Are There Monthly Expenses That Are Not Allowed In Bankruptcy?

Absolutely.  The Bankruptcy Code was built to compare your average monthly income to the expenses that you incur that are reasonable and necessary.  Including expenses in your budget that are not deemed reasonable and necessary can substantially impact your case.  Whether an expense is reasonable and necessary has been the source of many contested cases in bankruptcy and jurisdictions differ in what expenses are allowed.  The areas of dispute generally include expenses listed for smoking or other nicotine-related habits, expenses for pet care, expenses for entertainment and expenses for the support of others that are not court-ordered.  Disputes also arise over the necessity of cable television, multiple cellular phones, paid activities for children and sometimes the amount scheduled for food, utilities and other ordinary expenses.  In preparing your bankruptcy petition, your attorney will advise if any of your listed expenses may be contested and advise you as to how to address them.