, so stop expecting things to be fair.

and as for the creditors...they got everything they were owed in the thousands and thousands we paid to them and because of inflated interest our balances never went down...in fact, they were paid twice what they ever loaned us and I don't feel bad about it one single bit.........................................

I don't suggest feeling bad about it, but no....your nor my creditors got what they were owed. We signed up for an agreement that allowed them to do what they do to us. We have no one to blame but overselves.

[backtoschool]

Here are the IRS guidelines from the IRS website. I checked the US trustee website and the expenses are the same. These are the numbers that your trustee will be using.

National Standards: Food, Clothing and Other Items



National Standards have been established for five necessary expenses: food, housekeeping supplies, apparel and services, personal care products and services, and miscellaneous.

The standards are derived from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Consumer Expenditure Survey (CES).

Taxpayers are allowed the total National Standards amount monthly for their family size, without questioning the amounts they actually spend. If the amount claimed is more than the total allowed by the National Standards, the taxpayer must provide documentation to substantiate those expenses are necessary living expenses. Generally, the total number of persons allowed for National Standards should be the same as those allowed as exemptions on the taxpayer’s most recent year income tax return.

Expense One Person Two Persons Three Persons Four Persons
Food $285 $537 $626 $752
Housekeeping
supplies $28 $66 $61 $74
Apparel &
services $86 $162 $209 $244
Personal care
products
& services $31 $55 $59 $65
Misc $87 $165 $197 $235
TOTAL $517 $985 $1,152 $1,370


More than four persons Additional Persons Amount
For each additional person, add to four-person total allowance: $262

So, you would be allowed 1,370 plus 262, which is 1632 TOTAL.

You are over that in what you have been claiming. Anything over will be put into a chapter 13 plan unless you can convince the trustee that it was a necessary and reasonable expense and can document it with receipts. And even then the trustee might not accept anything over $1632 a month.

[LuciluS]

I feel for you berrymom35, and I don't want to scare you. The trustees are human beings and they don't want to make your kids suffer.

But.... they DO want to get you into a chapter 13 if there is any way possible. That is what they are paid to do. It's their job to try to get you into a chapter 13. If you have ANY expenses that they consider discretionary, they will take that money to fund a chapter 13 plan.

Here is what the trustee most likely would see as discretionary:

premium cable channels.
unlimited cell phone plan, versus pooled minutes plan where the kids cell phone numbers are 9.99 a month
expensive hobbies for you and your kids.
eating out as part of your food budget
a high entertainment budget
Internet bandwidth above the minimum (some service providers charge more per month for more bandwidth)

If those above discretionary items add up to over 100 month, presto you are in a chapter 13.

There are categories of expenses that can easily be backed with receipts and that are not discretionary that you do NOT have on your schedule right now but probably should.

car licenses, pet licenses, registration fees, etc.
all expenses related to your stay-at-home business, just like you claim it on your income taxes.
All insurance expenses including home, health, life, auto, disability, etc.
All expenses for doctors, dentists, optometrists, therapists, and all expenses for over the counter medicines such as advil, allergy medicine, antacids (for all of the stress lol), cough medicine etc. (break this out of your food bill and put it in your medical category).

Just some ideas....

Berrymom: Please stop spending your time on what's not fair in bankruptcy.
I was shocked to find out, even tho the IRS allows a certain % for over road truck drivers, The Bankruptcy Courts do Not! Must have receipts. Sweetie, we are only trying to help you and I know you are frustrated and part of it's not your fault due to the Attorney screwing up BUT that's in the Past.

You own a business. You have, as of yet, to show us any expenses on your business. What backtoschool states above is what you need to spend your time on. Pardon my French and Lord sorry, but the Trustees or the UST don't give a Damn about your kids. It's fact! May not be Fair BUT IT'S FACT! Move on and do the above.

That's just like I'm 100% disabled, but do you think I can claim a housekeeper in my Bankruptcy? NO! Hubby is a Cardiac Patient and rarely eats beef or pork. He eats Turkey and it's darn expensive. You think the Trustee cares? NO!

Please listen to us...we are only trying to help you!

Luci

[hereforinfo]

Our house is 1800 sq feet and those are actual numbers...this winter our electric bills were $250 and our Gas $200...we live in 100 year old house that is drafty...also, our state allows for $420 for utilities...the tt did not question this.

