Seeking some advice ..regarding Chapter 7 or consolidation

[Anonymous]

Been battling with filing chapter 7 for a few monthes now and been increasing difficult. I have a total income of is child support and my husband pays for my rent and utilities. We are not seperated, legally. My total income 750 . I have applied for public assitance but was denied due to total household income.Though we are seperated on paper and we live under same roof due to  need.

We have no bills togther, anymore. I have recently lost my job in April and used my savings to move from New York back to Maryland to live.  

I have a car payment with Chrslyer Financial for 445.00 at a huge interest rate 16%( now two months late) .

I have alot of old collections with at 4500 in student loans , 9000 in unsecured debt, a repo from 2004 with  10,200 remaining,  18,156 on this car loan, 5000 in secured debt , and 545 in payday loans. My income right now and is 750 . I am trying to figure out which way is up and trying to figure out if and how i should file. i understand sometime you need to cut your losses but just worried if my filing would affect my husband's (top secret security clearance). Even with his income (52000 jointly we dont make enough to pay down this debt in the next 3-5 years).I am praying they dont count his income since I receive a small fraction to support myself and our two children. I do know that Maryland is a not a community property state.

After bankrupcty is getting a secured credit card hard to obtain?

How does bankruptcy affect future employment? How does Chapter seven affect your personal property(holdhold goods)? Any advice would be appreciated? Should I file Chapter 7 or should I try to consolidate.

Message Edited by TwinMom06 on 06-03-2009 06:53 AM

Message Edited by TwinMomStuckB on 06-03-2009 07:02 AM

[Anonymous]

contrary to what others will say most debt consiladation plans do not work.  I would get free consultations with 3-5 BK attorneys in your area.  You can also go to a library and see if they have the NOLO press books on BK.  In reagrds to your husbands clearance I will say I had to get secret clearance after filling BK and was interviewed by an investigator and got the clearance.

[Anonymous]

I totally agree with the other person who said the debt consolidation doesn't work.
 
You can file for chapter  7 separately without doing it joint with your husband.
 
However; the fact is the income is both of yours and they will look at it that way, on top of it you live together.
 
Secondly, if you have any debts that are joint, if you file without him and you get discharged from the debts then he will be fully responsible, a lot of times too the creditors are dumb and they mark the joint stuff as being in a chapter 7 on both your cases and then you'll have to call up and explain to them that it was just you who did it.
 
It sure sounds like to me that your debt far more than your income, there is no way for you to support yourself and a child when you barely make enough for your car payment plus insurance, that doesn't even include gas.
 
If I were you, I would just file for 7, get rid of everything including the car.
 
Start over from the ground up, move on with your life, this seems the only way out unless you could win the lotto???

Message Edited by RSHEPPICK on 06-08-2009 08:47 AM