Okiedokie, first off hello everyone. I'm new here and this is my first post, so if it seems like I'm a newbie, I am lol
So, a little backstory. I was married for almost 10 years, divorced my ex-husband in June of last year. In 2006 we filed a Chapter 7 bankruptcy jointly, with everything (except my personal student loans) discharged without a problem. We re-established decent credit and everything was ok financially until our divorce. Before the divorce, ex and I had two vehicles in both of our names that were financed. In our decree, he got one car (which he traded in on a new car), and I got the other (which was repossessed by the finance company due to my lack of employment).
Then I sadly ran into the problem of a very sick mother who needed round the clock nursing care, so I quit my full-time office job and moved back home to help her. I've since started my own business as a freelance writer, so I'm self-employed and get 1099's from my clients at the end of tax season. No real steady income, although I do manage about $1500 a month while helping care for mom.
Unfortunately, the time without work resulted in the repo of the car and that debt, and a few other bills that have gone into collections (an old telephone bill in my name, a couple of payday loans, a bank account that was overdrawn, etc.) At this point I'm not even sure what exactly is in collections or what obligations I have outstanding.
I want to get this all straightened up and my credit back on track. I hate having this stuff hanging over my head as I rebuild my life and try to move on, but I have no idea what my options are. Is there a possibility of a bankruptcy on my own now that the divorce is over? If not...what other options do I have? I can't afford to just pay all of these collections companies and whatnot outright, as they wants big payments that I cannot afford on my meager budget.
Any advice/direction would be more than welcome.....thank you all so much!
So, a little backstory. I was married for almost 10 years, divorced my ex-husband in June of last year. In 2006 we filed a Chapter 7 bankruptcy jointly, with everything (except my personal student loans) discharged without a problem. We re-established decent credit and everything was ok financially until our divorce. Before the divorce, ex and I had two vehicles in both of our names that were financed. In our decree, he got one car (which he traded in on a new car), and I got the other (which was repossessed by the finance company due to my lack of employment).
Then I sadly ran into the problem of a very sick mother who needed round the clock nursing care, so I quit my full-time office job and moved back home to help her. I've since started my own business as a freelance writer, so I'm self-employed and get 1099's from my clients at the end of tax season. No real steady income, although I do manage about $1500 a month while helping care for mom.
Unfortunately, the time without work resulted in the repo of the car and that debt, and a few other bills that have gone into collections (an old telephone bill in my name, a couple of payday loans, a bank account that was overdrawn, etc.) At this point I'm not even sure what exactly is in collections or what obligations I have outstanding.
I want to get this all straightened up and my credit back on track. I hate having this stuff hanging over my head as I rebuild my life and try to move on, but I have no idea what my options are. Is there a possibility of a bankruptcy on my own now that the divorce is over? If not...what other options do I have? I can't afford to just pay all of these collections companies and whatnot outright, as they wants big payments that I cannot afford on my meager budget.
Any advice/direction would be more than welcome.....thank you all so much!
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