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Disclaimer: IRS Collection Financial Standards are intended for use in calculating repayment of delinquent taxes. These Standards are effective on June 29, 2026, for purposes of federal tax administration only. Expense information for use in bankruptcy calculations can be found on the website for the U.S. Trustee Program.
The housing and utilities standards are derived from U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey and Bureau of Labor Statistics data, and are provided by state down to the county level. The standard for a particular county and family size includes both housing and utilities allowed for a taxpayer's primary place of residence. Generally, the total number of persons allowed for determining family size should be the same as those allowed as exemptions on the taxpayer's most recent year income tax return.
Housing and utilities standards include mortgage or rent, property taxes, interest, insurance, maintenance, repairs, gas, electric, water, heating oil, garbage collection, residential telephone service, cell phone service, cable television, and Internet service. The tables include five categories for one, two, three, four, and five or more persons in a household.
The taxpayer is allowed the standard amount, or the amount actually spent on housing and utilities, whichever is less. If the amount claimed is more than the total allowed by the housing and utilities standards, the taxpayer must provide documentation to substantiate those expenses are necessary living expenses.
| County | 2026 Published ALE Housing Expense for a Family of 1 | 2026 Published ALE Housing Expense for a Family of 2 | 2026 Published ALE Housing Expense for a Family of 3 | 2026 Published ALE Housing Expense for a Family of 4 | 2026 Published ALE Housing Expense for a Family of 5 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adams County | $1,601 | $1,881 | $1,982 | $2,210 | $2,246 |
| Antelope County | $1,446 | $1,699 | $1,790 | $1,996 | $2,028 |
| Arthur County | $1,614 | $1,896 | $1,998 | $2,228 | $2,264 |
| Banner County | $1,812 | $2,128 | $2,242 | $2,500 | $2,540 |
| Blaine County | $1,556 | $1,828 | $1,926 | $2,147 | $2,182 |
| Boone County | $1,592 | $1,870 | $1,970 | $2,197 | $2,232 |
| Box Butte County | $1,530 | $1,797 | $1,894 | $2,112 | $2,146 |
| Boyd County | $1,764 | $2,072 | $2,183 | $2,434 | $2,473 |
| Brown County | $1,176 | $1,381 | $1,455 | $1,622 | $1,649 |
| Buffalo County | $1,815 | $2,131 | $2,246 | $2,504 | $2,545 |
| Burt County | $1,574 | $1,849 | $1,948 | $2,172 | $2,207 |
| Butler County | $1,618 | $1,901 | $2,003 | $2,233 | $2,269 |
| Cass County | $1,956 | $2,298 | $2,421 | $2,699 | $2,743 |
| Cedar County | $1,509 | $1,772 | $1,867 | $2,082 | $2,115 |
| Chase County | $1,472 | $1,729 | $1,822 | $2,032 | $2,064 |
| Cherry County | $1,431 | $1,681 | $1,771 | $1,975 | $2,007 |
| Cheyenne County | $1,599 | $1,878 | $1,979 | $2,207 | $2,242 |
| Clay County | $1,487 | $1,746 | $1,840 | $2,052 | $2,085 |
| Colfax County | $1,417 | $1,665 | $1,754 | $1,956 | $1,987 |
| Cuming County | $1,599 | $1,878 | $1,979 | $2,207 | $2,242 |
| Custer County | $1,533 | $1,800 | $1,897 | $2,115 | $2,149 |
| Dakota County | $1,810 | $2,126 | $2,240 | $2,498 | $2,538 |
| Dawes County | $1,391 | $1,634 | $1,722 | $1,920 | $1,951 |
| Dawson County | $1,564 | $1,837 | $1,936 | $2,159 | $2,193 |
| Deuel County | $1,458 | $1,713 | $1,805 | $2,013 | $2,045 |
| Dixon County | $1,503 | $1,765 | $1,860 | $2,074 | $2,107 |
| Dodge County | $1,642 | $1,928 | $2,032 | $2,266 | $2,302 |
| Douglas County | $1,980 | $2,325 | $2,450 | $2,732 | $2,776 |
| Dundy County | $1,214 | $1,426 | $1,503 | $1,676 | $1,703 |
| Fillmore County | $1,413 | $1,660 | $1,749 | $1,950 | $1,982 |
| Franklin County | $1,341 | $1,575 | $1,660 | $1,851 | $1,881 |
| Frontier County | $1,546 | $1,815 | $1,913 | $2,133 | $2,167 |