You need to look back over the previous year and add up your total payments, then divide by 12.

[UhhhOhhh]

I have stuck to the IRS guidelines...vehicle expenses, food/clothes/personals, utilities, mortgate, medical...everything is within guidelines......so I'm not sure what all the posts about sticking to the guidelines are about. The only thing I have that is above and beyond is my children's activities..and it's not "texting" it's football and dance classes...and my husband already works two jobs..and I do as much work as I can being self employed..if were pushed into a 13 anyway....I could get four jobs and all that extra money won't go to my family it would end up going to the creditors once the tt found out we were making even a dollar more per day....

I've seen people on here try and justify being thousands over the median...and get by with a 7..I'd like to know what kind of expenses those people had that were considered "legal", if they were making that much money. We gave up our house, car, everything to do a seven and we are way under the median. What if this month we have no medical expenses but next mont we have a lot? That extra money should be in our budget in case we need it...that is why the allowances are there...you should not necessarily use that 300 for medical each month, but it should be there in case you need it. If the tt takes every extra dime from us what happens if the alternator goes out on my van? or the transmission out on my husbands truck? Well, thats when the extra vehicle expenses should come in handy. My dh broke his arm in March..had to pay 200 at the ER...would not have had that if all our money was being paid out in a 13 plan...this is what is not fair..


and as for the creditors...they got everything they were owed in the thousands and thousands we paid to them and because of inflated interest our balances never went down...in fact, they were paid twice what they ever loaned us and I don't feel bad about it one single bit.........................................

BerryMom35 - Heres the thing... you are trying to be a GOOD and RESPONSIBLE person (parent/wife) and look at the 'what ifs' down the road. The problem is that when you file bankruptcy the courts DO NOT CARE about the 'what ifs' down the road. What they care about is HOW MUCH you have above and beyond BASIC NECESSITIES (food/heat/roof/clothes) that can be used to pay back the creditors.
What everyone on the board is trying to explain is that whilst we all TOTALLY understand where you are coming from... and why you feel the way you do - we are really concerned that you are digging yourself into a hole further. You honestly need to readjust your thinking and look at it from the creditors/courts viewpoint - with a verrrrrry skeptical eye. They are just SURE you are trying to hide assets... trying to screw the creditors... trying to pull one over on everyone by bailing out in a chapter 7... so they are going to scrutinize every single penny above and beyond the absolute necessary.
And while the allowances may be... $500 for gas...they will still look at how much you drive and how often and then ask for actual receipts showing that you spent that much (as an aside.. I commute 57 miles a day round trip for work 5 days a week - gas costs me $22 a week for a total of $88 a month so... looking at your gas expense amount for the two of you, it looks high... and the Trustee is going to do the exact same thing... she is going to look at what SHE spends on gas.. and run the calculations and is going to think 'wait a minute here'. Its human nature really to compare).
Ditto on the groceries. $1200 seems really high for food (Im a family of 4 and we spend about $700 a month on groceries) when you are also buying school lunches 5 days out of the week... which then negates the need for lunch stuff. The trustee is going to be thinking similarly.

What you need to do (as several of the other posters have said) is find OTHER catagories into which you can put THOSE expenses. Catagories that arent going to raise red flags for which the Trustee is going to ask for actual receipts. For instance... when you buy your groceries.. Im sure you put TP and advil and deoderant etc into the basket.. thats not food.. thats health. Or.... Im sure that (as someone said) a big chunk of your cell phone bill is business NOT 'family cell'.
As another aside... here all the companies do 'bundles' so you can get home phone, internet, cable, cell phone as one bundle and you can SAVE a bundle. I dont do cable and I cut the cell phone down to almost nothing when I filed for bk cause I couldnt afford it all anymore... and I use a VOIP for home phone so between them all I pay a little over $150 a month now - whereas before separately they ran about $300 a month or more sometimes. See if your companies do that and look into it.

Anyway... Im sorry to run on so... but everyone really is trying to help.. but you have to see that while its not fair... its the way it works.. so sometimes you just have to go along to get along. And its just for a little while... you do what you have to.. even if its difficult... for the short term in order to be debt free in the long term.

[hereforinfo]

Oh, the 500 is what is allowed in our state..both our vehicles are 10+ years old and there is some expenditure that allows so much per vehicle that are that old...my husband commutes 50 miles each way three days per week and I communte 120 miles each way one day per week...We each easily spend $60 per week in gas, so our actual expenditures are over 500 if you factor in the alternator that went out last month in my van and the tie rod ends my husband had to replace month before last on his truck....

