I am considering filing for Bankruptcy.  But I am worried about naive past mistakes.?
960378
Fraud on your part, or theirs?  Your response is simply that the credit card company told you what consitituted "income."  The bankruptcy court is likely far more interested in what your CURRENT ability to pay your debts is, than it is what you put on an application six years ago.\n\nSounds like a question for your lawyer (you do have one, right?) just to make sure, though.
1066789
The link below contains a bunch of sample letters to send to creditors.\n\nEmail me if you need more advice.
311525
If you don't know ask an attorney. They will ask who sent it you to. There is a lot of missing info here. Are you being sued? Did you file for bankruptcy? Has a family member passed that owned a debt? In these kind of matters, stick with the advise of a professional to protect yourself, and not someone you've never met on yahoo.
947437
Just my opinion....but I've seen this from a lot of differant angles.\n\nI have seen a lot of very smart paralegals...and a lot of very dumb lawyers.  Just because they are a lawyer does not make them extremely smart or immune from screwing up a case.\n\nIn many law offices, the paralegal does a lot of the actual work, and is "probably" capible of doing a bankruptcy case.\n\nBut you need to keep one very important point in mind.  Under the new bankruptcy laws, if you make one mistake...missfile one form...goof up one procedure...then your bankruptcy case will be dismissed.  If that happens you can not file again for one year.  In that time, you can bet your creditors will do everything they can to get their case to court and get their money within that time!  Especially now that they know you are filing for bankruptcy.\n\nSo with that said...if you have a very simple bankruptcy you could probably get away with a paralegal.  But anything else, I would highly recommend a qualified lawyer.
445929
Did the Earth just shake?  Something awful happened, cause we finally got a wise answer from icsowesmemoney!\n\nFact.  You owe $20,000.  \nFact.  You make $800/month\nFact.  If you were somehow able to find $200 in that tight budget, and factoring in interest payments, it's going to take over 10 years to pay this debt!\n\nThe other responders completely ignore your comments on the difficulty in finding a better paying job.  Some day, they will lose their jobs or get laid off, and will discover this fact for themselves.\n\nYou are a prime candidate for filing chapter 7.  You will not meet the "means test" because you don't make enough money to be forced into a Chapter 13 "wage earners" plan.  With no home or car, you have nothing.  \n\nCheck with the local bankruptcy attorneys, and you may even find a program for low income people and get a very low legal cost.\n\nGood luck.  You are in very good company.  Many thousands of other people filed for bankruptcy last year for this very reason.
663410
Take your loss adn move on. Whatever your suing for will cost you more money in small claims court than you can get out of a company that went bankrupt. sorry
44840
Tough luck. \nThey just changed the bankruptcy laws in October '05. \nNow it costs more to file, but before you can even file, they make you jump through a bunch of hoops, and I guess their pushing chapter 13 (the payback plan)...\n\n\nGood luck!
791217
I have personal experience in this, I wet through a horrible divorce in Jan 1996 and had to file Chp 7 which erased $65K then I remarried a great gal with some bill problems of her own which we tried to juggle for several years but we became overwhelmed we put everything in her name and she filed Chp 7 in 2002, the judge asked why I wasn't listed on bankruptcy and my wife answered that I had gone through Chp 7 in 1996 before we were married and you can only go through it once every 7 years.  So she had her debts discharged and included some medical bills of mine that her insurance covered without question. Now we are financially stable have bought a house. its been 10 years since i filed so it doesn't show on credit report, everything is okay. it would have been okay if it weren't for vindictive ex-wife but that's another story. don't stress, you'll be okay.
392710
First, get a credit report to ensure that nothing has been reported negatively.  If there is erroneous information, dispute it immediately. If there are no problems, you may want to consider a secured credit card.  You put money down as a deposit, in case you default on your payments. Payments on the card are reported like an unsecured card, and in time, the company you have the secured card with, may offer you unsecured credit.  Third, if you have a poor to fair job history, that will look badly for you.  Also, opening a checking AND savings account and not overdrawing, will make you more responsible looking.  Hope this helps!
985060
When you file, you list all of the debts that you want have. If you do not list it, it will not be taken away. I believe that they are not supposed to garnish your wages as long as your bankruptcy went through, but I'd talk to your lawyer.
95677
You have to remember. All info on any computer is at some risk, but banks go to great lengths to protect their/your data. I've been paying bills online since '99. No fraud yet. Just keep an eye on your accounts daily. If anything seems weird, call your bank-they will handle it.
