I have a friend that has over 000 in credit card debt.He makes approx/ 000/year.He has conferred with an attorney who has told him he needs to file Chapter 7 bankruptcy.Would it be better to file bankruptcy or charge off the credit cards?Which one would take the shortest timeline to be removed from his credit ?He just can’t continue at the rate he is going now ,trying to pay the minimum payments on his cards and pay other debts as well(mortgage,auto,utilities,etc)He is desperate and needs some insight.

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I have about ,000 of credit card debt and 00 left on my school loan. I only make about 00 per month. I can’t afford to make more than minimum payments so I am getting nowhere with paying it all off. I’ve been trying to get a better job but I don’t really qualify for anything that will pay better. I’ve been dealing with this for years and feel trapped. I’m considering bankruptcy but would prefer to find an alternative.

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I have about 00 in credit card dept and another 6 in medical. Its not that I didn’t pay on them its that I was in a car accident and my medical went into collections and messed my credit up and when I went to do a balance transfer I was denied..so I couldnt make my minimum payments when my rates went up after the initial 6 months. I would make what I could every month but adventually I couldnt keep up. HSBC would not work with me and sent me into collections. I was very supprised they woldnt work something out other than 0 payments per month. should I file for bankruptcy? I wont ever be able to make good at this point with my income and financial standing. I am not willing to go through a 800 credit debt program I work for a financial institute and they said you end up paying way more than what you owe this way. What other options do I have?
how much does fileing bankruptcy cost about?

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I am severely underemployed, making minimum wage, 20 hours per week. I used to make more money and was given credit which I used, to the tune of ,000 in unsecured debt. Between my rent and utilities expenses, I can’t make my minimum payments to my creditors. I am striving to improve my employment status, but until I succeed with that, what can I do? I have no assets to sell and {content} to pay to debt consolidators and in payment plans. Is there any way to put my debt off for a few more months, or should I start thinking seriously about personal bankruptcy?

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I am 23 years old, in college part time and working part time. I am recently divorced and have about ,000 in loans and credit card bills I got stuck with that were all aqquired during the marriage. Since I can only afford minimum payments (and receive no financial aid) I feel like I should look into bankruptcy.
I have two credit cards, so If I file bankruptcy on just my loans (,000) and one credit card, does keeping the one credit card plus an account balance with Dell (for a laptop I financed) help my credit score at all, as opposed to filing on everything I owe?
And everyone says to do it before I get any older if I’m going to do it. And I don’t expect any new bills (I have a dependable car and low rent) anytime soon.
Sometimes I feel like bankruptcy is "cheating" but I had an extra income at the time I signed for the loans, and of course didn’t expect to get divorced. I feel helpless, as the balances barely go down and i’m spending money I need to live, or I’m going to have to quit school.

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I am confused as to what to do – my husband and I recently reconciled and between the two of us, we have ,000 in unsecured credit card debt. Although he makes very good money, approx. 00 per month, we cannot keep up on all the minimum payments for these cards, let alone trying to pay the principal.

He has a car payment and we own our house (or we will in 27 years anyway – we have not been late on the mortgage as that is our top priority. We also have 4 kids…… should we file? We figure since we have the house and vehicles that we can deal with the bad, bad credit that this will result in but are we forgetting something?

We considered a debt consolidation but we heard this is more often then not a scam and ruins your credit as much as or more then a bankruptcy. Any advice is appreciated ~ thank you.
Unfortunately all the late payments have resulted in a credit rating in the 500’s which is too low to qualify for a re-fi.

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I don’t want to file bankrupcy, but I have been unable to find a decent job for the past 8 months. I’ve had to use my credit cards for things like groceries and gas. I can no longer make my minimum payments, although I can pay a small portion. Further, I have been accepted to graduate school but I might not be able to afford it unless I file for bankruptcy or only pay a portion of my minimum payments. I have researched bankrupcty and the alternatives, but it seems so hard to get objective advice. Most information sources have a vested interest in the topic. Some claim that a bankrupcty will make it impossible to obtain future credit and prevent you from getting a job. Others claim it’s not so hard to get credit cards or loans. I know a bankruptcy won’t be fun, and I feel terrible to be considering it, but I’m wondering whether it’s really as bad as everyone thinks it is. Can anyone give me some advice or direct me towards an objective source of information? Thank you.

