U.S. Department
of Justice
Means Testing
Census Bureau, IRS Data and Administrative Expenses Multipliers
(Cases Filed Between April 1, 2015 and May 14, 2015, Inclusive)
Section I. Census Bureau Data
In Part 2 of Bankruptcy Form 22A-1 and Part 2 of Bankruptcy Form 22C-1, debtors are instructed to “Fill in the median income for your state and size of household.” This information is published by the Census Bureau, and the data is updated each year. In addition, pursuant to 11 U.S.C. § 101(39A)(B), the data on this Web site will be further adjusted early each calendar year based upon the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI).
The following link provides the median family income data published in September 2014 and CPI-adjusted in January 2015, reproduced in a format that is designed for ease of use in completing these bankruptcy forms.
Median Family Income Based on State/Territory and Family Size
Section II. IRS Data & General Information for Completing Bankruptcy Forms
1. General Information Regarding IRS Collection Financial Standards
Collection Financial Standards are used to help determine a taxpayer's ability to pay a delinquent tax liability. Allowable living expenses include those expenses that meet the necessary expense test. The necessary expense test is defined as expenses that are necessary to provide for a taxpayer’s (and his or her family's) health and welfare and/or production of income.
National Standards for food, clothing and other items apply nationwide. Taxpayers are allowed the total National Standards amount for their family size, without questioning the amount actually spent.
National Standards have also been established for minimum allowances for out-of-pocket health care expenses. Taxpayers and their dependents are allowed the standard amount on a per person basis, without questioning the amount actually spent.
Maximum allowances for housing and utilities and transportation, known as the Local Standards, vary by location. In most cases, the taxpayer is allowed the amount actually spent, or the local standard, whichever is less.
Generally, the total number of persons allowed for necessary living expenses should be the same as those allowed as exemptions on the taxpayer’s most recent year income tax return.
If the IRS determines that the facts and circumstances of a taxpayer’s situation indicate that using the standards is inadequate to provide for basic living expenses, we may allow for actual expenses. However, taxpayers must provide documentation that supports a determination that using national and local expense standards leaves them an inadequate means of providing for basic living expenses.
2. National Standards: Food Clothing & Other Items
National Standards have been established for five necessary expenses: food, housekeeping supplies, apparel and services, personal care products and services, and miscellaneous.
The standards are derived from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Consumer Expenditure Survey (CES). The survey collects information from the Nation's households and families on their buying habits (expenditures), income and household characteristics.
3. National Standards: Out-of-Pocket Health Care Expenses
Out-of-Pocket Health Care standards have been established for out-of-pocket health care expenses including medical services, prescription drugs, and medical supplies (e.g. eyeglasses, contact lenses, etc.).
The table for health care allowances is based on Medical Expenditure Panel Survey data and uses an average amount per person for taxpayers and their dependents under 65 and those individuals that are 65 and older.
The out-of-pocket health care standard amount is allowed in addition to the amount taxpayers pay for health insurance.
4. Local Standards. Housing and Utilities and Transportation
a. Housing and Utilities Standards are derived from Census and BLS data, and are provided by state down to the county level. The standard for a particular county and family size includes both housing and utilities allowed for a taxpayer’s primary place of residence.
Housing and Utilities standards include mortgage or rent, property taxes, interest, insurance, maintenance, repairs, gas, electric, water, heating oil, garbage collection, telephone, cell phone, internet, and cable. The tables include five categories for one, two, three, four, and five or more persons in a household.
Note: Effective October 3, 2011, the IRS no longer provides Housing and Utilities Standards for the U.S. territories of Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, and the Virgin Islands.
b. Transportation Expense Standards for taxpayers with a vehicle consist of two parts: nationwide figures for monthly loan or lease payments referred to as ownership costs, and additional amounts for monthly operating costs broken down by Census Region and Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA). A conversion chart has been provided with the standards that lists the states that comprise each Census Region, as well as the counties and cities included in each MSA. The ownership cost portion of the transportation standard, although it applies nationwide, is still considered part of the Local Standards.
The ownership costs provide maximum allowances for the lease or purchase of up to two automobiles if allowed as a necessary expense. A single taxpayer is normally allowed one automobile.
The operating costs include maintenance, repairs, insurance, fuel, registrations, licenses, inspections, parking and tolls.
If a taxpayer has a car payment, the allowable ownership cost added to the allowable operating cost equals the allowable transportation expense. If a taxpayer has a car, but no car payment, only the operating costs portion of the transportation standard is used to figure the allowable transportation expense. In both of these cases, the taxpayer is allowed the amount actually spent, or the standard, whichever is less.
There is a single nationwide allowance for public transportation based on BLS expenditure data for mass transit fares for a train, bus, taxi, ferry, etc. Taxpayers with no vehicle are allowed the standard, per household, without questioning the amount actually spent.
If a taxpayer owns a vehicle and uses public transportation, expenses may be allowed for both, provided they are needed for the health, and welfare of the taxpayer or family, or for the production of income. However, the expenses allowed would be actual expenses incurred for ownership costs, operating costs and public transportation, or the standard amounts, whichever is less.
Section III. Administrative Expenses Multipliers
11 U.S.C. § 707(b)(2)(A)(ii)(III) allows a debtor who is eligible for chapter 13 to include in his/her calculation of monthly expenses the actual administrative expenses of administering a chapter 13 plan in the judicial district where the debtor resides.
The Executive Office for U.S. Trustees issues the schedules of actual administrative expenses which contain, by judicial district, the chapter 13 multiplier needed to complete Official Bankruptcy Forms 22A-2 and 22C-2. Form 22A-2 is the form certain chapter 7 debtors will complete and the multiplier is entered on Line 45.b; Form 22C-2 is the form certain chapter 13 debtors will complete and the multiplier is entered on Line 36.
The original source for the State Median Family Income is the Census Bureau.
The original source for the National and Local Standards is the IRS.
To report any differences between the data on these pages and their original source, please e-mail: ust.mt.help@usdoj.gov.