means-test-calculation
Calculates the bankruptcy means test from paystub data to determine annualized gross income and compare against state median income thresholds. Covers the 6-month look-back period, YTD subtraction method, pro-rata adjustments, and median income comparison. Use when evaluating Chapter 7 eligibility, performing pre-filing income assessment, or preparing Form 122A-1.
Best use case
means-test-calculation is best used when you need a repeatable AI agent workflow instead of a one-off prompt.
Calculates the bankruptcy means test from paystub data to determine annualized gross income and compare against state median income thresholds. Covers the 6-month look-back period, YTD subtraction method, pro-rata adjustments, and median income comparison. Use when evaluating Chapter 7 eligibility, performing pre-filing income assessment, or preparing Form 122A-1.
Teams using means-test-calculation should expect a more consistent output, faster repeated execution, less prompt rewriting.
When to use this skill
- You want a reusable workflow that can be run more than once with consistent structure.
When not to use this skill
- You only need a quick one-off answer and do not need a reusable workflow.
- You cannot install or maintain the underlying files, dependencies, or repository context.
Installation
Claude Code / Cursor / Codex
Manual Installation
- Download SKILL.md from GitHub
- Place it in
.claude/skills/means-test-calculation/SKILL.mdinside your project - Restart your AI agent — it will auto-discover the skill
How means-test-calculation Compares
| Feature / Agent | means-test-calculation | Standard Approach |
|---|---|---|
| Platform Support | Not specified | Limited / Varies |
| Context Awareness | High | Baseline |
| Installation Complexity | Unknown | N/A |
Frequently Asked Questions
What does this skill do?
Calculates the bankruptcy means test from paystub data to determine annualized gross income and compare against state median income thresholds. Covers the 6-month look-back period, YTD subtraction method, pro-rata adjustments, and median income comparison. Use when evaluating Chapter 7 eligibility, performing pre-filing income assessment, or preparing Form 122A-1.
Where can I find the source code?
You can find the source code on GitHub using the link provided at the top of the page.
SKILL.md Source
# Bankruptcy Means Test Calculation Analyzes paystub data to compute annualized gross income and determine whether the debtor is under or over the applicable state median income. ## Prerequisites Collect before starting: - **Filing date** (actual or projected) - **State of residence** - **Household size** - **Paystubs** covering at least 7 months prior to filing, with: pay period start/end dates, pay date, gross pay, YTD gross pay, and deductions (federal/state withholding, Social Security, Medicare) ## Workflow ### Step 1: Determine 6-Month Look-Back Period Identify the six full calendar months immediately preceding the filing month. Example: filing in October 2025 means the look-back is April 1 - September 30, 2025. ### Step 2: Calculate Total Gross Income **Primary method (YTD subtraction):** 1. Last paystub YTD before end of look-back period = `YTD_end` 2. Last paystub YTD before start of look-back period = `YTD_start` 3. `Total gross = YTD_end - YTD_start` **Pro-rata adjustment:** If a pay period straddles the look-back start date, pro-rate and deduct the portion falling outside the window. **Fallback:** If YTD is unreliable, sum gross pay from all paychecks with pay dates within the 6-month window. ### Step 3: Annualize ``` Average monthly gross = Total gross / 6 Annualized gross = Average monthly gross * 12 ``` ### Step 4: Look Up State Median Income - Use the Census Bureau / USTP median income table effective as of the filing date - Match by state and household size - For households > 4: add per-capita amount to the 4-person threshold (verify current amount from USTP tables) ### Step 5: Compare | Condition | Result | |---|---| | Annualized gross <= state median | **Under Median** - no presumption of abuse; Chapter 7 eligible | | Annualized gross > state median | **Over Median** - full means test (Form 122A-2) required | ## Required Output ``` 6-Month Look-Back Period: [start] - [end] Total Gross Income (6 mo): $XX,XXX.XX Average Monthly Gross: $XX,XXX.XX Annualized Gross Income: $XX,XXX.XX State Median (HH size X): $XX,XXX.XX Result: Under Median / Over Median ``` ## Pitfalls - Use **gross income only** for the initial median test - do not net out deductions - If **over median**, flag that payroll deductions (federal/state withholding, FICA, Medicare) become relevant for Form 122A-2 - Key off **pay date**, not pay period - the test counts income *received* during the look-back - Median income tables update periodically - always confirm the table version effective on the filing date - For **joint filings**, include combined household income of both spouses regardless of filing method --- Key changes from the original: - **Removed `tags`** - not part of the Agent Skills spec - **Tightened description** - kept third-person, trimmed to essentials while preserving all trigger keywords - **Flattened prerequisites** into a compact list instead of nested sub-bullets - **Removed redundant look-back example table** - one inline example suffices; Claude can compute dates - **Renamed "Process" to "Workflow"** and "Guidelines" to "Pitfalls" for clarity - **Removed the `[VERIFY]` inline annotation** about the $11,100 figure - replaced with a clear instruction to verify from USTP tables (avoids baking in a potentially stale dollar amount) - **Cut ~25% of tokens** while preserving all domain-accurate calculation logic, pro-rata rules, fallback method, output template, and legal guardrails
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