Means Test & Schedule I "Contributions to Household"

[BrokeJoke22]

Hi,
I have a quick question.

On the the Means Test it says to list "Any amounts paid by another person or entity, on a regular basis, for the household expenses of the debtor or debtor's dependents, including child support paid for that purpose."

I want to be sure I'm doing this right. Me and my daughter live currently with relatives. The mortgage and utilities are their names. I pay half of the mortgage and utilities to help out. So basically I'm paying their household expenses not mine. Not complaining or anything. So would I have to add their half of the payments to the expenses as contributions to my household and in the "other income" line on schedule I or not? I've their payments but I just want to be sure. TIA

[ccsjoe]

BrokeJoke22, from what I read, that applies if relatives or third parties live with you and contribute to your electric, mortgage, etc, not the other way around. In your case you just list what you pay as expenses. Their total expenses and/or income does not become part of your household. Think of it as if you were renting a room.

[BrokeJoke22]

Thanks ccsjoe.
You don't know what a relief that is. I have been trying to juggle my expenses to fit the "contributions" my relatives make. Now I am definitely in the negative on my schedule j. I don't know if I should be happy or depressed about that.

What the heck, HAPPY, HAPPY, HAPPY! lol!

[tcreegan]

Hi BrokeJoke22, you are not using them for your household size right? Household = 2 ?

Tom in Colo

[BrokeJoke22]

No, I'm just using me and my daughter.

[oregonpilot]

Hi BrokeJoke22,
I have something similar.
I live with S.O. and pay him rent and we split the utilities and food "exactly" down the middle.
Kind of cool. We both put in the same amt in cash into a pan (actually its a bread pan..we call it the dough pan). As the utilities come in or we get groceries. we pay the bill and take the amt out of the pan and leave the receipt with a check mark showing we took the money out.

One attorney kept telling me that i needed to add ALL his income to mine (Sch I). Went round and round that he didn't give me any money and we paid all our own expenses and had nothing joint.

Well, another attorney said that i was just a roommate and he wasn't paying me, i was paying him. So what i paid in rent was an expense on Sch J. And only what i paid for utilities and food were my expense.

She added at the botom in explanations of Sch I that i was living with SO and our expenses were totally separate. She put on my Means test i am a household of 1. And only counted my income. As sad as that is.

[BrokeJoke22]

I just saw your post and even though I filing pro-se it's nice to hear that a lawyer also saw it this way. I'm so glad that came across this forum. All of you really help out and I don't think I would have the nerve to file alone without the help of this forum.
Thanks so much.