Miner v. Johns

589 B.R. 51
CourtDistrict Court, W.D. Louisiana
DecidedMay 23, 2018
DocketCIVIL ACTION NO. 5:17–CV–0879
StatusPublished
Cited by5 cases

This text of 589 B.R. 51 (Miner v. Johns) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, W.D. Louisiana primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Miner v. Johns, 589 B.R. 51 (W.D. La. 2018).

Opinion

ELIZABETH ERNY FOOTE, UNITED STATES DISTRICT JUDGE

Before the Court is an appeal filed by debtors, Donald Eugene Miner and Sandra Randolph Miner ("the Miners" or "Appellants"), of the Bankruptcy Court's March 14, 2017 order denying their proposed Chapter 13 plan. [Rec. Doc. 1]. The Trustee, Todd S. Johns ("Trustee" or "Appellee"), opposes the appeal and recommends that the Court affirm the Bankruptcy Court's order. [Rec. Doc. 9]. For the reasons assigned herein, the order of the Bankruptcy Court is hereby REVERSED and REMANDED for further proceedings consistent with this Memorandum Ruling.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

On March 17, 2016, the Miners filed a voluntary joint petition for Chapter 13 bankruptcy relief. [Bankr. Doc. 1].1

*54Donald Miner, age 62, is employed full time at Rose Neath Funeral Home where he earns a gross monthly income of $5,788.61. He is also employed part time at Aulds Funeral Home where he earns an additional $525.00 per month. Sandra Miner, age 52, is disabled and receives Social Security. The Miners are above median income, and therefore have an applicable commitment period of 60 months to complete Chapter 13 bankruptcy. See 11 U.S.C. § 1325(b)(4).2 The Miners filed their first proposed Chapter 13 Plan on March 24, 2016. [Bankr. Doc. 8]. However, the Trustee and several creditors objected to the Plan. [Bankr. Docs. 21, 24, 26, 29]. On September 14, 2016, the Miners filed an Amended Plan. [Bankr. Doc. 46]. The same day the Miners also filed Amended Schedules I and J, which reflected Mr. Miner's voluntary monthly contributions to his 401(k) retirement plan in the amount of $700.82 (12% of his salary), and repayment to a 401(k) loan in the amount of $356.18 per month. [Bankr. Doc. 49]. Amended Schedule J indicated that Mr. Miner's 401(k) loan would be paid off February 20, 2020. Id. Amended Schedule I reflected that Mrs. Miner's only source of income is $1,253.00 from Social Security. Id.

On October 5, 2016, the Trustee filed objections to the confirmation of the Debtors' proposed Plan because it failed to increase payments to unsecured creditors after Mr. Miner's 401(k) loan repayments are complete. [Bankr. Doc. 52]. The Trustee questioned whether the Plan was proposed in good faith given Mr. Miner's monthly $700.82 voluntary contribution to his retirement fund, which is 12% of his gross monthly income. [Bankr. Doc. 52, 57]. However, after considering the inclusion of Mrs. Miner's Social Security income in addition to Mr. Miner's income on the overall budget, the Trustee withdrew his objections, recommended confirmation of the Plan, and submitted a proposed order of confirmation for the Court's approval. [Bankr. Doc. entry dated Nov. 9, 2016].

On January 16, 2017, the Bankruptcy Court denied confirmation of the proposed Plan as follows:

Denied without prejudice, hearing required. Hearing set 9:30 a.m. on 3/8/2017. Combined, the debtor's voluntary 401(k) contribution and 401(k) loan repayment calculate to about 18% of his income. This plan only pays a 16% unsecured dividend.

[Bankr. Doc. 60].

On March 8, 2017, a confirmation hearing was held. [Bankr. Doc. 82]. Mr. Miner was the only witness called to testify. Id. He was questioned by his own counsel, counsel for the Trustee, and the Bankruptcy Court. Id. The matter was taken under advisement. Id. Thereafter, the Bankruptcy Court issued an order and opinion denying confirmation. [Bankr. Doc. 64]. The Bankruptcy Court's order contained the following holdings: (1) the Miners failed to meet their burden of proof for confirmation; (2) Mr. Miner's post-petition voluntary payments to his 401(k) plan are properly considered disposable income; (3) post-petition voluntary 401(k) contributions are allowed in Chapter 13 cases; (4) post-petition 401(k) contributions are limited by the good faith requirements of the Code; and (5) Mr. Miner cannot offset *55increased 401(k) contributions with his wife's Social Security income. Id. at 7.

The Bankruptcy Court also provided general guidance regarding retirement account contributions to the Chapter 13 bar, stating that in the future the Bankruptcy Court will presume that a 3% voluntary contribution to a retirement plan is reasonable. Id. at 20. The Bankruptcy Court would consider allowing retirement contribution amounts greater than 3% if found to be reasonable on a case-by-case basis using a "totality of the circumstances" approach. Id.

The Miners filed an Amended Plan to comply with the Bankruptcy Court's concerns, which reduced Mr. Miner's voluntary 401(k) contribution to $178.63 per month, or 3% of his gross income. [Bankr. Docs. 66 and 70]. The 401(k) loan repayment was not changed and remained at $356.18. Id. The Miners also filed Amended Schedules I and J. [Bankr. Doc. 72]. No objections were filed, and the Bankruptcy Court confirmed the Amended Plan on June 26, 2017. [Bankr. Doc. 74]. The Miners have appealed the Bankruptcy Court's denial of their original proposed Plan. [Bankr. Doc. 76].

JURISDICTION

This Court has appellate jurisdiction over final judgments, orders, and decrees issued by the bankruptcy court. 28 U.S.C. § 158(a).

STANDARD OF REVIEW

In reviewing a decision by the Bankruptcy Court, this Court functions as an appellate court, applying the same standards of review generally applied to federal appellate courts. Webb v. Reserve Life Ins. Co.,

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
589 B.R. 51, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/miner-v-johns-lawd-2018.