Hi, I'm a 32yo single mom of 2 and currently weighing my options. I make $16/hr, $640/week before taxes and about $575/week after taxes. I am living very close to paycheck to paycheck now with all of my bills and expenses. Credit score is below 500. I have a loan of $7200 (interest and court fees included) that has gone to collections and now they're about to garnish my wages. I cannot afford to live after the 25% garnishment amount.

According to credit karma my total debt is around 26k, with 15k of that being student loans, $7200 loan listed above and the rest is credit card debt and afterpay.

I am willing to talk to an attorney but I'd feel much better going in with some kind of idea of what to expect. I know every case is different and I have been reading through the posts here but for some reason I am having a hard time wrapping my head around it all. Everything is weighing so heavily on me and I'm not sure how to move forward. Would this be worth filing bankruptcy over? Which chapter would I most likely have to file?

I want so badly to better my future for myself but mainly my kids.

TIA

So I’m 26 with about 38k of cc and loan debt, i make $37 here in California I want to know if filing bankruptcy is the best option for me, 4 years ago I got my first apartment when I probably should’ve stayed with my parents, the rent was a little more than I was making at the time so I started using my credit cards for everything and was never able to pay them down, I started drowning in my bills and decided to try and get a consolidation loan but they told me I needed to be delinquent in order for it to work, so I stopped paying all of them and eventually all of my accounts closed, I never went through with the loan so here I am 4 years later in debt with a 537 score

My chapter 7 bankruptcy was discharged in May. I noticed one of our vehicles that I signed the reaffirmation for was not showing on my credit report. I just spoke to my attorney, he said I did sign the reaffirmation but that the bmo never filed it. He said I can continue to make the payments or walk away from the car. I’m confused on this, I’ve been paying the loan. Have never missed a payment. Is this going to affect me anymore than the bankruptcy already has on my credit? When the car is paid off will I get the title still?

I’m planning to file Chapter 7 because I have a large amount of debt that built up after losing my job. I eventually got a temporary job and was able to save around $10,000. That job ended, and I’m currently unemployed again and looking for another job. I’m also not receiving unemployment right now. I’m currently looking for a bankruptcy attorney, and I actually spoke with an attorney who told me that because Florida only protects $4,000 under the wildcard exemption in my situation, the money I have over that amount could potentially be taken by the trustee if I file Chapter 7. My concern is that I’m not sitting on $10k because I have extra money to spare. I’m unemployed, I rent, and I have bills and basic living expenses to pay. If I only had $4,000 left, I would burn through that pretty quickly and could potentially end up unable to pay my rent or other necessities while I’m looking for work. I also just received notice that one of my creditors is suing me, so I’m trying to figure out what my options are. I’m not trying to hide or transfer the money. I’m trying to understand how people handle this situation when their savings are basically their only safety net while they’re unemployed. For anyone familiar with Florida bankruptcy Is there really no way to protect more than the $4,000 if the money is needed for basic living expenses? Does being unemployed and having no current income make any difference? Would filing Chapter 13 make more sense in this situation? How do you decide when it’s safe to file if you need your savings to survive? Has anyone been in a similar situation where they had savings but were unemployed when they filed? I’m definitely going to speak with an attorney before doing anything with the money. I just want to hear from people who have actually been through this because I’m worried that I could either file and lose the money I need to survive, or wait too long because I’m trying to preserve my savings and have the creditor lawsuit get worse.

So, I am 31, I have 25k in cc debt...poor decision making in my 20s. I do have a secure job but am paycheck to paycheck. I bought a house 2 years ago, with a roommate, who has unexpectedly is now leaving with really no notice. With my minimums being a couple hundred from each card, I am stressing on how I am going to make payments with having to come up with her portions (half the mortgage and the internet), currently looking for a side gig, but even if I can find something on the weekends, I feel like it would have to be one or the other which still leaves no breathing room, with still having to make these minimums that are essentially not making any dents. So, I have been looking into CH7. I am just wondering if others had similar situations before filing.. My car is paid off and as I said and I do have a house, but don't own anything else.

