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PLAN MAY NOT PROPOSE EARLY PAYOFF BUT 1329 MAY ALLOW POST
CONFIRMATION MODIFICATION
In re Kidd, et al, Case No. 06-41232
August 2007, Judge Karlin
The Court recognized changes in 1324(b)(4) and held that debtors may not propose an early pay off but may obtain the same in the right circumstances via 1329.
Digest by:Â Jan Hamilton, Trustee
B22C CONTROLS UNLESS SIGNIFICANT CHANGES IN CIRCUMSTANCES
In re Lanning, Case No. 06-41037
May 2007, Judge Karlin
Over the Chapter 13 Trustee’s objection, the Court confirmed the plan because of significant changes in circumstances at the time of filing that caused Line 58 on B22C to be higher than what the debtor could afford to pay. BAP and 10th Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed, Petition for Cert to U.S. Supreme Court pending. Lanning controls in Judge Karlin’s court, until, if and when, the decision is overturned.
Digest by:Â Jan Hamilton, Trustee
BELOW MEDIAN MUST RUN 36 MONTHS, B22C IS TEMPORAL
In re Daniel, Case No. 06-20714
December 2006, Judge Somers
In a Below Median case, debtor’s income is determined by B22C and expenses by Schedule J and must “run†for 36 months (The Applicable Commitment Period) or pay 100% of all allowed unsecured claims. B22C is temporal, rather than a multiplier. Read carefully.
Digest by:Â Jan Hamilton, Trustee
Chapter 11 Bankruptcy: A reorganization proceeding in which the debtor may continue in business or in possession of its property as a fiduciary. A confirmed Chapter 11 plan provides for the manner in which the claims of creditors will be paid in whole or in part by the debtor.
Chapter 7 Bankruptcy: The most common form of bankruptcy, a Chapter 7 case is a liquidation proceeding, available to individuals, married couples, partnerships and corporations. More in Bankruptcy Basics.
Bankruptcy Code. Title 11 of the United States Code governs bankruptcy proceedings. Bankruptcy is a matter of federal law and is, with the exception of exemptions, the same in every state. When federal bankruptcy law conflicts with state law, federal law controls. Bankruptcy Code incorporating changes effective 10/17/05.
WHAT GETS PAID OUT OF THE B22C POOL?
In re Puetz, Case No 0620756
June 2007, Judge Berger
B22C presumptively shows debtors projected disposable income, schedules I and J no longer determine plan payment for above median debtor, but, rather, demonstrate feasibility unless there are special circumstances justifying adjustments to B22C. This is not the plan payment but is what goes to “unsecured creditorsâ€, which are general unsecured claims, anticipated attorney fees but not Chapter 13 Trustee fees or priority claims as these are already netted out in the B22C calculations. Contributions and 401(k) loan repayments are not included in calculating disposable income.
Digest by:Â Jan Hamilton, Trustee
Avoidance powers: Rights given to the bankruptcy trustee (or the debtor in possession in a Chapter 11) to recover certain transfers of property such as preferences or fraudulent transfers or to void liens created before the commencement of a bankruptcy case. More on preferences.
B22C CONTROLS, OR IF DEBTOR USES I AND J, MUST HAVE A FIVE YEAR PLAN
In re Beckerle, Case No.06-20572
April 2007, Judge Berger
ACP is a time frame of either 3 or 5 years and not a multiplier. B22C is a starting place in determining projected disposable income to be received in the 5-year period. A negative number on B22C indicates the plan is not feasible. Debtor can’t have it both ways. If the debtor relies upon I and J to prove feasibility, then the debtor must commit to a 5-year program.
Digest by:Â Jan Hamilton, Trustee
Avoidance: The Bankruptcy Code permits the debtor to eliminate (avoid) some kinds of liens that interfere with (or impair) an exemption claimed in the bankruptcy. Most judgment liens that have attached to the debtor’s home can be avoided if the total of the liens (mortgages, judgment liens and statutory liens) is greater than the value of the property in which the exemption is claimed. This is sometimes called “lien stripping.†For more, see Lien Avoidance and Lien Stripping.
ACP IS FIXED BUT PLAN PAYMENT IS NOT
In re Anderson, Case No. 06-20664
April 2007, Judge Berger
Applicable Commitment Period is determined as of the date of filing, but the amount of the plan payment is determined as of the effective date of the plan under 1325(b). Again, the Court noted that the trustee is not required to object.
Digest by:Â Jan Hamilton, Trustee
My blogging colleague, Wendell Sherk of St. Louis, MO, wrote this bankruptcy riff on an old Christmas carol:
Do You Owe What I Owe?
(To the tune of “Do You Hear What I Hear?â€)
Said the neighbor to the young man,
“Do you owe what I owe?
Bills up to the sky, young man,
Do you see what I see?
A choice, a choice, waiting in the night
A new start to end the year alright,
A fresh start for a New Year’s Night.â€
Said the collector to the young man,
“I know what you owe…
Bills up to the sky, little debtor man,
Do you hear what I say?
Pay what you can’t pay, little debtor man!â€
With a voice as big as the sea,
With a voice as big as the sea.
Said the young man to the lawyer kind,
“Do you know what I owe?
In your palace warm, lawyer man,
Do you know what I owe?
An arm, a leg, I’ll be out in the cold–
Help me save a little silver, or gold,
Help me save a little silver, or gold.â€
Said the judge to the people everywhere,
“Listen to what I say!
Be at peace, people, everywhere,
Listen to what I say!
A fresh start, a new start, waiting in the night
To bring you peace and goodness,
To bring you quiet in the night.â€
With apologies to Noel Regney & Gloria Shayne Baker
A sample of the original (better) song can be found here.
APPLICABLE COMMITMENT PERIOD IS FIXED AS DATE OF FILING
In re Moore, Case No. 06-20031
April 2007, Judge Berger
Debtors’ circumstances changed post petition pre confirmation. Although this does not change the ACP, it can change the amount to be paid to creditors. The ACP is locked in as of the date of filing. The Court noted that 1325(b)(1) only comes into play if the trustee objects, and the trustee has the discretion to object or not.
Digest by:Â Jan Hamilton, Trustee
Automatic stay: The injunction issued automatically upon the filing of a bankruptcy case which prohibits collection actions against the debtor, the debtor’s property or the property of the estate. See Relief from Stay on terminating the injunction.
NON DEBTOR EXPENSES NOT ALLOWED ON B22C
In re Shahan, Case No. 06-11638
April 2007, Judge Nugent
Above median debtor filed 13; wife did not. Trustee objected to confirmation on basis of various B22C deductions. Debtor was allowed to take a marital deduction on Line 19 from his paycheck, which represented mandatory withholdings from her paycheck and, as such, was not dedicated to household expenses. Debtor sought to deduct future payments on secured debts for wife’s debts on Line 47. Since these were not debtor’s expenses, they were not allowed. Additionally, debtor sought to deduct $415.00 on line 59. This includes wife’s monthly recreational expenses, loan repayment to family, tax prep fees and $200.00 per month to help an adult daughter. These are to be actual expenses. None of these qualified, except for the tax preparation expenses as analyzed by the Court.
Digest By:Â Jan Hamilton, Trustee
