John Had a Knee Operation And Says “I Can’t Pay My Bills”

Posted by Steve Rhode

October 13, 2008

John wrote to me through the GetOutOfDebt.org site and asked the following question. If you have a credit or debt question you’d like to ask just use the online form. I’m happy to help you totally for free.

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“Dear Steve,

I had a knee operation will be out of work for 9 months I am $80,000 in credit card debt. My wife and I earn $4,300 a month and I pay out with mortgage and all my necessary bills, $3,800. I don’t have enough money to pay credit cards.

John”

Dear John,

I’m so sorry to hear about your knee surgery. Hopefully once you get a chance to heal your knee will be in much better shape to help you get back to work.

In your situation you have one of two choices to make. You can go into a holding pattern and try to appease your creditors with a credit counseling or debt management program until you return to full time income and can then afford to resume regular payments.

Or you can skip that and go straight to bankruptcy. I would suggest that either way that you should talk to a bankruptcy attorney to be fully informed about how bankruptcy would impact you. So many people wind up going bankrupt due to either medical bills or being out of work due to medical problems. Sadly, your situation is not all that unusual.

If you do decide to check into a debt management or credit counseling option, don’t be surprised at all if the minimum monthly payment they give you is more than you can afford. Monthly payments in credit counseling are dictated by the creditors and not by what you can actually afford to pay.

Big hug.

Steve

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