Hi, we are from NY and are contemplating backruptcy.
Less than 12000 in debt from credit cards, med bills
I collect SSD (catastrop illness), my husband works and we live with my dad.
We have no property, house or car.
There is a garnishment for my husband, judgements for both of us, and our checking account is frozen where my SSD check & his payroll was being deposited.
My questions:
1- We need 1500 to file bankruptcy. Can I file our taxes and use the money to pay for this? Is that money considered an asset?
2- In order to receive this government rebate check you have to file your taxes first...then you will receive this rebate for x.xx per married couple. I don't want to make any decision on this that could be construed as hiding an asset.
3- Family member called to tell us that there is some kind of money "unclaimed fund" listing my husband (correct name), prior place of employment, correct years, and giving a website to register at to collect this money. He did leave that company 15 plus years ago and the new job did not have 401K so we never transferred that $ and forgot all about it. Could this money be considered asset and can we use it to pay for the bankruptcy costs?
4- With the garnishment secured off top of payroll and difficulty meeting everyday living costs, we are finding it impossible to come up with 1500. Husband wants to take on 2nd job but I fear that will not solve prob. only give additional income for garnishment or worse...be an asset. How do we solve this?
5- Another thought: Since the combination of tax money, rebate, and unclaimed money would equal approx. 6200, maybe we could skip filing altogether and try to pay off debt? If you add the plus of not having to come up with 1500 that would be 7700 approx.! This will not pay off our debt, it will not stop the garnishments, it will not protect our checking account from being frozen again, and therefore my husband is resistant to this idea. If it paid all off, cleared us for ground zero then he would agree. Otherwise, concern is what are we really acheiving.
Thank you for taking my questions, meg

