• People who file bankruptcy must fill out a worksheet, called Schedule J, detailing their monthly household expenses. One of the sections on Schedule J pertains to education expenses for children under age 18. U.S. bankruptcy law allows debtors to claim a total monthly expense of $137.50 for each child's education expenses, as of November 2010. Although the bankruptcy courts do not always require documentation for normal education expenses, debtors should have six months of records for each expense in case they have to prove any expenditures.
  
  

Tuition

• You can claim private school tuition as an education expense. If you file Chapter 13 bankruptcy, and the actual monthly tuition payment is more than the given limit, the court will require you to put that money toward debt repayment instead of school. In this case, you need to request a special circumstances exception and provide detailed reasons why private school is necessary for your child.
  
  

School Supplies

• U.S. bankruptcy law allows you to claim expenses for providing your child with supplies for school. Items such as pencils, paper, notebooks and binders qualify as school supply expenses.
  
  

Field Trips

• You can claim expenses that go toward school-organized field trips.This includes day and over-night trips.