MasConcepts Incorporated

I’m 24 and currently living with my girlfriend. I’m dealing with about $13k in debt that mostly comes from choices I made when I was 18–19 (credit cards, poor financial decisions, etc.).

I’m trying to move into my own apartment by around June of next year, and I’m torn on the best path forward. On one hand, I’ve thought about filing bankruptcy to reset and move forward without this hanging over me. On the other hand, I wonder if paying the debt down slowly would put me in a better position long-term, even if it takes more time and discipline.

My biggest concerns are:

• How bankruptcy might affect my ability to rent an apartment in the near future • How long it realistically takes to recover credit after bankruptcy at my age • Whether bankruptcy makes sense for a relatively “smaller” amount of debt like $13k • If paying it off slowly would actually help more than it hurts, given my timeline 

I’m not trying to run from responsibility — I just want to make the smartest decision so I’m not still paying for teenage mistakes well into my 30s.

For anyone who’s been in a similar situation (filed bankruptcy in their early 20s or chose not to), what factors mattered most in your decision? What would you do differently if you could go back?