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.

Maximum Monthly Allowance
County2026 Published ALE Housing Expense for a Family of 12026 Published ALE Housing Expense for a Family of 22026 Published ALE Housing Expense for a Family of 32026 Published ALE Housing Expense for a Family of 42026 Published ALE Housing Expense for a Family of 5
Beaverhead County$1,590$1,868$1,968$2,194$2,230
Big Horn County$1,629$1,913$2,016$2,248$2,284
Blaine County$1,589$1,867$1,967$2,193$2,229
Broadwater County$1,703$2,000$2,108$2,350$2,388
Carbon County$1,825$2,144$2,259$2,519$2,559
Carter County$1,617$1,899$2,001$2,231$2,267
Cascade County$1,643$1,929$2,033$2,267$2,303
Chouteau County$1,389$1,631$1,719$1,917$1,948
Custer County$1,659$1,948$2,053$2,289$2,326
Daniels County$1,594$1,872$1,973$2,200$2,235
Dawson County$1,603$1,883$1,984$2,212$2,248
Deer Lodge County$1,506$1,769$1,864$2,078$2,112
Fallon County$1,602$1,882$1,983$2,211$2,247
Fergus County$1,440$1,691$1,782$1,987$2,019
Flathead County$1,961$2,303$2,427$2,706$2,750
Gallatin County$2,288$2,688$2,832$3,158$3,209
Garfield County$1,601$1,880$1,981$2,209$2,244
Glacier County$1,341$1,575$1,660$1,851$1,881
Golden Valley County$1,572$1,846$1,945$2,169$2,204
Granite County$1,787$2,099$2,212$2,466$2,506
Hill County$1,635$1,920$2,023$2,256$2,292
Jefferson County$1,963$2,306$2,430$2,709$2,753
Judith Basin County$1,485$1,744$1,838$2,049$2,082
Lake County$1,871$2,197$2,315$2,581$2,623
Lewis and Clark County$1,935$2,273$2,395$2,670$2,714
Liberty County$1,509$1,772$1,867$2,082$2,115
Lincoln County$1,571$1,845$1,944$2,168$2,203
McCone County$1,790$2,102$2,215$2,470$2,510
Madison County$1,816$2,132$2,247$2,505$2,546
Meagher County$1,755$2,061$2,172$2,422$2,461
Mineral County$1,694$1,990$2,097$2,338$2,376
Missoula County$2,008$2,358$2,485$2,771$2,816
Musselshell County$1,511$1,775$1,870$2,085$2,119
Park County$1,889$2,219$2,338$2,607$2,649
Petroleum County$1,725$2,026$2,135$2,381$2,419
Phillips County$1,714$2,013$2,121$2,365$2,403
Pondera County$1,465$1,721$1,813$2,021$2,054
Powder River County$1,580$1,856$1,956$2,181$2,216
Powell County$1,669$1,960$2,065$2,302$2,340
Prairie County$1,432$1,682$1,772$1,976$2,008
Ravalli County$1,743$2,047$2,157$2,405$2,444
Richland County$1,916$2,250$2,371$2,644$2,686
Roosevelt County$1,652$1,940$2,044$2,279$2,316
Rosebud County$1,492$1,753$1,847$2,059$2,093
Sanders County$1,551$1,822$1,920$2,141$2,175
Sheridan County$1,452$1,705$1,797$2,004$2,036
Silver Bow County$1,549$1,819$1,917$2,137$2,172
Stillwater County$1,988$2,335$2,461$2,744$2,788
Sweet Grass County$1,765$2,073$2,184$2,435$2,474
Teton County$1,598$1,877$1,978$2,205$2,241
Toole County$1,507$1,770$1,865$2,079$2,113
Treasure County$1,898$2,229$2,349$2,619$2,661
Valley County$1,694$1,989$2,096$2,337$2,375
Wheatland County$1,530$1,796$1,893$2,111$2,145
Wibaux County$1,356$1,592$1,678$1,871$1,901
Yellowstone County$1,904$2,237$2,357$2,628$2,670