My situation

[Kbob]

Hi,

I've been a lurker for a while now and wanted to get some input on my options.

I've been unemployed for about 5 years now. About a year after I lost my job I moved in with my parents because I could no longer afford rent and I wanted to try a job market in a different city. Shortly after moving in with my parents my mother's health got much worse and I've been helping with her care ever since. My father is still working so I take care of her needs during the day. Things like picking her up from dialysis, driving her to doctor appointments, fixing meals, etc.

I had a small amount of CC debt (3 cards, still only have the same 3) when I moved in, but it has ballooned to about 25k now as I've been taking out cash advances to make minimum payments on the cards and car insurance for the past couple years. I also have about 5k in unpaid medical bills from a trip to the ER last year.

A couple months ago the cards pretty much maxed out and I was unable to keep making payments. I've just been avoiding the creditors calls up to this point.

I have no assets other than my car which is paid off. My parents cover my living expenses, food, and gas. I was thinking about filing chapter 7, but I recently came across this post while browsing the forums. Now I'm worried that my extended period of unemployment will be seen as "abuse" and I wont be able to file chapter 7.

[familyof7]

You should speak with an attorney and explain your situation I think you should be fine.

[JRScott]

Your parents I'm sure appreciate what you are doing. My aunt had to quit her job to take care of grandma.

I'd still schedule 3-4 meetings with bankruptcy attorneys in your area. Most offer free consultations. Tell them the situation and see what they think.

Another option might be to see if you could get a part time job in the evenings. That way you'd be free to care for your mother in the daytime and would only be away perhaps a few hours a night or a couple nights a week so that you could still help your father. If you choose this I'd sit down and let them know the problem. After about 6 months you'd have enough paystubs to show work and calculate a means test if a lawyer doesn't think you can do it now.