Expert: Terry Leeders - 8/19/2009

Question
my county standard is $2260 for housing and utilities...how should this be broken down on the means test since the standard doesn't give breakdown instruction just the allowable total?

if my non mortgage expenses (gas bill, electric bill, hoa's, water bill, sewage bill, etc...) exceed this limit, is this a strong justification for requesting that this standard limit be raised if i can prove, by showing a years worth of bills, that my bills greatly exceed the limit?  thank you!

Answer
The amounts are set based on your area and family size by the IRS.  You can request additional, but, absent extreme circumstances, the court will usually deny these.  If you can show special need - say for example, it is for a medical condition because there is large home based medical equipment running out of the home, that would be an example of reasonable exception to the limits offered by the IRS.