Cable Bill and Cell Phone Bill??

[mymymy]

What is the name of your state? FL

Does anybody know what the concensus is on Cell Phone and Cable bills are? Are they considered a ligitimate expense? My cell, which I use for emergencies and to keep in contact with my 16 year old son, runs 82 a month and the cable bill is 62 a month. Will this be accepted by the trustee as neccessary or least allowable?

Can I list the cable bill under recreation, clubs and entertainment.. it sits at 20 dollars right now OR am I better off keeping that up there with utilities- even though doing so puts me a little (100.00) beyond the IRS's standard.

I am ammending my schedule J and don't want to mess it up! One other Q.. we need more than we make to pay our monthly expenses.. lots of juggling going on.. is it going to be a red flag if the expenses are more than income? if so, by how much?

TIA!

 

[jadedone24]

listing cable and cell phone as expenses

I filed in November '04 and included my satalite bill--I'm pretty sure you are allowed to figure them into expeses. I did run into a problem with listing more expenses than income. I later (after 341) was summons to a 2004 exam by the US Trustee and had to provide proof of income and went through my expenses in greater detail. If there is a large gap, it would look suspicious.

 

[mymymy]

Overtime and profit sharing q's, too????

I filed in November '04 and included my satalite bill--I'm pretty sure you are allowed to figure them into expeses. I did run into a problem with listing more expenses than income. I later (after 341) was summons to a 2004 exam by the US Trustee and had to provide proof of income and went through my expenses in greater detail. If there is a large gap, it would look suspicious.

Thanks jadedone24..

I have a -10 to 15 dollar difference..

Now I'm worried about the 401k contributions and loan repays.. aye aye aye.. i think we're in trouble. Can the trustee move to dismiss the case just because we contribute.. i think it's approx 6%.

Is all income considered? What I mean is.. do they calculate overtime and profit sharing as steady income?

I'm feeling very needy today.. I am so glad I found this board. It's awesome.

 

[SherryCherry]

I, too, am in Florida. When we went to our 341 meeting (April 12th, 05) the US Trustee did question us on our 401K contribution and loan repayments. She asked if we had to continue to contribute at the current level of 6% or if we had to contribute at all. My lawyer spoke up and said the $270 per month difference wouldn't matter in the grand scheme. (Boy was I happy to have my lawyer there! I wouldn't have known how to respond ... I think we have to participate because of our loans against the 401K, but I am still not sure)
As far as the cable and cell phone bills, we put those in our monthly expenses.

 

[schuxxx]

MISSOURI


I am wondering if a penaty fee from a broken cell phone contract could be considered a dischargable debt?

 

[bigun]

I am wondering if a penaty fee from a broken cell phone contract could be considered a dischargable debt?

Yes, include it in the filing.