Hello out there!

[GreenInkOnPaper]

I'm new here...and I'm sure that I'm in the same place that perhaps you were in when you joined.

Husband needs to file CH7, badly! I have spent literally hours and hours here reading, printing, clicking links and learning from your experiences. So, thank you very much for sharing! I have a million and one questions, but I have 6 or more months to get them answered, so I wont overwhelm the forum---yet!

Of course we are nervous/terrified/bewildered/exhausted about his filing. However, we are going to plan this thing to the n-th degree, and hopefully it will go smoothly and we can get on with our lives.

It can't be said enough- Thanks to everyone who asks questions (they always apply to someone else, too) and everyone who's been there/done that for answering!

Take care-
Green Ink On Paper

[AngelinaCat]

Hi GreenInk:

Welcome to the forum. First thing to do is to go to nolopress.com and purchase their book on Ch7 Bankruptcy. It is written in plain English and is up-to-date. That will become your textbook. It is available in a downladable PDF format as well as a print version. The best part about ordering directly from the publisher is that it costs only about half the price you would pay in a retail bookstore. You will see other posters here and there recommending it. That will help to answer many of your questions. If the publisher offers a 'freebie', take that too.

Good luck. The more you educate yourself about the BK process, the better you and DH will feel about the whole thing. Also, you will be in a position that when you begin to start the selection process to decide on an attorney, you will know better when one is giving good information, as opposed to BS.

[TEW]

Green Ink On Paper
Welcome to the forum. I remember a couple of months ago going over everything over and over. Trying to see if I could sell things on eBay and bail us out. In the end the numbers were the number that was all there was to it. If you haven’t already get a 3 or 4 free consults and see where you are.

[AngelinaCat]

I need to add, and STRESS what I failed to earlier: that is do NOT raid your 401K, or any other retirement plan, trying to stay afloat. It WON'T work, and you will be in the hole that much deeper, and w/o your retirement income. Your Retirement plans are EXEMPT.

[GreenInkOnPaper]

Thanks, all!
Yeah-- No 401K raids, and we already sold everything on Craigs list.

Long story short: Husband and I - this is a second marriage for each of us. Thank God we found each other. However, DH has had two nervous breakdowns in the last couple of years, and medicated himself with aquiring stuff. We found him a fantastic therapist who has taught him how to deal with things in a constructive manner. But alas, the damage has been done, financially. He had a FICO of 812 when we bought our first house 5 years ago. I think it's in the low 500's now. About 45-50K in CC debt, upside down on a car loan (and the car sits undriven because of repairs we can't do right now) and various small debts. Thankfully, the only joint accounts we have is a house. We can't afford the payments, so we have it leased and live in a small apartment near work. So obviously, we have to really seperate our finances and plan, plan, plan! Ironically, he is the most fiscallt responsible person I know...Just got way out of hand when his depression got so out of control. I used to feel uptight about all this, but you can't get blood from a rock, so we just pay what we can, keep the rent paid, utilities on, food on the table and gas in the cars. We both have good health, kind and loving families and each other. So plenty to be thankful for. Can't wait to get to know you all!

[JRScott]

I can relate. My spending in the early part of the decade was from depression. It led of course to more depression as I found no way to pay the bills, glad he has a good therapist.

I hope it'll be a smooth ride for you both

[liz417]

Hi Green,
Welcome to this forum! Yes, we've all "been there, done that"...you will find a wealth of knowledge in this forum (that's all we have left to spare ;))...
Good Luck to you!

[Never_Again]

In speaking from my own personal experience, I think self-medicating due to depression is more common than we know.

I have had quite a personal journey over the last year. What I thought then, I no longer think.

Depression is very powerful, and unless you have been there yourself, you really don't know.

[epiphany]

Welcome Ink.

Glad you found this forum early in the process...will make it so much easier.

Good luck to you and keep us informed as we will learn from you too.

ep