Means test question

[callies]

What justifies "additional food and clothing expenses" , as well as, "local standards: housing and utilities: adjustment"?

[OhioFiler]

Your actual expenses may be used to justify it. Expect additional scrutiny if you employ those items.

[backtoschool]

Typically, if you go over the irs schedules, you will have extra scrutiny as OhioFiler says. The scenarios that will be ok with the trustee will usually involve regional expenses that are higher than the irs standards (like in the nyc area for example), or some special circumstance that causes your expenses to go up (your house had a fire and you had to buy all new clothing, or your baby needs the temperature in the house to be at a certain temperature per doctor's orders, etc....)

[momofthree]

Specialized food diets necessary for medical reasons, etc. Also keep in mind, you can't go over 5% of the IRS standards, which really isn't much wiggle room anyway...

So, if your IRS standard for food is $1000, you could only add an extra $50 (5%) on there at a maximum.

[justbroke]

Exactly what momofthree wrote. The allowance is only 5% and for medical reasons. you could technically have a "special circumstance" but that's handled differently. In order to use the 5% additional food and clothing allowance, you generally need medical proof.