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Was told by two attorneys that before I file Chapter 7 bankruptcy I need to be three months in arrears on my minimum payments.What should I tell the credit card companies? The calls are already non-stop.

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I have recently lost my job after being in the telecommunications industry for ten years. I have had no luck finding a new 9-5 job with a regular salary. I have been forced to take a job full time at a restaurant.

I have over ,000 in credit card debt most with APR’s in the high 20’s. I have done my best over the last 6 months to keep up with my minimum payments but am finding it impossible recently to balance my debt along with my living expenses. By living expense, I do mean the bare minimums. Rent,utilities, gas, food etc.. I have not wasted funds on entertainment or purchases other than does required for work.

I had an hour long conversation today with a debt consolidation company. It is has been in business since 1965 and is non-profit. I actually used their services in the past to consolidate debt that I managed to pay off about 8 years ago. They analyzed all of my assets, income, debt and overall financial situation. They determined that I was running at a 65% deficit between what I am brining in and what I owe. They recommended that, although it may sound harsh, my best option was to file for bankruptcy. They determined that I would not be able to keep up with any type of repayment schedule that they would negotiate with the banks and that a fresh start may be my best option.

I have avoided the thought of filing for bankruptcy in the past for several reasons. But now that my income is at an all time low and my job prospects do not seem to be sorting themselves out in the near future, I do not now what other options I have available to me. Needless to say, the stress of the whole situation has been making life extremely unpleasant.

I am single, have no kids, and will not be purchasing a house in the near future. The only asset I own, is an 8 year old car.

I have five questions:

1) Other than having a bankruptcy ruling on my file for the next ten years and not being able to secure credit, what are the other disadvantages of filing for bankruptcy?

2) I do not have disposable income. I am making enough to pay for essentials. Would my chances of having the entire debt excused be good? Or would I still be responsible for paying a percentage?

3) I know from my corporate experience that my credit file would be reviewed during the job applications process. I am considering a career with the Federal Government. How would a bankruptcy ruling be looked upon by the government during the job application process?

4) How much with a reputable bankruptcy lawyer cost me?

5) I have also read that another option is to do nothing and ignore my creditors. The following excerpt below is from http://bankruptcy.findlaw.com/ . Is this plausible?

Do Nothing
Surprisingly, the best approach for some people deeply in debt is to take no action at all. If you’re living simply, with little income and property, and look forward to a similar life in the future, you may be what’s known as "judgment proof." This means that anyone who sues you and obtains a court judgment won’t be able to collect from you simply because you don’t have anything they can legally take. (As a famous song of the 1970s said, "freedom’s just another word for nothing left to lose.")

Except in unusual situations (being a tax protester or willfully failing to pay child support) you can’t be thrown in jail for not paying your debts. Nor can a creditor take away such essentials as basic clothing, ordinary household furnishings, personal effects, food, or Social Security, unemployment, or public assistance benefits.

So, if you don’t anticipate having a steady income or property a creditor could grab, bankruptcy is probably not necessary. Your creditors probably won’t sue you, because it’s unlikely they could collect the judgment. Instead, they’ll simply write off your debt and treat it as a deductible business loss for income tax purposes. In several years, the debt will become legally uncollectible. And in seven years, the debt will come off your credit record.

I am planning on contacting a bankruptcy lawyer for further advice but wanted to get an idea as to what I am dealing with before I further the process.

I appreciate any feedback the Yahoo community is able to provide!

Thank you in advance!!

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She doesn’t want to file bankruptcy because it will destroy her credit but she makes minimum wage, has no house or car, and can barely afford to pay the minimum payments on her accounts.

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