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miserable chapter 13

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artvandalay
Established Member

miserable chapter 13

 while i'm thankful for this option being available to me, i'm completely miserable one year into my chapter 13. 

i continue to make payments on time but knowing i am only 12 payments in with 48 months to go is tough. my cash flow is super tight. i'm trying to run a business and its just tough knowing this hangs over my head every month, month after month for another four years. again i'm thankful and take stock of the situation daily. but its psychologically taxing. I feel old and as if i've aged 20 years over the last 15 months (bk process included). I'm stressed and its just miserable. I intend to see this through but its a tough slug. very few things keep me going day to day. i can see why people kill themselves over this stuff. its suffocating and literally sucks the life out of you. And to think this all began with a dispute with my employer - i never thought it would escalate to this point. I was a responsible borrower but this work contract dispute and judgement against me has brought me to my knees.

 

never thought i'd be here. i played by all the rules and then this dispute with the employer out of left field.

 

i'll continue to push forward but its been a **bleep** experience, entirely so far.

Message 1 of 10
9 REPLIES 9
Luftty
Established Member

Re: miserable chapter 13

can you convert the chapter 13 into a chapter 7?

if so why you havent done it?

unless you have a lot to loose if you do. talk to your lawyer and ask him about conversion if you can and weight its bebenfits and cons.

 

good luck.

Message 2 of 10
johnson207
New Contributor

Re: miserable chapter 13

This is probably the best thing I have read in ages because I feel the same way. We have just made our 8th payment. We started the process with a Chapter 7 over a year ago. Although we qualified with the means test, the judge would not approve the 7 and we ended up with a 7. My wife and I(both in our early 40s) were hoping for 7 so we could start over. At this point, I have resides myself to the payments and following the process through completion.

 

I think what I find the weirdest part to this process is that I feel like a financial leper. It is next to impossible to save any money, so we are in panic mode when something bad happens(car repairs, house repairs etc.). We are being creative and have cut back a ton. I think this transition/process will be for the good in the long term. In all honest, living without a credit card is both a relief and terrifying.

 

If nothing else, you are not alone. I think my lawyer sucks at communication, so that does not help with the anxiety.

 

 

Message 3 of 10
IOBA
Senior Contributor

I have GREAT respect for everyone who completes a chapter...

I have GREAT respect for everyone who completes a chapter 13.  

 

It's tough now. Don't give up.  Smiley Happy

Message 4 of 10
LynGene
New Contributor

Re: miserable chapter 13

Misery loves company!  I just hit the 3 year mark.  2.  long.  years.  left.  I hate feeling like I'm at the mercy of someone else, and this black mark impacts EVERYTHING!  Not to mention that so many things change in your life over 5 years - it feels very unrealistic to be tied to something short of a mortgage for that long. 

 

Live and learn I guess.  This too shall pass!

Message 5 of 10
Anonymous
Not applicable

Re: miserable chapter 13

There is a light at the end of the tunnel. The time will pass very quickly. I felt exactly the way you feel at the time we filed. I felt like a failure, trapped, embarrassed and a mix of a ton of other emotions. Three months ago we paid off our Chap 13 early and 1 month later on 9/11, we were discharged. The feeling was terrific, yet also scary as I knew I had a boat load of work ahead of me. I would not have changed our decision to file one bit. The financial stress hanging over our heads at that time was overwhelming and I feel I have finally learned how to manage our finances. For once, I feel in control.  All I can recommend, is pay all your bills right now on time. Never miss a payment. Before you know it, you will be out of BK and building your financial future.  Hold your head high and realize that this is the beginning of a turning everything around. 

Message 6 of 10
DaUsMsB
Contributor

Re: miserable chapter 13

Yes, I totally understand...I was hoping for a 7...but wanted to keep some stuff and went for Chapter 13.  I gave up a new truck and bought a beater of a car....it barely made it to work.  Just to give you guys light...I did my Ch 13...discharged 3/2014...and it was EXTREMELY excited...when nearing that 5yr mark. 

