In re Willingham

520 B.R. 818, 2014 Bankr. LEXIS 4518, 2014 WL 5488429
CourtUnited States Bankruptcy Court, E.D. California
DecidedOctober 24, 2014
DocketNo. 14-11447-B-7
StatusPublished
Cited by2 cases

This text of 520 B.R. 818 (In re Willingham) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering United States Bankruptcy Court, E.D. California primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
In re Willingham, 520 B.R. 818, 2014 Bankr. LEXIS 4518, 2014 WL 5488429 (Cal. 2014).

Opinion

MEMORANDUM DECISION REGARDING UNITED STATES TRUSTEE’S MOTION TO DISMISS

W. RICHARD LEE, Bankruptcy Judge.

The Ninth Circuit Bankruptcy Appellate Panel (“BAP”) recently decided that the $200 “older-vehicle operating expense” deduction is not available to chapter 13 debtors for the purpose of determining the amount of disposable income which must be paid through a chapter 13 plan to unsecured creditors pursuant to 11 U.S.C. § 1325(b)(2).1 In re Luedtke, 508 B.R. 408 (9th Cir. BAP 2014). In this contested matter, the court must decide whether chapter 7 debtors may still claim the older-vehicle expense deduction in the calculation of monthly disposable income on their chapter 7 means test for the purposes of determining the “presumption of abuse” issue under § 707(b)(2).

The U.S. Trustee (the “UST”) has moved to dismiss this case as a “presumed abiise” of chapter 7 pursuant to § 707(b)(2). In the alternative, the UST asks that the case be dismissed pursuant to § 707(b)(3) based on the “totality of the circumstances” because the debtors, James and Pamela Willingham (the “Debtors”), appear to have sufficient disposable income to repay all or a substantial portion of their debts through a chapter 13 plan (the “Motion”).

The Debtors filed an opposition to the Motion and this matter was originally set for hearing on the court’s law and motion calendar. Prior to the hearing, the court issued a civil minute order directing the parties to brief the Luedtke older-vehicle expense issue which the UST had noted in a footnote to her Motion. The Debtors [820]*820filed a supplemental opposition after which the court deemed the matter suitable for a decision without oral argument and it was taken under submission.

For the reasons set forth below, the court can find no legal or logical reason why chapter 7 debtors should still be entitled to deduct a $200 older-vehicle operating expense if it is not also available to chapter 13 debtors. In the absence of the older-vehicle expense deduction, the Debtors’ disposable income increases to a level which presumptively makes this case an abuse of chapter 7. That presumption has not been rebutted and it further appears that the Debtors could pay all or most of their debts through a chapter 13 plan. The Debtors will have 14 days to convert their case to chapter 13. If the case is not converted in that time, the Motion will be granted and the case will be dismissed.

This memorandum decision contains the court’s findings of fact and conclusions of law required by Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 52(a), made applicable to this contested matter by Federal Rules of Bankruptcy Procedure 7052 and 9014(c). The court has jurisdiction over this matter pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1334,11 U.S.C. § 707, and General Orders 182 and 330 of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California. This is a core proceeding as defined in 28 U.S.C. § 157(b)(2)(A).

Findings of Fact.

The Debtors are individuals with primarily consumer debts. Their schedules reveal unsecured debts totaling $30,421, all of which'appear to relate to credit cards and charge accounts for consumer goods. Their secured debts total $401,982, of which approximately $356,001 relates to a mortgage against their home located in Bakersfield, California. The Debtors filed a Statement of Intention with their bankruptcy schedules which declares that they intend to keep the home. The Debtors have two automobiles, a 2003 Ford Mustang with 100,000 miles valued at $6,956, and a 2006 Ford F250 pickup with 80,000 miles valued at $15,776. There are no liens against the two vehicles. The only other secured debt, with a lien against a 2007 Toy Hauler (the “Toy Hauler”), is owed to Santander Consumer USA. The Debtors’ Statement of Intention indicates that the Debtors intend to surrender the Toy Hauler and discontinue making those loan payments. The Debtors have no dependents and show a household size of two • on Schedule J.

Individual chapter 7 debtors, whose debts are primarily consumer debts, are required under BAPCPA to file a Chapter 7 Statement of Current Monthly Income and Means-Test Calculation using approved Official Form B22A (“Form B22A” or the “Means Test”). The function of the Means Test is to determine the chapter 7 debtor’s disposable income and to estimate the ability of debtors to repay their debts. Chapter 7 debtors whose annualized income exceeds the applicable median family income in their state of residence must “pass” the Means Test without creating a presumption of abuse (discussed below). In California, the median family income for a household of two is $62,009. The Debtors’ combined current monthly income (“CMI”) as stated in their Form B22A is $8,549.16. Here, the Debtors’ annualized income (CMI x 12) is $102,589.92. The Debtors were therefore required to complete the entire Means Test for purposes of making the 60-month disposable income calculation required by § 707(b)(2).

On the Means Test, the Debtors claimed a number of expense deductions which are undisputed and not at issue here. However, with regard to the vehicles, they claimed a $472 “vehicle operation” expense as allowed by the IRS Local Standards (Line 22A). In addition, they deducted $200 for each of their two vehicles under the category of “IRS Transportation Stan[821]*821dards, Ownership Costs” (Lines 23 & 24). On Line 42(a), under the category “Future payments on secured claims,” the Debtors also deducted an “Average Monthly Payment” for the Toy Hauler loan in the amount of $915.91. Altogether, the Debtors claim deductions from their monthly income totaling $8,457.72 (Line 47). After taking all of the deductions, the Debtors report a monthly disposable income under § 707(b)(2) in the amount of $91.44 (Line 50). If all of the above-referenced deductions are allowed, the Debtors would “pass” the Means Test.

Issues Presented.

In calculating their 60-month disposable income, the Debtors claimed a deduction for the Toy Hauler loan payments even though they intend to surrender the Toy Hauler and stop making those payments. The UST objects to this deduction. The UST also notes, in a footnote, that the Debtors deducted $400 of “Ownership Costs” for their 2003 and 2006 vehicles. The UST contends that the Debtors’ case is presumed to be an abuse of chapter 7 because the above-median-income Debtors’ 60-month disposable income, without the disputed expense deductions, exceeds the $12,475, “presumption of abuse” threshold under § 707(b)(2)(A)(i)(II). Alternatively, the UST contends that “the totality of the circumstances of the [Debtors’] financial situation demonstrates abuse” because, without the disputed deductions, the Debtors have the apparent ability to repay all, or a substantial portion of their debts through a chapter 13 plan. § 707(b)(3)(B).

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
520 B.R. 818, 2014 Bankr. LEXIS 4518, 2014 WL 5488429, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/in-re-willingham-caeb-2014.