2020 Best Invention

"Bankruptcy Due To Medical Bills" Discussion

Upsolve is a nonprofit tool that helps you file bankruptcy for free. Think TurboTax for bankruptcy. Get free education, customer support, and community. Featured in Forbes 4x and funded by institutions like Harvard University so we'll never ask you for a credit card. Explore our free tool


Compiled by Upsolve Team

Live Community Q&A

763 Members Online · 5,543+ Posts

Professional Q&As for "Bankruptcy Due To Medical Bills"

Upsolve Community Member
2022-01-04

Medical emergency had a stroke and heart attack November 2020 been awaiting SSDI approval since February 2021 they are backed up had no income since March 2021 completely broke brain damage very sick paid 5 years and 10 months at 22% interest on my 2014 Corolla through Santander got it in 2016, it was a 2014, due to interest paid almost 6 years still have over 10k left and am 80 days past due and up for reposession and they won’t work with me, credit shot from the last year, no one to help all alone need help please I won’t be able to get another car with amount of SSDI monthly payments and only 80k miles on my car I need to pay it off then drive it for remainder of my life please help also my credit score plummeted from 770 to 510 in the last year due to medical emergency and SSDI holdup medical bills charged off small credit cards and loans screwed me up brain damage please help 2144047715 Rachel flock have no money negative overdrawn in my bank please help

3 Reactions

Community Replies:

Upsolve Community Member
OK, Rachel... the first thing you need to do is take three deep breaths so you can focus. Nobody is going to call you from Upsolve --- but if you are under such stress that you need some mental health help ---- 1-800-273-TALK (8255).  This is a "Do It Yourself" service for filing Chapter 7 bankruptcy. If you would like info as to how you get started with Upsolve, where you are doing the work yourself, let me know. Please respond to this message. Thank you! :-)

Upsolve Community Member
Hi Rachel, disability is a tough road and my heart goes out to you. Medical problems can really turn a person's life upside down, and SSDI can be a slow process. Bankruptcy can help with medical bills. The article https://upsolve.org/learn/get-rid-of-medical-bills-in-bankruptcy/ has more information. It sounds like you're very worried about keeping your car. That will depend on different factors, but I recommend reading https://upsolve.org/learn/can-keep-car-file-bankruptcy/ to learn more about your options. If it's difficult for you to read or reading makes you tired, check out what accessibility options your phone or computer has to read aloud or narrate text. There are also extensions and apps that can help.  Sometimes it's hard to find community services to help, but you can call 211 to find out if the United Way has any community services available in your area to help you with your health care and financial needs. 

Upsolve Community Member
2022-02-01

I owe $15000 in debt and I am married but not employed due to ulcerative colitis medical issues. My income is my husband's retirement and social security. Can I file for bankruptcy for myself since all medical bills are under my name only?

1 Reactions

Community Replies:

Upsolve Community Member
Pauline, great question! Yes- it's possible for one spouse to file without the other one. Whether or not it makes more sense to file individually or jointly depends on the specifics of your cirumstances! 

Upsolve Community Member
Hello Pauline, Here is an article on this topic: https://upsolve.org/learn/file-bankruptcy-without-spouse/

Upsolve Community Member
2021-10-01

I am fully disabled since 1999 and can’t work. Living alone for the first time in my life since my mom passed in 2014. We shared expenses. I literally buy groceries with what little open credit I still have. Only way around this is to stop paying on the credit card bills and past due medical bills. The constant phone calls from creditors will drive me crazy. Been there before but not as much debt and slowly dug myself out using up every bit of savings and 401k. I already know it will affect the steadily growing monthly personal loan I receive from a family member. Will deciding to start this process over affect me from using this service at a later date? I think I should have asked more questions before fully starting the process. Having trouble finding some needed documents and can’t get copies due to age. They are in storage boxes. Will totally deleting and starting over be possible?

6 Reactions

Community Replies:

Upsolve Community Member
Hi Julie, thank you so much for sharing this with us and for your questions! A user is free to restart this process if they need to with no penalty. We hope that the Upsolve Community can be a place of support and information as you continue this process towards a fresh start!

Upsolve Community Member
This article may also be of some interest to you: https://upsolve.org/learn/bankruptcy-and-disability/

Upsolve Community Member
2021-12-08

I live with my parents and have no income due to medical problems for the last 2 years. I don't pay for anything to live there at this time. How do I proceed with no income or bills?

5 Reactions

Community Replies:

Upsolve Community Member
Britni, thanks so much for asking. Really glad you made your way to the community here. 

Upsolve Community Member
In general, when a bankruptcy filer receives financial support from someone else to pay their bills, it's called an "outside contribution." It's important to let the court know so that they're aware of what a person's entire financial situation looks like

Upsolve Community Member
Here's an article that describes this in detail: https://help.upsolve.org/hc/en-us/articles/360056759173-Income-from-Contributions

Upsolve Community Member
2021-10-03

Upsolve is asking my income after bankruptcy. I am in between jobs right now due to a medical condition that is forcing me to find other employment. That other does not start until the 11th. My recent pay stubs from my very soon to be former employer were dwindling due to benefits being exhausted. How do I answer this?

1 Reactions

Community Replies:

Upsolve Community Member
Hi Christopher! Thanks so much for your question. This article discusses a slightly different situation, but it might be helpful: https://help.upsolve.org/hc/en-us/articles/360013144054-I-have-not-filed-yet-and-I-am-starting-a-new-job-Should-I-update-my-forms-


It's easy to get help

Choose one of the options below to get assistance with your bankruptcy:

Free Web App

Take our screener to see if Upsolve is right for you.

Take Screener
9,136 families have filed with Upsolve! ☆
or

Private Attorney

Get a free bankruptcy evaluation from an independent law firm.

Find Attorney

Learning Center

Research and understand your options with our articles and guides.

Go to Learning Center →

Already an Upsolve user?

Read Support Articles →

News

    + Show Articles

    Upsolve is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that started in 2016. Our mission is to help low-income families who cannot afford lawyers file bankruptcy for free, using an online web app. Spun out of Harvard Law School, our team includes lawyers, engineers, and judges. We have world-class funders that include the U.S. government, former Google CEO Eric Schmidt, and leading foundations. It's one of the greatest civil rights injustices of our time that low-income families can’t access their basic rights when they can’t afford to pay for help. Combining direct services and advocacy, we’re fighting this injustice.

    To learn more, read why we started Upsolve in 2016, our reviews from past users, and our press coverage from places like the New York Times and Wall Street Journal.