Schedule J - how does it look?

[jeep75]

Please let me know what you think of our schedule J.


Family of 4

Mortgage: $2028
Electricity and Heating: $356
Water and Sewer: $10
Telephone: $15

d. Other:
internet: $58
TV: $83
cell phones: $91

home maintenance: $75
Food: $800
Clothes: $240
Laundry and Dry cleaning: $20
Medical and Dental: $107
Transportation: $700
Entertainment: $50
Auto Insurance: $100
Excise Tax: $26.75
Auto Payment #1: $298.99
Auto Payment #2: $399.62

17. other:
child care: $892
Speech Therapy: $380
Physical Therapy: $280
Pets: $50

Leaves us with less than $50

[debee]

I propose you go to the NOLO means test website, enter your zipcode and get the standard amounts for your state/county and print or copy them onto a separate sheet. http://www.legalconsumer.com/bankruptcy/nolo/

Then go to the UST's website and get their line-by-line analysis because it breaks down the categories very clearly. http://www.justice.gov/ust/eo/bapcpa...ne_by_line.pdf

Then go over your budget item for item and make sure that when you group your budget items into the categories from the line-by-line printout they do not exceed the standards. If they do exceed, make sure it's something that you can document AND back up that it's both necessary and reasonable. Medical expenses are a good example.

It's a bit of a pain, but if you do it this way your petition will come in under the radar.

EDIT TO ADD: I should have said that I'm not suggesting you alter your fixed expenses like rent/mortgage, but that you tweak your flexibles (such as food, apparel, etc) towards the ceiling and reexamine your semi-flexibles like water, electricity, etc and use the average unless your historical average is low because you were too broke to heat your place, or water the lawn, etc., in which case I'd up that expense to match your intended use in the days ahead.