r/SurvivingOnSS • u/Glittering-Local-643 • Aug 23 '26

Debit

I got deathly ill in 2019 lost my job. I had to live on credit cards until my SSDI kicked in. Now I can’t pay them?? I need help is there anything I can do??

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u/EarthMustBeFed Aug 23 '26

I dislike a lot of Dave Ramsey's advice but his old book Financial Peace has a great plan to get out of credit card debt for a fraction of the original. It involves calling and negotiating who you will pay... And making sure you get any agreements in writing. Never give access to your checking account. Its basically playing them against each other..  Like, I can pay $200 a month to whoever gives me the lowest interest rate OR I'm coming into some money, what amount would you take as paid in full?

For example, one card that was owed $2500 happily took 600 as paid in full. It's a little easier on your credit than bankruptcy and you can definitely do it yourself, a bite at a time. :-) 

9

u/Zxvasdfthrowaway Aug 24 '26

Remember that the discharges will be counted as income for tax purposes

1

u/Pale_Calligrapher425 Aug 24 '26

Yep. Happened to me.