Also, about our phone situation. We have to have a home phone line in order to have internet...because all we have available to us is DSL..so we have to keep the phone line...the internet is $50 and the phone line is $80.....We have three cell phones and I use mine for business calls....which I deduct from my taxes...we have an unlimited plan along with unlimited texting (kids) and the actual monthly rate is $191...add a few calls to 411 here and there and then taxes and fees it gets boosted up to at least $240

For commuting the two of you total 540 miles per week. If you figure 17 miles per gallon @ 3.20 per gallon, that's only $108. Obviously you need to drive for personal use as well, but realistically you are not putting on another 1500 miles a week around town.

[berrymom35]

backtoschool: I do appreciate your trying to help, but I am within the guidelines. 1200 for food/cleaning supplies/tp and such + 200 for clothes +50 for laundry + 85 for hair cuts + 40 for school lunches = 1,575, which is less than the allowable expenses for all of those things combined! Also, I don't know your situation and how much over the median you are...but we "gave up" our secured debt because our atty told us it was hard to justify a chapter 7 when we were driving a new car and living in a 250,000 house. I don't think it should be allowed to keep all your "stuff" and slide by claiming those payments...but whatever

Lucilus: I don't own a business..I'm a contract writer. I write marketing materials. I type and type and print and print and mail stuff...so I use a lot of ink, postage and paper. I just don't see what I could use as business expenses unless it's part of the cell phone....I do think that I should be able to use all of my self employment taxes though...

hereforinfo: that $500 is for transportation expenses..gas, oil changes, tires, wiper fluid, meters, repairs. My dh takes a lot of call and this means that often on a weekend he drives that communte back and forth up to 7 times, he fills his tank at least twice a week for $35 a shot. I fill mine once and then still put $20 to get me by the rest of the week. The tt did not question this and even mentioned that we drive older cars and therefore that expense is justified.

One poster mentioned pay movie channels...we had a six month free showtime once..but that ended and we did not continue it...thats it. I did have to buy a washer and dryer because the set I got for my wedding 13 years ago finally gave out...I had to get it at rent a center because I don't have the extra cash to buy any outright. I got a used set and pay $26 a week for them. My dh was too embarassed to tell the tt this, also we did it after we filed..... I have not even had the money to buy my kids new school shoes and school starts Monday for us...my daughter's birthday is Saturday and she will have no party for her and her little friends. She will barely get a gift. My kids know things are tight and I'm really not having a pitty party...but we gave up all of our "things"...so we could qualify for 7 and have a new start. We are 1000 under the median per month...I'm sorry, but it should not be this hard.

I know the trustee is no my friend...I'm not stupid. My flaw was trusting my atty to have my back when filling out my schedules...to alert me to anything that would cause a red flag..to speak at the 341...she can't even find the time to meet with us now to go over everything and try to fix it. I can't afford another attorney..we gave her our school clothes money to assure her attendance at our 341....what a waste....I'm wondering if I can contact the tt and talk about our atty issue?

[backtoschool]

Okay..so I redid my schedule J expenses...could you guys please take a look at them and tell me what you think?

Mortgage: 688.95
Electricity/gas: 450.0
Water and sewer: 60
Telephone and Internet: 130
Cellphones (3): 240.00
Cable: 90.00
Trash: 20
Home maintenance: 75
Food: 1200.00
Clothing: 200.00
Laundry/dry cleaning: 50.00
Medical/dental: 200.00
Transportaion: 500.00 (we commute)
Recreation: 150.00
Home Insurance: 58.33
Life Insurance: 77
Car Insurance: 79
Taxes (personal property/house/self employment): 250.00
Auto: 264
80
Son's (2) activities: 105 (karate/football/baseball)
Daughter's activities: 102 (competitve cheer)
Preschool: 100
Business: 50 (office supplies)
School lunches: 40
Personal Hygene/hair-cuts/highlights: 85

the hair stipen, lunches, food clothes, laundry...should be lumped into the $1600+ I'm allowed per IRS standards right?

Please let me know any thoughts on this new schedule!

