Chapter 7 Budget Worksheet

What is the name of your state? Ohio

I'm getting ready to file Chapter 7 Bankruptcy. My attorney gave me a budget worksheet to complete and bring back. I'm married, but am filing as an individual. I have to list the total bills for the entire household including my husband. How do I know what the limits are for the different categories? Many of the items on the list are things that I used to charge and then tried to pay off as I could. Our extra money always went toward paying more than the minimum on the credit cards.

How do I calculate things like monthly clothing amount when I don't buy clothes monthly? What is reasonable for kids v adults? Also, I'm concerned that because we have three cars (two are older) and we drive alot, that our maintenance and gasoline might be higher than allowed. As an example, we typically replace tires on all three over a two year period, we do about 2 oil changes a month due to high mileage and our monthly gasoline charges are around $200 (due to driving to get his daughter--10 hour trips every other weekend and driving to see my mom -- 2.5 hour trips on weekends).

I have a 19 yo son who is in college. He is my dependent for tax purposes and I still buy him clothes and provide things for him. Do I include him as a dependent on the budget form and add his clothes in on that too? What about my husband's daughter? She doesn't live with us, but visits here every other weekend/holiday and part of summer, winter and spring vacation so part of our monthly entertainment, food, clothing, insurance, and gasoline (she lives 4 hours away) budget is high due to her.

[Ladynred]

There are no real 'limits' on what your expenses are. You put down what it ACTUALLY costs you and if the lawyer feels any category is too high or too low, he will likely adjust it to fit what is tolerated by Trustee's in your district. Your lawyer knows what the Trustee's will and will not allow. If you have good reason, and receipts, to prove higher than 'normal' expenses, then you should be ok.

Get out your checkbook, bank statements, - whatever records you have of what you spent last year. Total it up for each category and divide by 12 to get an AVERAGE monthly expense.


Does your 19 y.o. son work or have any income of his own at all ?? If not, and he's truly dependent on you, then put down those expenses - just make sure you explain it to the lawyer.

Include your step-daughter's expenses the same way. Its all part of your NORMAL expenses when she visits.