Please.. someone help? :(

[coolmom04]

I posted last week about my mom moving in... well, she did. She is completely unemployed and intends to stay that way - possibly for the next year. We are supporting her 100%. She has $2500 to her name.. which she will be using to file for divorce.

We are not filing until July. We are currently over the median with a household of 6, but if we can actually include my mother as a member of our household and her having no income.. and we are supporting her.. what are the chances of me being able to count her for the means test? If I can count her, we will be $1,500 UNDER the median for my area.

But, I am confused as to what my husband's salary REALLY is! He has "W2 gross wages" and he has "total wages" that's about $300/more per month than the "W2 gross" I am so confused about that!!! We use the W2 gross for taxes and previous years income to qualify for a mortgage, everything else! So, isn't that the one we use for the means test? I never even asked. I had no idea the other total gross was on the stub! My husband pointed it out. If THAT is the number we have to use, we're over the median whether we can claim her or not.

I can't meet with my attorney until the end of the week to ask these ?s. I couldn't find any answers when I tried to search

Can anyone help or point me in the right direction?

[NanaOf11]

Make sure you are claiming ALL your allowed expenses!!!!

[JEM]

On the wages, I'm going to guess it's the higher of the two.

My husbands last pay stub of the year is significantly higher than the W-2--because the W-2 doesn't have what was earned and taken out for health insurance, disability insurance....

For example: say someone earned $50,000 gross at the end of the year, but $3000 was taken out for health insurance...W-2 shows gross earnings $47,000.

I think in cases of income for bankruptcy, you have to use the higher figure. ????

[coolmom04]

That makes complete sense! Thank you. I just couldnt wrap my stressed brain around that one. We'll I guess if we can claim her, being 5K over is better than 10k over!

thank you!! I emailed the paralegal today. I am hoping I will hear something from her.