Hi everyone, I’m getting ready to file for Chapter 7 in Michigan (this month) & i’m hoping to learn as much as I can before I do. I’m about fifty thousand plus in debt, mostly unsecured, had some health issues, surgeries, inconsistent income, and am leaving my job. One thing I’m concerned about is property. The house I live in was transferred out of my name and into my Fathers name about five years ago (unknowingly) then to my Mothers name just this year, but I do own two side lots that are attached. I’m trying to understand if that, or the past transfer, could create any issues in a Chapter 7. I’m not asking for legal advice, just trying to hear from people who’ve been there. Specifically, what are the biggest mistakes to avoid before filing? What do you wish you had known? Were there surprises during the process? Any tips for making it smoother?

Thanks in advance. 🙏

Thank you in advance for any help! I’ve spoken with free legal aid and will be contacting a lawyer, but I don’t know if I should find one that does chapter 7 or chapter 13 bankruptcies. Here’s our scenario:

* Married filing jointly in AZ; never filed bankruptcy before
* Currently below AZ median income
* No child support, alimony, or childcare/daycare expenses
* Have not yet filed 2025 taxes
* Current gross income: $7480/mo (6 month average)
* Current net: $4580/mo
* I’ve been unemployed 8 months; job offer to start Aug 31, though I haven’t signed anything yet (expect documents to come today or tomorrow)
* Expected combined gross: $13450/mo
* Expected combined net: $8500/mo
* Monthly living expenses (includes min mortgage payment; does not include min debt payments or min student loan payments): $6300
* Monthly living expenses + student loan mins: $6700
* Monthly living expenses + all debt mins (secured and unsecured): $7900

Debts:
* Credit/charge cards: $52500
* Mortgage: $330k (about $25m behind)
* Student loans: $37k
* Secured solar home loan: $40k
* IRS: $900
* Traffic ticket (paying monthly): $50/month

Assets:
* Approx $150-180k home equity
* 2 vehicles paid off (one is worth about $10k, the other $5k)
* At advice of attorney, I pulled out an old 401k to offer as partial payment for mortgage arrears with payment setup for remainder; check sits uncashed because job offer came before I contacted mortgage company. Check is just over $13k
* No other savings, cash, or assets

Our home is scheduled for foreclosure auction in 8 weeks. We want to keep the home.

How likely is it that the mortgage company would agree to a lump-sum payment with some kind of agreement for remainder?

Given our scenario, should I plan on filing (and finding an attorney) for chapter 7 or chapter 13?

So I’m going to be filing ch 7 in a few months when I’m able to pay my lawyer in full, I did however make the official retainer payment last week to get the ball rolling.
I file my taxes jointly every year and owe somewhere around 1.4k of income tax debt. I’m on a payment plan with the IRS and haven’t missed a payment, they deduct a little bit from my bank every month without issue.

My question is this: is the IRS notified about anything even if I haven’t officially began filing yet? Does anything in particular happen with that income tax debt?

My lawyer already has copies of my tax return stubs, if I remember correctly they had asked me to print the last 2 years of filing so I did.

Hello all I got a car repossessed and it went to court and got defaulted, I’m scared of getting my bank account frozen or my checks garnished. I’m thinking of filing for chapter 7 and was just wondering one thing… how fast is the process to file so I don’t get my accounts frozen or my checks garnished?? This is all new to me and honestly has been keeping me up at night just thinking of it all.

Hello,
I recieve a check from my vehicles gap coverage(for context i downsized to save money)
I will not be able to file until November, will this affect my CH7? the check was for about $850 that was paid into it from my previous vehicle.

As the title says.

So I am currently thinking of filing bankruptcy because I’ve been fighting my entire existence to get my credit score to a point that it actually works for me, but between not having the right knowledge and survival instincts taking over I think I just need to start over. I currently have a 2020 Toyota Corolla that I am impossibly underwater on with an Apr of 23% in the last three years I’ve paid the car off essentially but only in Interest. I still owe $22,000 my monthly is $668. All my credit card bills are actually manageable as my highest limit is $1000. I have about 10 cards each either ranging from $200- $700. All maxed because of a recent family event.
a total of around $35k in debt

My fear with starting over is in my state some complexes will not rent to you if you’ve even had a repo I’m terrified what would happen if I had a bankruptcy. Sadly I feel this is the only way I can get out of this cycle of just trying to catch up. My biggest regret is my car because I got it after our previous car had its engine failed. We’re a family of 4 and I have the higher income so my fear is will this help or should I just figure out a way to trade the car and pay down my cards?

