I live in WI and am planning on filing for bankruptcy in Sept of this year. I currently work two jobs that pay a great hourly wage but I can't keep working 70+ hours a week just to afford paying the minimums. I filed for chap 7 in 2017 as my credit was destroyed when I lost my job and was homeless for a year. I was doing great with my credit afterwards then in 2019 I was laid off from my job and a year later COVID hit which caused everything I worked so hard for to be ruined again. I have been trying for the last 3 years to get my head above water but I am exhausted and can't do this anymore. So I have a few questions:
1. Now that I am planning on chap 7 would it be a good idea to stop paying all the CC bills? If I do I can quit my second job and would only have to work one ft job.
2. If I should keep paying I will have to stay working 2 jobs till I file but I will no longer qualify for 7 as I am way over the means test despite being broke. I did an estimate on chap 13 and my payments would be the exact same as I pay now and I would have to still work two jobs after filing.
3. How long do late payments stick around and would I be screwed for years? My CS is already 500 and has only been declining as my CU is 95%.
3. If I stop paying all of my CCs I will have ~$800 a month extra. Will that be frowned upon? Though a huge chunk of that would go to fixing my vehicle, hopefully moving, and paying for an attorney.
4. Are you barred from buying a house after filing chap 7? I was reading that places won't touch you for years. I can't get a house now as my credit is horrible so I can only rent.