Here is what the trustee is going to not like:

Internet/phone: You have 130 for this. A bundle should cost about 60 or 70 dollars. Trustee gets 60 dollars towards a chap 13 plan here.

cable 90 dollars: basic cable costs 50 dollars. The trustee gets 40 dollars towards a chap 13 plan here.

Competitive cheer: Totally discretionary. The trustee gets 105 dollars towards a plan here.

Recreation 150. Totally discretionary. The trustee takes 50 dollars of this towards a plan.

food 1200: too high. The trustee will take about 300 dollars of this to fund your chap 13 plan.

Cellphones 240. Too high. The trustee will take 100 of this to fund your chap 13 plan.

So, without touching the transportation expense and the 450 dollar heating expense, the trustee has come up with 655 dollars a month to fund a chapter 13 plan.

Of course this is a hypothetical example, but is not far off from what other trustees have done in other examples on this forum.

The way you have your expenses now will trigger a bunch of red flags for the trustee and that trustee could possibly either dismiss your petition or put you into a chap 13. Of course I don't know this is going to happen, but you have to have another meeting, which is not a good sign.

[mamaluv]

I was going to say the internet/phone seems a bit high as well....my DSL/phone bill is only $52 a month. Same for cable...I am wondering what kind of package do you have that costs $90?

[berrymom35]

backtoschool...if you want I can fax you a copy of my bill..it is what it is...thats what it cost. Thats the DSL package that is available. I HAVE to have the phone with it..there is NO cheaper option..so the tt CAN'T dispute it.

tts do allow some for recreation..thats why there is a line for it. Did you put 0$ on yours? It costs my family $70 to go to the movies ONE TIME.

The cell phone is also the bill that I pay..maybe were not getting a great deal..but that is the bill each month. Once again, I do use it for work so maybe I can pull some of it towards my business expense..the tt did not even question the cell bill.

I do spend $1,200 at the store each month. This is food/cleaning/personal hygene/tylenol (and a lot of it...three just now in fact)/ toilet paper/ paper towels/dog food etc..everything...this is what is lumped into the 1,200. I don't think I have saved every receipt but the debits on my bank statements to walmart were not for Gucci purses and will prove these expenses. AND ONCE AGAIN..this is not above the allowable expense.

The 450 is not just a heating expense! It's electric and heat and I live in a very drafty house!!! I can prove it those expenses and once again...ALLOWABLE.

If you read my info correctly, then you would know that my case was continued because the tt wanted my deed of trust to my house, a written track record of the truck payments we are making to my in-laws and for us to fix some apparant duplications on our schedule J with our kid's activities. The tt said, and I quote "with these duplications it looks like you may have an extra 500 or so, and I doubt that is true."

I'm not sure why you are bullying me, but after I proved your calculations wrong on my allowed IRS expenses, you've found more to come at me with. Lets just move past this because you are honestly raising my stress level now. I wish you luck withh your upcoming 341 and I hope it goes smoother than mine did...it probably will because you seem to be an expert. Please please please, whoever is in charge please close this thread....

[bkmaggster]

We are trying to HELP you. You asked for OPINIONS, and you got quite a few of them.

If you have it all figured out - why are you asking us for help?

I think what you perceive as bullying is actually quality advice. People have been kind and understanding, IMO.

I can't speak for anyone else, but I have been responding to you because I am genuinely worried for you. I hope your continuance goes smoothly, and I won't comment further.

[berrymom35]

Did I ever say I had it all figured out? I obviously don't, but I don't understand why I'm being told my bills are too high..when that is what they are..I can't change my utility bills etc...I'm simply not worried about these as I can prove them.

None of my statements of frustration were directed at your posts...I've had some that just won't stop with the same thing over and over.....I appreciate your concern...I'm concerned too!

I do think I'm done with this forum though...posting anyway...I think I learn more when I just lurk. I've never felt a lot of positiveness here...directed at me personally...I could just be imagining it...but I get a lot of negative responses and such...sorry if you took any sort of offense but it is very hard to work as hard as we work and to love my kids as much as I do and to not want to tell my 8 year old who loves football more than he loves breakfast, lunch and dinner that he will more than likely have to turn in his pads before the first game as much as I don't...and to have to defend every dime I spend...it makes me want to step out in front of a bus. I'm sorry but most of these posts have not been kind or understanding! I feel like I've been beat up!

