MasConcepts Incorporated

I’m in my early 30s and about to file Chapter 7, and I could really use some encouragement from people who’ve been through this.

Here’s my situation: Last year I was laid off from my office/tech job. I already had some credit card and personal loan debt at that point, but then I made the decision to pivot to a completely new industry. To support myself during the transition, I took out 2 additional personal loans and maxed out all my credit cards for living expenses.

It’s now been a little over six months, and breaking into this new field has been much harder and slower than I anticipated. I’m still not making meaningful income. I’ve met with a bankruptcy attorney who’s agreed to take my case at a really good rate, and I’ll be filing Chapter 7. My total debt is around $100k+ between credit cards and personal loans. I take full responsibility—this was mismanagement on my part.

I know bankruptcy is the right financial decision, but emotionally I’m struggling. I don’t have a dollar to my name right now. Beyond the consumer debt, I also owe my landlord and a friend money. I feel so far behind my peers in every aspect of life, and the instability is overwhelming.

I’m also a legal permanent resident, and I’m worried that all of my bad money management will negatively impact my future citizenship application. If anyone has experience with this, I’d really appreciate hearing about it.

For those who’ve filed Chapter 7, especially in your 30s: Did you bounce back? How long did it take? What helped you rebuild? I’m just looking for some hope that things can get better from here.

Any advice or success stories would mean a lot right now.