When adding up all of our expenses on Schedule J and subtracting it from my income on schedule I, what is the "sweet spot" that the court is going to be looking for on line 23C as net income?
Should the number be zero, positive or negative and what range plus-or-minus starts to set off red flags?
When I listed everything out in my first draft, using data from my personal finance software, I ended up with a negative balance over $400! While a bulk of our expenses are necessities like rent, insurance and transportation we go way high in the food/household category and our line 13 (Recreation) expenses are a few hundred dollars a month as well.
My concern is that keeping those actual numbers in place with such a negative net income would have an adverse effect on (or at least bring a question to) our plan to reaffirm both of our vehicles; one of which has a monthly payment of over $500.
I understand that honesty is the best (and only) policy and I'm certainly not trying to be deceptive. But should I be putting values based on actual spending over the past X months or should I be putting down an amount that is based more on what our family of four SHOULD be spending; understanding that we are in the process of reigning in our spending in these categories and plan on bringing those expenses down in the immediate future?
Should the number be zero, positive or negative and what range plus-or-minus starts to set off red flags?
When I listed everything out in my first draft, using data from my personal finance software, I ended up with a negative balance over $400! While a bulk of our expenses are necessities like rent, insurance and transportation we go way high in the food/household category and our line 13 (Recreation) expenses are a few hundred dollars a month as well.
My concern is that keeping those actual numbers in place with such a negative net income would have an adverse effect on (or at least bring a question to) our plan to reaffirm both of our vehicles; one of which has a monthly payment of over $500.
I understand that honesty is the best (and only) policy and I'm certainly not trying to be deceptive. But should I be putting values based on actual spending over the past X months or should I be putting down an amount that is based more on what our family of four SHOULD be spending; understanding that we are in the process of reigning in our spending in these categories and plan on bringing those expenses down in the immediate future?