867624
I wish Debt Guru would tone down his answers.  It's bad enough they are self serving, but they are very deceptive.\n\nOK, true.  A bankruptcy stays on your "public record" forever.  But most lenders don't look at your "public record" (which is actually the bankruptcy court records).  Most will look at your credit report, and the BK listing is removed after 10 years.  \n\nJust thought I'd point that out again.\n\nAnd debt settlement only works if the creditor agrees to work with these companies.  They are NOT required to do so, and in many cases these companies do more harm then good.  Most are fronts for lenders trying to sell consolidation loans!  Don't believe me, take a look at the FTC website at http://www.ftc.gov\n\nOK, so what's my opinion?  Can't give you one with such limited information.  \n\nFirst take a look at the link below, as it describes what the bankruptcy laws are going to do for you.  \n\nAsk yourself this question.....\n\nIf you were to sit down and create a very strict budget (no more Starbucks, no eating out, no movies...) and put all of your "disposable" income into paying off this debt, can you do it in 5 years?\n\nFor example, lets say after you have made your budget you can afford only $200 a month, and you owe $20,000 in debts.  In this case, assuming the creditors are nice enough to wave late fees and interest (yeah, right), it's going to take about 9 years.  In that time, your credit report is ruined due to all the late payment and collection notices.  \n\nIn reality, all of your creditors are NOT going to wait more then 2 years for their money. You will be hammered with lawsuits, collection agents, and still have bad credit for several years.\n\nOr....when you file for bankruptcy you will still be put on a very strict budget.  But your bills will be paid off completely in 3-5 years. In most cases you will only be paying back a portion of the debt.\n\nTrue, your credit is trashed for 10 years.  But at least you can start your life over without all the debt and harrassment that goes along with it.\n\nGood luck.  BK is a hard decision to make.
645471
I suppose you are talking about the Bankruptcy law.  But it carries repercussions for one's credit record to file bankruptcy.
156586
A lawyer could be a good resource.  You may want to consult a lawyer to find out what you need to do.  Also a lawyer can help to make sure you aren't held resposible for any fraudulent charges or credit cards or accounts opened in your name.\n\nI don't think you NEED a lawyer, but it definately wouldn't hurt.
925813
Bankruptcy shoudl be a last resort! \n\nIf you have to file, then make sure you know what your getting into. \n\nHere are some very informative bankruptcy facts. \n\nhttp://www.expert-credit-advice.com/bankruptcy_facts.htm\n\n\nGood luck to you!
184787
Definitely file now. Get it over with and put the past behind you.
479660
I would file tommorow if I was you, once they get a judgement you cant include them in your bankruptsy. I just filed in october and it was over in march. I downloaded the forms from gov.org website and did it myself, I filed it myself and included a form to ask the court for a payment plan for the court costs which were $187.00, to be made in payments. We filed chapter 7, and because we didnt have more than 25% equity in our home we got to keep it. We wernt behind on that bill. So we just keep on paying it like usuall. We got to keep one car for each of us. Both were already paid off. My husband had one judgement that was not allowed to be discharged. And our home equity loan and mortgage was not entered as a discharge, because we are still able to pay for that. We got $69,000 dollars worth of debts discharged (meaning we don't have to pay them)The day you file, you have to pay $50 dollars toward the total if you file the form asking for the payment plan. The forms are kinda hard to understand at first.The packet is about 20 pages. One ask to list all secured debts, which are home loans or car loans. And then you list all your unsecured debts on one page meaning credit cards and hospital bills and the like with all the totals and names and addresses of the debtors, and then a page to list your income and what your personal assets are like jewlery, art work etc. Just work one page at a time, you can do it. But work fast before the judgement, and don't tell them you are doing it. The day you file you and get a number you are protected from them harrassing you, calling you or sueing you. The papers are free to download of the government web page. You have to decide which one to file chapter 7, 11, 13 depending on you particular circumstances. 7 is total and if you own more that 25% equity in a home they can sell the home to satisfy the debtors. 13 is a repayment plan I think. And state to state has different rules. Now you have to have credit counciling to, I think. The second web site has the forms free to download and the rules of the credit counciling and a listing of the individual states that you would live in. I hope this has helped you. Remember the law was set up for you to help you, when you cant pay the bills. Dont let anyone shame you. Its your right to file..