Main question: On the online means test calculator, it automatically figures $556 for line 20B, "Housing and utilities; mortgage/rent expenses". If things go well, I plan on not having to pay rent or a mortgage at the time of filing (We do have a mortgage payment of about $905/mo, but we're letting the house go). Basically, am I allowed to claim the standard amount on the means test, even if we don't have that expense?
Common sense says yes, since this is supposed to be an average of what you're expected to pay each month. Just because we weren't paying rent at the time of filing, doesn't mean we wouldn't be a year from then.
Additional info: Wife makes decent money while on a contract, but may only work 6-9 months out of the year (last year was 9, this year looks like it may just be 6). If we stop paying on the cards and mortgage, we might be able to save up some money to buy a plot of land, and would just park our RV (converted bus) there. That would be our homestead exemption. No mortgage, no rent. If we wait three months, then we'd be able to file with a more accurate view of our income (i.e. the six month look-back would include three months of employment, which would accurately depict the real-world scenario of working six months out of the year). We'd be well under the median income (even if we include possible unemployment income). We should pass the means test with flying colors, IF we can use the standard figures (would need to keep our old rusted car in addition to the main one...as I doubt they'd let us count our RV as a vehicle AND a homestead).
Heck, I just thought of a hypothetical situation, one I probably won't run into. Let's say that I buy some solar panels for the RV. Land has a creek running through it, so we just get a fancy water filtration system for that. Entirely off the grid. Would one be able to claim line 20A "Housing and utilities, non-mortgage expenses" even if they had no water or electric bill? Just curious, I doubt we'd go to that extreme.
Oh, and can we really use the standard health care costs on line 19B, AND our actual costs for health insurance on line 34A?
Sorry for the long post. Just want to make sure I have our bases covered. Yes, I know I need to talk to a lawyer. Right now, we are WAY out of state, and would like to wait until we're back home to meet with a lawyer face to face.
Common sense says yes, since this is supposed to be an average of what you're expected to pay each month. Just because we weren't paying rent at the time of filing, doesn't mean we wouldn't be a year from then.
Additional info: Wife makes decent money while on a contract, but may only work 6-9 months out of the year (last year was 9, this year looks like it may just be 6). If we stop paying on the cards and mortgage, we might be able to save up some money to buy a plot of land, and would just park our RV (converted bus) there. That would be our homestead exemption. No mortgage, no rent. If we wait three months, then we'd be able to file with a more accurate view of our income (i.e. the six month look-back would include three months of employment, which would accurately depict the real-world scenario of working six months out of the year). We'd be well under the median income (even if we include possible unemployment income). We should pass the means test with flying colors, IF we can use the standard figures (would need to keep our old rusted car in addition to the main one...as I doubt they'd let us count our RV as a vehicle AND a homestead).
Heck, I just thought of a hypothetical situation, one I probably won't run into. Let's say that I buy some solar panels for the RV. Land has a creek running through it, so we just get a fancy water filtration system for that. Entirely off the grid. Would one be able to claim line 20A "Housing and utilities, non-mortgage expenses" even if they had no water or electric bill? Just curious, I doubt we'd go to that extreme.
Oh, and can we really use the standard health care costs on line 19B, AND our actual costs for health insurance on line 34A?
Sorry for the long post. Just want to make sure I have our bases covered. Yes, I know I need to talk to a lawyer. Right now, we are WAY out of state, and would like to wait until we're back home to meet with a lawyer face to face.
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