| Furnas County | $1,474 | $1,731 | $1,824 | $2,034 | $2,067 |
| Gage County | $1,547 | $1,817 | $1,915 | $2,135 | $2,170 |
| Garden County | $1,194 | $1,403 | $1,478 | $1,648 | $1,675 |
| Garfield County | $1,534 | $1,802 | $1,899 | $2,117 | $2,152 |
| Gosper County | $1,727 | $2,028 | $2,137 | $2,383 | $2,421 |
| Grant County | $1,293 | $1,518 | $1,600 | $1,784 | $1,813 |
| Greeley County | $1,526 | $1,792 | $1,888 | $2,105 | $2,139 |
| Hall County | $1,734 | $2,037 | $2,146 | $2,393 | $2,431 |
| Hamilton County | $1,683 | $1,977 | $2,083 | $2,323 | $2,360 |
| Harlan County | $1,458 | $1,713 | $1,805 | $2,013 | $2,045 |
| Hayes County | $1,798 | $2,112 | $2,225 | $2,481 | $2,521 |
| Hitchcock County | $1,283 | $1,507 | $1,588 | $1,771 | $1,799 |
| Holt County | $1,581 | $1,857 | $1,957 | $2,182 | $2,217 |
| Hooker County | $1,476 | $1,734 | $1,827 | $2,037 | $2,070 |
| Howard County | $1,509 | $1,773 | $1,868 | $2,083 | $2,116 |
| Jefferson County | $1,488 | $1,747 | $1,841 | $2,053 | $2,086 |
| Johnson County | $1,508 | $1,771 | $1,866 | $2,081 | $2,114 |
| Kearney County | $1,697 | $1,993 | $2,100 | $2,342 | $2,379 |
| Keith County | $1,485 | $1,744 | $1,838 | $2,049 | $2,082 |
| Keya Paha County | $1,556 | $1,828 | $1,926 | $2,147 | $2,182 |
| Kimball County | $1,458 | $1,712 | $1,804 | $2,011 | $2,044 |
| Knox County | $1,395 | $1,639 | $1,727 | $1,926 | $1,957 |
| Lancaster County | $1,841 | $2,162 | $2,278 | $2,540 | $2,581 |
| Lincoln County | $1,636 | $1,922 | $2,025 | $2,258 | $2,294 |
| Logan County | $1,754 | $2,060 | $2,171 | $2,421 | $2,460 |
| Loup County | $1,615 | $1,897 | $1,999 | $2,229 | $2,265 |
| McPherson County | $1,919 | $2,254 | $2,375 | $2,648 | $2,691 |
| Madison County | $1,605 | $1,886 | $1,987 | $2,216 | $2,251 |
| Merrick County | $1,508 | $1,771 | $1,866 | $2,081 | $2,114 |
| Morrill County | $1,509 | $1,772 | $1,867 | $2,082 | $2,115 |
| Nance County | $1,490 | $1,750 | $1,844 | $2,056 | $2,089 |
| Nemaha County | $1,417 | $1,665 | $1,754 | $1,956 | $1,987 |
| Nuckolls County | $1,394 | $1,637 | $1,725 | $1,923 | $1,954 |
| Otoe County | $1,669 | $1,961 | $2,066 | $2,304 | $2,341 |
| Pawnee County | $1,570 | $1,844 | $1,943 | $2,166 | $2,201 |
| Perkins County | $1,352 | $1,588 | $1,673 | $1,865 | $1,896 |
| Phelps County | $1,597 | $1,876 | $1,977 | $2,204 | $2,240 |
| Pierce County | $1,660 | $1,950 | $2,055 | $2,291 | $2,328 |
| Platte County | $1,723 | $2,023 | $2,132 | $2,377 | $2,416 |
| Polk County | $1,615 | $1,897 | $1,999 | $2,229 | $2,265 |
| Red Willow County | $1,484 | $1,743 | $1,837 | $2,048 | $2,081 |
| Richardson County | $1,391 | $1,634 | $1,722 | $1,920 | $1,951 |
| Rock County | $1,353 | $1,589 | $1,674 | $1,867 | $1,897 |
| Saline County | $1,784 | $2,095 | $2,208 | $2,462 | $2,502 |
| Sarpy County | $2,132 | $2,504 | $2,639 | $2,942 | $2,990 |
| Saunders County | $1,875 | $2,203 | $2,321 | $2,588 | $2,630 |
| Scotts Bluff County | $1,630 | $1,914 | $2,017 | $2,249 | $2,285 |
| Seward County | $1,734 | $2,037 | $2,146 | $2,393 | $2,431 |
| Sheridan County | $1,480 | $1,739 | $1,832 | $2,043 | $2,076 |
| Sherman County | $1,359 | $1,596 | $1,682 | $1,875 | $1,906 |
| Sioux County | $1,622 | $1,906 | $2,008 | $2,239 | $2,275 |
| Stanton County | $1,559 | $1,832 | $1,930 | $2,152 | $2,187 |
| Thayer County | $1,332 | $1,565 | $1,649 | $1,839 | $1,868 |
| Thomas County | $1,181 | $1,387 | $1,462 | $1,630 | $1,656 |
| Thurston County | $1,521 | $1,786 | $1,882 | $2,098 | $2,132 |
| Valley County | $1,415 | $1,662 | $1,751 | $1,952 | $1,984 |
| Washington County | $1,884 | $2,213 | $2,332 | $2,600 | $2,642 |
| Wayne County | $1,547 | $1,817 | $1,915 | $2,135 | $2,170 |
| Webster County | $1,435 | $1,685 | $1,776 | $1,980 | $2,012 |
| Wheeler County | $1,810 | $2,126 | $2,240 | $2,498 | $2,538 |
| York County | $1,563 | $1,835 | $1,934 | $2,156 | $2,191 |