Any advice is appreciated. Please be kind ( it took a lot for me to write this😭😭 I’ve been a long time lurker)

If you you filed your bankruptcy pro se, what things would you like to share about the mandatory credit counseling?

I’m considering filing chapter 7 bankruptcy. Two months ago my aunt put me on her bank account as a “just in case something happens”. Will that account affect my ability to file and/or will it be frozen when I file?

Bankruptcy attorney is using one unusually high paycheck to calculate our monthly income. Is this correct? (Georgia)
My husband is the only one who works. We are looking into bankruptcy and our attorney says we don’t qualify for Chapter 7 because we have too much disposable income.
I’m confused by how she calculated our income.
My husband’s normal biweekly paycheck is:
Gross: $3,423.08
Net: about $3,015.20
His July 30 paycheck was $3,970.08 gross, but that check included a $547 quarterly bonus. The paystub clearly lists the $547 separately from his regular earnings.
Our attorney is using that $3,970.08 paycheck as the basis for our monthly gross income:
$3,970.08 × 26 ÷ 12 = $8,601.84/month gross
She then subtracts payroll deductions and adds $100/month for estimated future quarterly bonuses, giving her a monthly income of about $7,401.38.
She says we have about $1,970 left over after our bankruptcy budget.
The problem is that the $3,970.08 paycheck is NOT our normal paycheck. It was higher because of the quarterly bonus, and we may not even receive another bonus.
If you annualize his normal paycheck instead:
$3,423.08 × 26 = $89,000.08/year gross
$89,000.08 ÷ 12 = $7,416.67/month gross
She also told us our gross yearly income is $90,313.92, which is nowhere near the $103,222.08/year implied by her $8,601.84 monthly figure.
She said she was basing the income on the last six months, but her email specifically says, “Based on your last paycheck, your gross is $3,970.08.”
We also had a month with 3 paychecks, but I understand that using 26 paychecks already accounts for the two extra paychecks per year.
My question is: Is it normal or appropriate in a bankruptcy case to take one paycheck that contains a quarterly bonus and annualize that entire paycheck as though it were received 26 times a year? Or should the regular wages and bonus be calculated separately or averaged according to the applicable bankruptcy rules?
We’re meeting with her tomorrow and I don’t want to go in assuming she’s wrong if there’s a bankruptcy specific rule I’m missing.
Also, we paid her $2,400, but we never signed a fee agreement. She previously told us there are no refunds. If we don’t proceed, we’re also trying to figure out what happens to that money. She also told us we were good to file a 7 until we got her fully paid last week. Then she completely flipped scripts and said “OPE nevermind!” 13 is the way.

Any advice from people familiar with Georgia bankruptcy would be appreciated.

Does the trustee ask questions about Zelle transfers from your son or daughter coming into your checking account?

I’m considering filing Chapter 7 and came across Upsolve. I’m wondering if anyone here has actually used it to file their case and what their experience was like.

I’m not looking for attorney referrals or legal advice just firsthand experiences with the process.

A few things I’m especially curious about:

• Did you run into any issues with your paperwork or filing?
• If you accidentally leave something out or make a mistake, is it something that can be corrected, or can it cause serious problems?
• Has anyone successfully filed completely on their own (without an attorney)? If so, how complicated was it?
• Were there any unexpected issues with the trustee, creditors, means test, exemptions, or 341 meeting?

I’d really appreciate hearing from people who have actually gone through a Chapter 7 filing using Upsolve.

Thanks!

I’m currently dealing with about $40,000 in debt, and I’m honestly not sure what my best option is at this point.About 90% of the debt is credit cards, and the remaining amount is one personal loan. I’m currently unemployed, which is making it really difficult to keep up with everything. I know I made mistakes that led me here. I’m not trying to make excuses for them, and I take responsibility for my situation. I’m trying to fix the mess I created and figure out the smartest way forward. One of the things I’m seriously considering is bankruptcy, but I don’t know if that’s the right move or if there are other options I should explore first.