[backtoschool]

backtoschool...if you want I can fax you a copy of my bill..it is what it is...thats what it cost. Thats the DSL package that is available. I HAVE to have the phone with it..there is NO cheaper option..so the tt CAN'T dispute it.

tts do allow some for recreation..thats why there is a line for it. Did you put 0$ on yours? It costs my family $70 to go to the movies ONE TIME.

The cell phone is also the bill that I pay..maybe were not getting a great deal..but that is the bill each month. Once again, I do use it for work so maybe I can pull some of it towards my business expense..the tt did not even question the cell bill.

I do spend $1,200 at the store each month. This is food/cleaning/personal hygene/tylenol (and a lot of it...three just now in fact)/ toilet paper/ paper towels/dog food etc..everything...this is what is lumped into the 1,200. I don't think I have saved every receipt but the debits on my bank statements to walmart were not for Gucci purses and will prove these expenses. AND ONCE AGAIN..this is not above the allowable expense.

The 450 is not just a heating expense! It's electric and heat and I live in a very drafty house!!! I can prove it those expenses and once again...ALLOWABLE.

If you read my info correctly, then you would know that my case was continued because the tt wanted my deed of trust to my house, a written track record of the truck payments we are making to my in-laws and for us to fix some apparant duplications on our schedule J with our kid's activities. The tt said, and I quote "with these duplications it looks like you may have an extra 500 or so, and I doubt that is true."

I'm not sure why you are bullying me, but after I proved your calculations wrong on my allowed IRS expenses, you've found more to come at me with. Lets just move past this because you are honestly raising my stress level now. I wish you luck withh your upcoming 341 and I hope it goes smoother than mine did...it probably will because you seem to be an expert. Please please please, whoever is in charge please close this thread....

I am done commenting on your posts. I am not "coming at you". I have spent a lot of time trying to help you avoid a chapter 13. You have been nothing but defensive, and frankly have misquoted me on numerous occasions. I ignored all of this because I wanted to help you.

I feel for you, but I don't feel you are listening. If you think I am bullying you then wait until the trustee gets to you. I have been very sympathetic, but my last post was "tough love" to get you to see that your expenses are discretionary and will be used against you if you are not careful. You asked for help, and i was only trying to help you see things the way the trustee will see them.

The trustee did not just schedule a new meeting because of some typos. Be realistic.

[LuciluS]

Berrymom:

You did include your business in your bankruptcy right? Go find the last 2 yrs. tax returns and look for 2 schedules. One is Schedule SE (self-employment tax) and the other is a Schedule C (Profit or Loss from Business).
Look at the expenses shown on that Schedule C...those are your business expenses & should be noted as such for your bankruptcy.

Also, our phone bill w/free long distance calling/dsl avg. 98.62 a month, my cell phone is $16.91 & dh's business cell phone is $73.81. In our situation, I do not believe the trustee will question the cell phone as dh is required to have one for driving all over the country. If you have kept all the utility receipts for a year, then those are your correct figures. Just make sure you have a spreadsheet noting each. My headings are Gas/Electric (I put down the date it was paid & to whom. I also used a formula & came up with an Average for the Electric & Gas & duly noted.) Phone & Cell phone (did the same thing as I just posted. We have AT&T cell phone & their bill breaks it down per phone...we do not have text messaging, so this is where I put my cell phone. (Again, did the formula & came up with an Avg.

I had one column for water, sewer & trash pickup. I have our Satellite bills listed for the last 12 mths & it comes up to $82.02 a month (might be high, but hubby said he would explain to Trustee why it is so high).

Then I have hubby's cell phone avg. of $73.81. We have the cheapest plan AT&T offers for a 2 person rate. Hubby has XM Satellite Radio of $18.15 which I'm going to talk to our BK Atty. about this expense.

One other thing I thought about is quarterly pest control and/or Annual Termite Contract which I believe you must have for either the mortgage co. or your insurance co. (cannot recall which one). Ours avgs. $36.01 a month as we have both. I have the statements to back that up.

Our BK Attorney told us that no Recreational expense is allowed. Well, with me being 100% disabled & hubby gone usually 6 days out of 7, the only recreational expense might be the books I buy as I read a lot. Used to buy the bestseller paperbacks each week at Wal-Mart from $3.87 up to $5.89. Now I buy them at Dollar General where I also buy cleaning supplies, and laundry detergent. I also buy there Clover Valley Products....coffee (cannot tell the difference) Low Calorie Cookies (like Snackwells) Clover Valley oreo like cookies and their chocolate chip cookies and their graham crackers. O & they have strawberry fig newton bars which are great.

