I havent been hiding.

[tokerpipes]

Hello all. As many of you know I was let go from my job back at the end of April. Now as the post states I haven't been hiding. Its been real tight, a family of 5 down to one income. I had to turn off the internet for a bit and beet feet putting in job aps just claim my unemployment weeks. Now that I got it back on I should be around for a while. My wife and I have made a painful decision to file bankruptcy so I have had many days and nights researching laws and finances to just get by for now. I may go silent for a while here and there. Don't fret I will be on here as often as possible, I have even started cleaning up my pipe collection in case I need to get some cash fast. Keep my family in your prayers.

 

[tokerpipes]

Its not getting as much action as I think it should but that's mosty because I can't get any of my prefurred tobacco for it. But I am sure it will be a short repreave.

 

[cigrmaster]

Toker, sorry for your troubles. I know a few people who have filed in the last few years, don't worry it is not a hard process. Everyone one of them said it was a huge weight lifted off their shoulders. Also there is no stigma attached to it anymore, all you are doing is reorganizing like any company would do. It is a sound financial move in most cases.

 

[judcole]

Good luck Toker!

 

[baronsamedi]

Depending upon how much debt you have, you may want to not do the bankruptcy. It does provide relief from creditors, but it also jacks up your credit for 10 years and insures that you get screwed in every possible way when trying to finance stuff, get insurance, or even get a job these days. I did it back in 1996 and it was a big mistake to me. Since then, I've slowly rebuilt my credit (it's stellar now) and have actually worked in the credit industry. I can give you some good information if you want. Just shoot me an email.

 

[jameral]

Wish you and your family the best of luck, Toker. I'll pray that it all works out for you.

 

[nsfisher]

Sorry mate, to hear of your troubles, I hope all turns out well, thoughts are with you and your family.

 

[martiniman]

My Prayers are with you and your family.

Best Wishes.....

 

[bentmike]

Good luck toker and get on here when you can. I always enjoy your posts.

 

[hobie1dog]

Thanks for the update...good luck, and shoot baron a PM, explore all options first.

 

[lonestar]

Hoping for the best for you guys

 

[rcstan]

Glad to hear you are well. I had to get off the reservation myself a while back ( I'm assuming you're going Ch 7, total liquidation, and not Ch 13, reorganization ) and it took care of a lot of the mental issues. Living on cash translates into living within your means.
I'll smoke a bowl for ya and say a prayer. Remember, you still have your family.

 

[baronsamedi]

Living on cash translates into living within your means.

This is true and it's a lesson I learned and eventually was able to thrive and my 1st wife failed to learn and probably has the jacked-up credit to show for it, even now.
Here's the thing about Bankruptcy. I typically don't advise it unless your creditors are taking you to court, or you are in debt over $100,000. A Civil Judgment on your credit will do as much damage as a Bankruptcy so you might as well do it and not have to have your wages garnished etc. Most creditors will not waste their time taking you to court unless they think they can collect thousands of dollars and you have the income to pay it. If you're unemployed, they won't waste the time trying to sue for money they will never get anyway.
They can piss and moan and harrass you and put you in collections, but unless they take you to court, that's all they can do. And they can only collect on the debt 7 years from the Original Delinquency that led to them charging it off, etc. Even if the debt gets sold to 10 different collectors, they still are legally bound by that. Extending the collection period is called "re-aging" the debt, and it's illegal. I've busted a couple of collection agencies doing this and they got hammered by the FTC.
Once a debt is Charged Off, it's considered as dicked up as credit can be. It will be dicked up even if you pay the charge-off or settle for less money. Let your conscience be your guide, but if you do settle, get it in writing or it never happened. If they sell it to a collector both accounts will be on your credit report 7 years from the ODD.
So basically, if you went down the tubes 2 years ago and they are collecting on you, they can only do it for 5 more years.
How bankruptcy screws you is that it is a derogatory public record and it sits on your credit 10 years, not from the ODD, but from the day it was filed in court! You just added 5 years of f'ed up credit to your life if you are in the above situation, because even though the individual debt falls off, the Court record stays.

 

[philip]

I'll be praying for you, Toker. (And you, too, Coalsmoke.)

Hang in there, both of you.
And unfortunately for the rest of you, I have been hiding, but I've been hiding here.

 

[gwtwdbss]

I hope everything works out for you guys. Best of luck!

 

[taerin]

I hear ya, I am highly educated (Accounting) and essentially have been without work for 2 years, finding a job now is dam near impossible.

 

[sjpipesmoker]

I'vebeen in the unemployment line before, so has my wife...now I just work...times are tough...it's hard to get a interview anywhere...

good luck to you and your family