OK- thanks for the info! Since there is overwhelming knowledge here, maybe you can help steer me in a direction before I call people or start anything on Monday. If I can get a job by the first week in Jan, this can be worked out better, but let's assume I don't-just so I can plan for the worst. The foreclosure sell is set for mid-Jan, which would means I would be technically homeless (even if I put stuff in storage and go to my mother's- who is out of state and plans to put her house on the market). This could be an issue because without a verifiable home in this state, difficult child can't be released to me in Feb. If I'm out of state, say-living with my mom- they would have to do the whole interstate study just like if I was in HI, although it would be easier, but doesn't solve the problem of it being a temp solution and me still needing employment- and there is less available in my mother's area than here. Of course, it's better than "losing" difficult child and living on the streets, assuming my mother and I can survive each other and she doesn't kick me out.
So, I would like to handle this in a way where 1) if I get a job here within the next few weeks, I can work out things with creditors one way or another and hopefully being able to keep the house, at least for a while longer and selling it myself later; 2) I keep the door open to this job in HI because the job in HI is better than no job here, if I can still afford to get difficult child and myself there- (I thought about what the security agent said about getting the late payments put behind me and I researched this last night. She told me if I get documentation showing my financial situation had changed/improved to send it to her and she would reconsider.) Apparently, what stands in the way of the clearance when it comes to finances are A) is there a reason the person got in the situation or is it an irresponsible habit- clearly mine is a reason and can be proven not to be a habit, B) How has the person responded to the debt- are they trying to pay it back and have they worked with the creditors (this is where my hang-up is), and C) Is the amount of debt feasibly possible to pay back (this is a current problem too).
The 2-3 websites where I was reading about this said that bankruptcy is not a reason in itself to deny the clearance- it's obviously different if the person keeps going this route, but it is a legal "response" to debt. I don't want to put all my eggs in one basket, but I do have some money- just not a lot.
I'm wondering if I should try again to see if the CC companies will reduce the debt and commit to me paying just $150-$200/mo- which is obviously more than they''d get if I have nothing to give, then if they will, I could fax that agreement to HI. If I still don't get the clearance or a job somehwere else, then couldn't I still file for bankruptcy a month later or something? If I got a job here in the meantime, I could keep my commitment to pay that amount. Or, does the bankruptcy process take over a month, meaning I better file ASAP? Will it postpone the sell of the house? Whatever I do, I will fax it to this security person because I have absolutely nothing to lose bletting her know how I'm addressing it.
Also, I will do whatever I can to find even temp employment to get the foreclosure sell postponed until a couple of weeks after difficult child's release so I can stay in this state until after that. But, I can't be sure that I can make that happen.
This is all rumbling around in my head so I hope I'm writing it clearly. I guess I'm asking for suggestions about which route might postpone the foreclosure sell, reduce debt, and still keep a door slightly open for the clearance. (Or at least, which route keeps as many options open as possible without costing me $1000 or more.)
I have no tax issues or medication bills and the car is paid for. It is 2 CC companies, the primary mortgage (which is for about 60% of the assessed value of the home so hopefully would be more than covered by selling the home), and a HELOC (which would get any amount the house sold for over the amount of the 1st mortgage). So what paperwork is needed for bankruptcy?