Living in a small town of 2,400 we are limited as we only have one grocery store, Harp's, & I can't stand the smell of the store. I will go to Dollar General & buy my stuff (the cookies, graham crackers, strawberry fig newton like bars) as that is what I eat when dh is on the road along with fat free frozen yogurt. Dollar General's wheat bread is much better than Harp's. The closest Wal Mart is 16 miles on way or 18 miles the other way. Hubby trys to go to Wal Mart every other weekend as he buys the groceries. Sometimes, I like to go with him, BUT, I know I slow him down ,as have to get my scooter out of the back of van, which I can do by myself, but I have a tendency to gawk at all the new items in the store. Hubby has a list and what he buys is on that list.

As for your food bill it definitely needs to be separated into OTC meds, Personal Hygiene Products, Household Items (laundry detergent, bounce, bleach etc.). Hopefully you've got a few receipts & know when you buy this stuff, so you will have a good idea of how to break it down or just use the National Standards list. Just don't lump it all into one category - Food.

Also, have you made a Spreadsheet of your Co-Pays, Out of Pocket Expenses, Prescriptions, etc. Take the total of all of them & divide it by 12. This is a Biggie for Us and know Trustee will question it. I have the bill from every doctor, dentist, etc on the bottom, the EOB from the insurance company, I copy by bank statements & cut out the appropriate check & tape it to the EOB & then staple it all together & add to spreadsheet.

If you are not familiar with a Spreadsheet, you need to look in your Program Files and see if you have Microsoft Works, Excel, Microsoft Money or whatever has a spreadsheet to it. I will help you & I'm sure DSIG will be glad to help you. If you have Excel, she can PM a month's worth of expenses & the formulas to derive at a yearly average.

Hmmm, it's 1:26 am. I need to get to bed.

Hugs,

Luci

As for the prescriptions, we've had so many, I gave up on trying to keep up with the cost. We are able to sign a piece of paper, make copy of our DLs & our pharmacists prints it out for us. I just paid some medical bills this month, but I do know our monthly expense will be over $1,000. Trustee wants to balk, all he has to do is look at our tax returns since year 2005 (accident 3/14/05) & it's noted on Schedule A Itemized Deductions. We are going to have to bankrupt some of the medical bills.

I think you need to delete your children's activities and recoup those expenses elsewhere like whatever business expenses on Schedule C, Policy,

Before you mail or deliver this to your Attorney, make Sure you have gone through all of Your Bank Statements & have everything listed. If in the past 12 mths. you were using your Credit Cards, go through their Statements also. If you accomplish the 2 above things, I think you will find enough expenses to take care of the $207 you've listed for your kids.

Again, filing bankruptcy is a Financial Decision and all emotions need to be left out of it. It doesn't mean your kids cannot continue, it just means you are going to have to reduce some things from your budget to allow them the extra cirrucular activities.

[UhhhOhhh]

Did I ever say I had it all figured out? I obviously don't, but I don't understand why I'm being told my bills are too high..when that is what they are..I can't change my utility bills etc...I'm simply not worried about these as I can prove them.

None of my statements of frustration were directed at your posts...I've had some that just won't stop with the same thing over and over.....I appreciate your concern...I'm concerned too!

I do think I'm done with this forum though...posting anyway...I think I learn more when I just lurk. I've never felt a lot of positiveness here...directed at me personally...I could just be imagining it...but I get a lot of negative responses and such...sorry if you took any sort of offense but it is very hard to work as hard as we work and to love my kids as much as I do and to not want to tell my 8 year old who loves football more than he loves breakfast, lunch and dinner that he will more than likely have to turn in his pads before the first game as much as I don't...and to have to defend every dime I spend...it makes me want to step out in front of a bus. I'm sorry but most of these posts have not been kind or understanding! I feel like I've been beat up!

Wow! <shaking my head here> Now Im totally confused. First you post a complaint that NO ONE was commenting on your posts.. and now after asking everyone to chime in with their thoughts on your sched. J ... to which people KINDLY and THOUGHTFULLY have... You are seriously miffed because you dont agree with (or like ) their opinions (some of which are very educated /experienced opinions). ??? Do I have this correctly????

Perhaps therein lies your problem?
Attitude.