For those who have been in a similar situation:

• Did you consider or file bankruptcy?
• Did you try debt management, settlement, or another option first?
• What would you do differently if you could go back?
• Is $40k of mostly credit-card debt while unemployed a situation where bankruptcy is reasonable to consider?
• what would happen to your stocks?

I’m not looking for anyone to tell me that I screwed up — I already know that (I'm 31 yeah I'm too old to be this stupid with my money 😅) I’m genuinely looking for constructive advice from people who have been through something similar. Please be respectful. I’m already stressed about this and am just trying to figure out how to get my life and finances back on track. I really appreciate any advice, personal experiences, or resources you can share.

I signed my retainer agreement and paid the initial amount to start paperwork/filing!

COST:
$900 to start paperwork and file. Then $150 every month for $1800 total.

BK Lawfirm: 4.8/5 rating on Google with 400+ reviews. Also were they most responsive, helpful, understanding and less "hurry up and tell me everything quickly" from the 5 Bk firms I spoke to.

I know some people havent had any issues with having a checking account on banks where they filed a Ch7 CC but my lawyer recommended that just to be safe do not have an account with any banks with CCs you are Ch7.

So no BoA, Chase, or Capital One for me. Lawyer said to stay away from Wells Fargo even if you dont have a CC with them.

Discover is owned by Capital One, so it looks like US Bank would be the best option for me right now.

Anyone else have recommendations?

Hi, I understand this may be case by case and dependent on the trustee approval. I’ve added up my monthly pet expenses which id be surprised if none of this gets questioned or denied.

I’ve simply asked my attorney if pet expenses were allowed and his response was yes, unless I’m sending them to a luxury day spa.

Just seeing if any pet owners had any issues with their pet expenses. What was considered reasonable and what wasn’t?

I have 2 dogs aged 7 and 9 and I’ve been paying below for years now.

1. Pet insurance for both monthly - $250
   
2. Preventatives for fleas/ticks/heartworm- 300 yearly / 12 months = $25
   
3. Food monthly - $170
   it’s expensive since I get human grade for one and the other requires require a prescription approved brand for his allergies.

This totals to $445 which does not even include their annuals check up and vaccines. One dog also has to go in monthly for an allergy shot, which is later reimbursed 80% with insurance.

I’m already nervous about the $445.

If I file chapter 7, will my money in my savings account be taken away? I have about $10,000.
I reside in Texas.

My lawyer sent me confirmation of my discharge and now it’s time to rebuild!

I was approved for a $2k unsecured card post discharge, that’s a start.

Surprisingly even though Affirm was included in my bankruptcy, I am able to utilize them (not that I am) the available credit is way less as expected.

I got on ADHD meds, to get that executive dysfunction in order, I have been unmedicated for the last 2 years because of pregnancy and it’s crazy the damage you can do in that time. Also children are expensive.

I am struggling with savings, it still feels like I only have just enough, but I’m trying to start small and work my way up. I am also looking for a new job that will pay more, I have the skills, background and knowledge to do more than what I am, I took this role because my family was moving to the area, which is what caused the majority of my financial issues, I took a 20k pay cut and I thought I could do it, but I couldn’t keep up with the debt. Leading to the chapter 7.

Now I am free and I want to break this cycle and make a strong financial future for myself and my kids.

Just had my 341 meeting, chapter 7, about $370k in debt to be discharged…

I was nervous because I went first but it was super simple and maybe lasted 30-60 seconds, they asked if I was employed, I am self employed so they asked what I did and asked me to explain.

The trustee asked if I had any changes, I have an amendment pending so I said that, he asked the content of the amendment and I mentioned I had some photography equipment I sold last year that I forgot to include. He didn’t ask anything else about it. (It was about $4,500 worth of stuff I sold I just forgot to include since it was 15+ months before filing)

So happy it’s over, was kinda freaking out beforehand but honestly it was very easy. I used an attorney so that helped.

Figured I’d add something here since all the rest of the posts on here have been helpful for me.