Newbie question

[Msecrets]

Hello. I'm planning on filing bankruptcy and in the last 6 months I won $18000 playing slots. Do I need to wait 6 months to file? I'm on SSI and barely get $1000 a month and no longer play due to state restrictions.

[CruzingThru]

I think you should consult with your bankruptcy lawyer asap, and have them weigh in on whether they would have you wait or not. Gambling was a big part of why I got into my situation and it ended up being a big part of the meeting, and it was a condition on my 13 that I could not gamble and my tax returns would be reviewed accordingly. If I did, they would dismiss my 13. I say all that to also stress the point, if gambling is a big part of your life currently, you need to picture and prepare for how much more difficult it will be to stop under a BK plan. When the temptations will still be there and some of the impediments (bills, etc) are set aside. BK is a great opportunity for a much needed restart, but I definitely got into it without some of the proper preparations beforehand.

[justbroke]

It depends. There may be some attorney that can argue that even with $1000*12 plus $18000 (which is $30,000 annualized), you are still under-the-median, that your SSI income doesn't count, and that you should be able to obtain a discharge under the rules of a Chapter 7.

The best thing to do at this time? Find three to five local bankruptcy attorneys and book a free consultation and ask them. It is highly likely that you qualify because SSI doesn't count as income since it is part of the Social Security program.