My husband has become ill and has not worked in 2 years and have been waiting over a year for a disability decision and my credit card is maxed out with a couple of other small debts and I need to declare chap. 7 bankruptcy... I have very little money, I am thinking about ordering an online do it yourself bankruptcy kit tha you download off the internet for about $35. They have a fill-in-the-blank format and it has a BB Bureau seal on it and everything... and then all I have to do is pay the $209 filing fee which is standard. Does anyone have any opinion on this or experience using these, I don't want to get ripped off but I cannot afford to spend $400+ on top of filing fee for a lawyer at this time

I am not a US citizen but from a layman's point of view, please think carefully before you declare bankruptcy.

If you do that, there will be recorded a black mark on your credit rating file. Here, it is 7 years.

AMEX are particularly unforgiving. You can forget about ever getting credit in future from them (and a lot of other people) if you default on their payments.

AMEX have a lot of clout and most credit providers rely on AMEX ratings.

If you are in serious financial trouble, pay off AMEX in full somehow. Then go to a government agency for free advice to work out a moratorium on debts. They will schedule a repayment program that will not break your budget.

Most credit providers are happy to compromise by forgoing interest payments as long as the debt is repaid eventually.

After you pay off your debts, your credit rating will remain intact (provided you don't rub AMEX the wrong way.)

That's the facts.

First things first: I know a lot about credit & debt. I know some about disability, but for fear of reprisal of current creditors I cannot say why. It was in a professional capacity...

First, don't declare bankruptcy. Unless you are getting foreclosed or repossessed, or being sued, why? You are already de facto bankrupt by failure to pay. If you need some options, let me know.

Second, get Legal Aid in your area to get a disability attorney. If they won't help, try to get one on contigency (commission for results in suit). Or I can get you to a company offering Legal Access Plans.

SSI is a system that the deck is stacked against you on purpose. Two years is gross negligence and I would sue the state or SSA system for back support!

Jon
[email protected]

The preceding is not legal advice, is not from a licensed debt counselor, and is not provided to persons from states which providing such information requires a license.