 

I never did get any loan or credit card during the process...I dont know how some people were able to obtain that.  I was content after 5yrs of just using cash/debit...I figured I'd stay like that forever...but like I said in another post...sadly, I'm not a millionaire...so I need credit to buy another car and hopefully a house down the road.  I make good money now...but without any recent credit lines...I couldn't even get a 20k car loan from my credit union (NFCU) of around 10yrs...denied.  I actually could have paid most of it off in cash...but I wanted to build credit.  My wife and I were pretty upset on how economy has treated us lately...that one big fall...we had good credit prior to the fall..no missed payments...etc.  So being denied our 1st loan in 5/2014 hit us hard...especially because we had no credit card bills/loans...and we makee 130-140k+/yr...in freaking ARKANSAS...and we can't get a 20k loan? w.t.f.? right? thats how we felt.

 

However...later that month we were able to get a loan, high apr (12%), from capital one...so we took it just to build credit...same month we got 2 credit cards...one secured other one with low limit.  Tried to refinance 5 months later through NFCU since it's been a few months and we used their secured card and other credit card a TON...and zero balance...still denied.  However as of today...we just were approved for 4 more credit cards....increasing our spending limits by $5100...of course we're just going to use and PIF every month.

 

So we were angry/sad even after the 5 yrs...but just use this site and you will be right back on track pretty fast!  There are TONS and TONS of useful topics here...and Im still finding new ones even today.  Speaking of the topic of who does SP vs HP....which is why I applied for a lot today.

 

One main hint...is probably to get your credit report before discharged...you know which should be included in bankruptcy...be ready to dispute that ASAP...that's what held me up...finally got Most of it off the 3 agencies.  All of them have online dispute forms.

 

Take care!!! yall will Def make it!!!!

Message 7 of 10
TRC_WA
Senior Contributor

Re: I have GREAT respect for everyone who completes a chapter...


@IOBA wrote:

I have GREAT respect for everyone who completes a chapter 13.  

 

 


Thank you.  

 

I made it... and my reward is a clean CR in April 2016 instead of 2019.  Rebuilding has been easier too... contrary to what a lot of the Chapter 7'ers say.

FICO8 current as of : ----- EQ: --- TU: --- EX: ---
Hard INQs last 12 months: EQ: 5 | TU: 7 | EX: 9
Verizon Visa $6500 Amex Delta Platinum $10,000 Care Credit $12,000
NFCU CashRewards $6000 Apple Card $2000 Best Buy $3500 Amazon $5000
NFCU auto loan (2022 Ford Bronco Sport Badlands - Cactus Gray) $44k new - balance $31k/6.94%
Total CL: $45,000 --- Total CC UTI: --% --- AAoA: 5.5 years --- Income: $200k
Last app: 11-30-23
Message 8 of 10
DaUsMsB
Contributor

Re: I have GREAT respect for everyone who completes a chapter...

Oh man...I was so worried about getting my score up and approved for cards...when it comes off totally slipped my mind.  I just assumed it would be with me like an anchor for years to come. So is it exactly on the file date?  If so...man I may be close!!! Or is it the confirmed date?  Either way...I am closer than what I was thinking.

 

Mine shows:

Petition Filed on Nov 18, 2008
Date Case Confirmed02/06/2009
Date Case Closed03/13/2014
Message 9 of 10
DaUsMsB
Contributor

Re: I have GREAT respect for everyone who completes a chapter...

I just found this...so from the date filed...man...really? 1 more year??? OMG. It feels like Christmas already! Smiley Happy

 

Reference:

http://blog.equifax.com/credit/faq-how-long-does-information-stay-on-my-credit-report/

 

Bankruptcy

  • A bankruptcy under chapter 7 or 11 or a non-discharged or dismissed chapter 13 bankruptcy generally remains on your credit file for ten years from the date filed.
  • A discharged chapter 13 bankruptcy generally remains on your credit file for seven years from the date filed.
Message 10 of 10
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