Hi,
I have been out of work for nearly 2 years, and have not had full-time work since 2006. The last job I held in my previous profession was a short contract in the Fall of 2007. Since then, I have done little odd jobs that paid me barely enough to cover rent.
But I have had no work at all since 2008. After searching and searching for employment, I went back to grad-school part-time in the Fall of 2006. I only went part-time, so I could use the extra financial aid to live on while I looked for work. But the job landscape of my old profession had changed, and I was never able to secure a full-time job. Now I'm close to graduation. I will graduate next Spring '10.
Last year, I received a judgment against me for 7,000. I wanted to file Ch7 or chapter 13 and visited a bankruptcy atty in the Fall. Unfortunately, he tells me I will need to wait until 2010 or even 2011. I have no assets, except a car that still has several thousand dollars owed on it.
I was not eligible for aid this semester. So my parents are helping me, out of the kindness of their heart. They have helped pay the car loan, and give me a bit of money for rent/utilities/food.
Recently, the attorney for the creditor sent me a notice of entry of default/clerk's judgement on this. Since I don't make any money of my own, I can't pay this.
The lawyer I saw advised me to just take judgments on the chin. He said I was pretty "judgement proof". I have no assets.
However, my parents do send me money from time to time in a wire transfer into a checking account. I have changed banks, but I am wondering if I should ask them to send it via a money wire service instead of into a bank account. My bank rarely has any money in it. I remove all of it on the same day it is wired, minus the money that goes toward my car payment. My parents don't have the money to help me with the judgment. So the question of whether I could borrow the money to pay off the judgment is moot. I'm sure my credit has been ruined. There were other creditors, but I have only been sued by one so far.
In August, my guess is I will be eligible for welfare. A couple of classes I need to graduate will not be offered until next year, so I won't be in school, and won't have work unless something comes along before then.
I wish there was a way to file now, but the lawyer said I would probably have the bankruptcy contested. I was hoping to find a job and be able to file chapter 13, but many interviews later, I still don't have one. He thinks if I get a job, I could file chapter 13 immediately. Otherwise, I'll have to wait until the tax returns are from a later period. Back in 2005, I sold a house. I had less than a capital gain. But I had some income. So I thought it was fine for me to take a cash advance/balance transfer-- because I had the money to pay on the debt. But I did not have full-time work. I was self-employed as a technical contractor, and my business basically dried up. I did not get any income on my 2005 or 2006 tax return. So this lawyer said to wait until 2010 or even 2011 to file a chapter 7. He said by that point a bankruptcy would probably not be contested, and hopefully I will find a job before that. If I found a really good job, I'd just make out a payment plan with my creditors. But that seems unlikely at this point. I'll probably be getting a new job in the new profession, and it will be lower-pay entry level than what I used to make.
Any advice about the bank account? They would not have this account #. It's a pretty new account. I suppose I could open one in a different state. Not sure if that would help.
Also, I still owe about 7,000 on the car. And it is not in great shape-- it would not fetch a lot. I might get 3,000 if I sold it. But I use it for a grad school internship. And I hate to sell it since I may need it for work. Is there a chance they would try to seize a car before it is paid off?
Thanks so much for the info!
I have been out of work for nearly 2 years, and have not had full-time work since 2006. The last job I held in my previous profession was a short contract in the Fall of 2007. Since then, I have done little odd jobs that paid me barely enough to cover rent.
But I have had no work at all since 2008. After searching and searching for employment, I went back to grad-school part-time in the Fall of 2006. I only went part-time, so I could use the extra financial aid to live on while I looked for work. But the job landscape of my old profession had changed, and I was never able to secure a full-time job. Now I'm close to graduation. I will graduate next Spring '10.
Last year, I received a judgment against me for 7,000. I wanted to file Ch7 or chapter 13 and visited a bankruptcy atty in the Fall. Unfortunately, he tells me I will need to wait until 2010 or even 2011. I have no assets, except a car that still has several thousand dollars owed on it.
I was not eligible for aid this semester. So my parents are helping me, out of the kindness of their heart. They have helped pay the car loan, and give me a bit of money for rent/utilities/food.
Recently, the attorney for the creditor sent me a notice of entry of default/clerk's judgement on this. Since I don't make any money of my own, I can't pay this.
The lawyer I saw advised me to just take judgments on the chin. He said I was pretty "judgement proof". I have no assets.
However, my parents do send me money from time to time in a wire transfer into a checking account. I have changed banks, but I am wondering if I should ask them to send it via a money wire service instead of into a bank account. My bank rarely has any money in it. I remove all of it on the same day it is wired, minus the money that goes toward my car payment. My parents don't have the money to help me with the judgment. So the question of whether I could borrow the money to pay off the judgment is moot. I'm sure my credit has been ruined. There were other creditors, but I have only been sued by one so far.
In August, my guess is I will be eligible for welfare. A couple of classes I need to graduate will not be offered until next year, so I won't be in school, and won't have work unless something comes along before then.
I wish there was a way to file now, but the lawyer said I would probably have the bankruptcy contested. I was hoping to find a job and be able to file chapter 13, but many interviews later, I still don't have one. He thinks if I get a job, I could file chapter 13 immediately. Otherwise, I'll have to wait until the tax returns are from a later period. Back in 2005, I sold a house. I had less than a capital gain. But I had some income. So I thought it was fine for me to take a cash advance/balance transfer-- because I had the money to pay on the debt. But I did not have full-time work. I was self-employed as a technical contractor, and my business basically dried up. I did not get any income on my 2005 or 2006 tax return. So this lawyer said to wait until 2010 or even 2011 to file a chapter 7. He said by that point a bankruptcy would probably not be contested, and hopefully I will find a job before that. If I found a really good job, I'd just make out a payment plan with my creditors. But that seems unlikely at this point. I'll probably be getting a new job in the new profession, and it will be lower-pay entry level than what I used to make.
Any advice about the bank account? They would not have this account #. It's a pretty new account. I suppose I could open one in a different state. Not sure if that would help.
Also, I still owe about 7,000 on the car. And it is not in great shape-- it would not fetch a lot. I might get 3,000 if I sold it. But I use it for a grad school internship. And I hate to sell it since I may need it for work. Is there a chance they would try to seize a car before it is paid off?
Thanks so much for the info!
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