Hi-I was fired from my job in May of 2008 because of memory problems due to lupus. But since it is their word against mine, it won't be worth it to file a discrimination suit. Like you, I am trying to pay everyone a little bit. My credit card company has moved my minimum payment to an amount that I can't possibly pay. I am on unemployment, and most of that money goes for COBRA payments and prescriptions. I have lupus, fibromyalgia, breast cancer (in remission), and just suffered a brain injury. But they say I get too much from unemployment to qualify for any type of help. So I don't know what to do. Most of the creditors really don't care-they just want their money. So what are we supposed to do?

i don't know. i really didn't want to file for bankrupcy. i am living with mom. if we were drug addicts we would be treated better. that part hurts. i am hoping we get some answers.

I'd give you advice, but I'm in the same boat. Maxed my VISA while going to school...plus student loans and two other debts that I have to pay off......right now I am about $12,000 in debt and dont know how to get out.
VISa gave up on me and is threatening to sue...they want a full amount...one lump some...which is almost $8,000.

to top things off, my ex decideds to claim my oldr daughter on his taxes this year, although we had an agreement that I would always claim then Child Tax credit....so not only am I losing the money every month forher, but for my other kids as wel until it is all paid back for the last year.

I work hard....physical work, 6 days a week, from 8 to 10 hours a day during our busy time..and still can't make enough to start pyaing down all of these debts.
It's been keeping me up at night for months now...just worrying and stressing about how to get from under it.

well i am going to a financial counselling center on thursday for $20. i am going to see what I can do. this is too much now. if you want the info let me know. it is a family financial counseling center across the country. i got the info from a money counselor online. they are supported with donationations and goverment money maybe they can help you too. we are working and trying to fix the problem. we need help.

National Foundation for Credit Counseling thatis the national foundations name you can find someone near you good luck

Same basic story here. My creditor (GE Money Bank) just sent one of my debts to a lawyer. I am self-employed and ALL of my clients are paying very late. I have plenty of work, but pay is coming in VERY slowly. Several of my clients have gone bankrupt. Others have closed their doors without paying and my lawyer said there is no chance to collect because they dissolved the companies. ($30k vanished overnight because of this).

Add to that, I had emergency surgery back in March while uninsured (I was classed as uninsurable due to pre-existings [Sleep Apnea, high Cholesterol/Triglycerides]. I now have $100k or so in medical bills. I'm working with the hospital to attempt to do something about that, but the process is very slow. I was unable to work for about 2 1/2 months. But, because I'm self-employed, I did not qualify for any kind of unemployment--prove that you are not working when you are self-employed with a class-C Corp.

AND, I had a car crash (road debris--not my fault) that totalled my car. My ins co (State Farm) paid it, but I was upside-down on the loan (the car was about a year old). I have GAP insurance, but they are taking FOREVER to pay the remaining balance. That account is in collections, too....

When I spoke to the lawyer for GEMB, they said they want $500 before they will be able to even BEGIN to make payment arrangements. I do not have $500. Like the others on this thread, I am paying a little to each of my creditors as I get paid by clients. That's all I can do. When I get a check come in, I divide it up and pay what I can. In fact, I owe so much in back taxes due to not being able to have enough cash to pay the taxes AND survive that it's incredible...

When these bills were wrung up, I was making very good money. I also had great credit. Now, all of my reserves are long gone and I'm broke and my credit is shot.

You wanna' know how BAD things are? I had a client today who is in the process of paying me $300 that they have owed me for TWO YEARS. The only way they are able to afford it is that they are selling their business.... (a small coffee shop). THAT is how bad things are.

Here's more of how bad it is... Even if I were to attempt to file for bankruptcy, I don't have the money to pay the bankruptcy lawyer for the filing!!!! And GEMB thinks they can get something out of me? I say to them: go ahead--I have NOTHING to lose anymore.

I have an idea of how you all feel. Just over 3 yrs ago my husband and I were sunk in debt. We saw no other way out but to file bankruptcy. My husband had $180,000 in med bills alone, he has Hemophilia and our insurance did not cover his treatments. I had rented a car because mine was in the shop and went to a going away party had a few drinks and thiught it wasn't smart to drive. Called my sister to pick up the car and she wrecked it!! $12,000 on my credit because she wasn't on the contract. Not to mention all the other odd and ends bills we had. We were almost $400,000 in debt and we didn't even own a house. After we filed bankruptcy all we had left were the car payments. It been almost 4 yrs and yes it does effect up with some things but we now own a home 2 cars and between the 2 of us we have 6 credit cards with about $6,000 of credit. Its not much but in our case bankruptcy was a blessing. Good luck to you all. For RobertG see if your hospital has a free bed fund. In CT our hospital had it but they didn't offer you had to know to ask. It took care of a bill for my husband in the amount of $7,000. Not much compaired to your bill but at this point any little bit may help.

thanks for the info

Stef,

I already applied for financial aid from the hospital. THEY ARE TAKING FOREVER. And, to top it off, they just sent $48k of my $100k that I owe to a lawyer for collection, even though they haven't even finished making a decision on my financial aid!!! The financial aid app will get me into whatever the hospital offers, but I am having my doubts. In fact, I was just told by the hospital last week that even if they do give me aid, I will still owe 25% which is still over $25k (and I haven't even had the second surgery yet!!) Even when I was making good money a $25k bill would have been impossible.... (now for the fun part: when I was making good money, I was working for the hospital [5 years] that I now owe! Even better: I was working in IT and wrote parts of the software that they are now using to collect from me!!!!!!!)

Talk about adding insult to injury....

Rob,
That is crazy!! I don't understand why hospitals feel the need to rob people who are ill. No wonder doctors drive around in nice cars. I wish I had some really good words of wisdom for you but I've got nothing. I'm so sorry the hospital is doing this to you. I wish you the best and hope that this all works out in the end. Bankruptcy was the answer for me and though it took us a while to rebuild our credit it really did take away the stress of all the debit. I know it takes money for a lawyer but maybe a debt councelling group could help point you in a direction to people who could help. What about state benifits? My mom has bi-polar and does not work her medical is covered by the state and they give her $127 in food stamps and $200 in cash, not a lot but it does help a little.

Because I'm a small business owner, I don't qualify for pretty much ANY benefits. They see that the business has a little bit of money, but what they do not take into consideration is that the business is badly in debt as well, because clients don't pay on time (or at all--I wrote off $30k last year due to uncollectible accounts). It owes the IRS about $15k right now, and Florida $2-3k.

I'd do the bankruptcy thing, but I need to have the colostomy reversal surgery. They consider it "optional" and won't do it unless I get the financial aid. If I file, I will be guaranteed to be stuck with a smelly bag of shit hanging from my stomach for the rest of my life.... I have no idea WHAT to do.

As I did work for the hospital for quite a while, I am in the process of calling in a few favors from some people that I know there. Not sure if they can help, but MAYBE. Right now, I'll try anything...