Disclaimer: IRS Collection Financial Standards are intended for use in calculating repayment of delinquent taxes. These Standards are effective on April 21, 2025 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 | 2025 Published ALE Housing Expense for a Family of 1 | 2025 Published ALE Housing Expense for a Family of 2 | 2025 Published ALE Housing Expense for a Family of 3 | 2025 Published ALE Housing Expense for a Family of 4 | 2025 Published ALE Housing Expense for a Family of 5 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Barbour County | $1,200 | $1,409 | $1,485 | $1,656 | $1,683 |
| Berkeley County | $1,605 | $1,886 | $1,987 | $2,216 | $2,251 |
| Boone County | $1,321 | $1,552 | $1,635 | $1,823 | $1,852 |
| Braxton County | $1,160 | $1,363 | $1,436 | $1,601 | $1,627 |
| Brooke County | $1,263 | $1,483 | $1,563 | $1,743 | $1,771 |
| Cabell County | $1,355 | $1,591 | $1,677 | $1,870 | $1,900 |
| Calhoun County | $1,020 | $1,198 | $1,262 | $1,407 | $1,430 |
| Clay County | $1,185 | $1,391 | $1,466 | $1,635 | $1,661 |
| Doddridge County | $1,300 | $1,527 | $1,609 | $1,794 | $1,823 |
| Fayette County | $1,294 | $1,519 | $1,601 | $1,785 | $1,814 |
| Gilmer County | $920 | $1,081 | $1,139 | $1,270 | $1,290 |
| Grant County | $1,157 | $1,359 | $1,432 | $1,597 | $1,622 |
| Greenbrier County | $1,281 | $1,504 | $1,585 | $1,767 | $1,796 |
| Hampshire County | $1,353 | $1,589 | $1,674 | $1,867 | $1,897 |
| Hancock County | $1,208 | $1,419 | $1,495 | $1,667 | $1,694 |
| Hardy County | $1,391 | $1,633 | $1,721 | $1,919 | $1,950 |
| Harrison County | $1,327 | $1,558 | $1,642 | $1,831 | $1,860 |
| Jackson County | $1,245 | $1,462 | $1,541 | $1,718 | $1,746 |
| Jefferson County | $1,814 | $2,131 | $2,245 | $2,503 | $2,544 |
| Kanawha County | $1,340 | $1,574 | $1,659 | $1,850 | $1,880 |
| Lewis County | $1,228 | $1,442 | $1,520 | $1,695 | $1,722 |
| Lincoln County | $1,235 | $1,451 | $1,529 | $1,705 | $1,732 |
| Logan County | $1,175 | $1,380 | $1,454 | $1,621 | $1,647 |
| McDowell County | $1,094 | $1,285 | $1,354 | $1,510 | $1,534 |
| Marion County | $1,342 | $1,576 | $1,661 | $1,852 | $1,882 |
| Marshall County | $1,310 | $1,538 | $1,621 | $1,807 | $1,837 |
| Mason County | $1,233 | $1,448 | $1,526 | $1,701 | $1,729 |
| Mercer County | $1,298 | $1,525 | $1,607 | $1,792 | $1,821 |
| Mineral County | $1,359 | $1,596 | $1,682 | $1,875 | $1,906 |
| Mingo County | $1,201 | $1,411 | $1,487 | $1,658 | $1,685 |
| Monongalia County | $1,643 | $1,929 | $2,033 | $2,267 | $2,303 |
| Monroe County | $1,137 | $1,335 | $1,407 | $1,569 | $1,594 |
| Morgan County | $1,389 | $1,631 | $1,719 | $1,917 | $1,948 |
| Nicholas County | $1,206 | $1,416 | $1,492 | $1,664 | $1,690 |
| Ohio County | $1,324 | $1,555 | $1,639 | $1,827 | $1,857 |
| Pendleton County | $1,140 | $1,339 | $1,411 | $1,573 | $1,599 |
| Pleasants County | $1,221 | $1,434 | $1,511 | $1,685 | $1,712 |
| Pocahontas County | $1,286 | $1,510 | $1,591 | $1,774 | $1,803 |
| Preston County | $1,434 | $1,684 | $1,775 | $1,979 | $2,011 |
| Putnam County | $1,636 | $1,922 | $2,025 | $2,258 | $2,294 |
| Raleigh County | $1,324 | $1,554 | $1,638 | $1,826 | $1,856 |
| Randolph County | $1,217 | $1,429 | $1,506 | $1,679 | $1,706 |
| Ritchie County | $1,138 | $1,336 | $1,408 | $1,570 | $1,595 |
| Roane County | $1,296 | $1,522 | $1,604 | $1,788 | $1,817 |
| Summers County | $1,199 | $1,408 | $1,484 | $1,655 | $1,681 |
| Taylor County | $1,273 | $1,495 | $1,575 | $1,756 | $1,784 |
| Tucker County | $1,303 | $1,531 | $1,613 | $1,798 | $1,828 |
| Tyler County | $1,169 | $1,373 | $1,447 | $1,613 | $1,639 |
| Upshur County | $1,304 | $1,532 | $1,614 | $1,800 | $1,829 |
| Wayne County | $1,314 | $1,543 | $1,626 | $1,813 | $1,842 |
| Webster County | $1,135 | $1,333 | $1,405 | $1,567 | $1,592 |
| Wetzel County | $1,199 | $1,408 | $1,484 | $1,655 | $1,681 |
| Wirt County | $1,083 | $1,272 | $1,340 | $1,494 | $1,518 |
| Wood County | $1,261 | $1,481 | $1,561 | $1,741 | $1,769 |
| Wyoming County | $1,138 | $1,336 | $1,408 | $1,570 | $1,595 |