Could someone critique this Schedule J?

[JEM]

This is just me messing around with the numbers, and educating myself before we retain an attorney (which won't be be till after the first of the year)--shooting for a filing date of late March?

We think we should be able to file Ch. 7. We are under the median income.

This is for a family of 4--in TX. I should add a little tidbit here, and I'm sure an attorney will have more insight but, I have an older son that moved here from his dad's after running away. He ran away from OUR home in March. He won't be 18 till January. We've already been through everything with the police. Because he's 17 they can't MAKE him come home (he's living at a friend's house). However, he COULD come home I suppose. Because he's not living here, I figured everything as a family of 4 vs. a family of 5.

Sched. J

1. $1273 actual mortgage (PTI and HOA dues)

2. a. $175 utilites and trash (they are billed together and is a 12 mo. avg)
b. $80 water/sewer
c. $125 cell phones
d. $135 landline/cable/internet bundle

3. $100 Home Maintenance

4. $850 Food/Toiletries/Paper Products

5. $200 Clothing

6. $10 Laundry/Dry Cleaning

7. $125 Medical/Dental (I take prescription meds, and husband and son both wear glasses)

8. $315 Transportation (Gas, repairs, maintenance, inspection stickers and registration )

9. $100 Entertainment/Recreation

10. $40 Tithing and Charity

11. a. $3 Homeowner's Insurance that's paid separately for $36/yr
b. $89 Term Life Insurance for husband and myself
c. $0 Health insurance (pd. thru husbands paycheck)
d. $149 Auto Insurance

12.

13. $252 Auto Payment (plan to reaffirm)

14.

15.

16.

17. $57 Other (Haircuts and license renewals--wasn't sure where to put those)

This gives us a DMI of $22 month.

Are any of my numbers WAY out of line?

[JoeBankrupt33]

I really don't think anything looks out of line. When I filed in TX in 2001, family of 4, we put down more than you for food at the recommendation of our lawyer. I wouldn't put tithing/charity unless you can substantiate payments you made before filing, not just after. You could pretty easily bury $40 somewhere else if you need to.

[JEM]

I really don't think anything looks out of line. When I filed in TX in 2001, family of 4, we put down more than you for food at the recommendation of our lawyer. I wouldn't put tithing/charity unless you can substantiate payments you made before filing, not just after. You could pretty easily bury $40 somewhere else if you need to.

Thanks!

We do get quarterly statements from our church showing anything we've tithed, but if that will raise flags...we'll put the $40 somewhere else if there is room.

[JoeBankrupt33]

I doubt $40 should raise a flag. I just imagine that many people see that as a place to pad the numbers.

[JEM]

I really don't think anything looks out of line. When I filed in TX in 2001, family of 4, we put down more than you for food at the recommendation of our lawyer. I wouldn't put tithing/charity unless you can substantiate payments you made before filing, not just after. You could pretty easily bury $40 somewhere else if you need to.

Curious, what part of TX?