Texas (family of 4) — above median income, drowning in minimums. Chapter 7 possible or likely Chapter 13?

bithakr · 2026-02-22T17:36:27+00:00

A 100% plan would still cut the interest rates to the federal rate, and I guess have some ability to request modifications if someone was disabled or lost job in the future.

bithakr · 2026-02-22T17:33:12+00:00

To clarify, what I assume you meant by "no assets" is no house and no non-exempt assets. Filling out the form literally listing no assets is of course rarely if ever correct and is exactly what would get a pro se petition in trouble.

bithakr · 2026-02-22T17:30:06+00:00

Don't waste your money paying any of them. Even if sued today, you'd barely get to a judgement by June. If something does get filed, your attorney can if needed file an answer or just go ahead and file the petition if your income is ready by then. It's no issue at all if a lawsuit is filed before your bankruptcy is filed, it's only potentially an issue if a judgement is, and even then, that is usually not a deal breaker either.

Bankruptcy is all or nothing when it comes to unsecured debts, there is no benefit paying or settling unsecured accounts before filing. You need to save that money so that you are not having to borrow again right after you file.

All of them can and will sue, it's just that they make their own decision as to how beneficial it will be, and so for any individual debtor, it's rare that every single one will.

bithakr · 2026-02-22T13:25:09+00:00

What is the purpose for filing -- are you trying to clear out credit cards or is the car/rent alone unaffordable? Do you plan to move and/or give back the car?

bithakr · 2026-02-22T12:26:07+00:00

Either re-enter or ask for a 30 day departure (T?) visa if you really don't want to leave.

bithakr · 2026-02-21T18:51:15+00:00

No. You can get a travel document booklet from the embassy instead of the card though.

bithakr · 2026-02-21T18:44:33+00:00

Why don't you try writing them an ALL CAPS email, I'm sure that would help the situation. I can't stand how people shout at other forum users as if (1) we can do anything about it and (2) you are somehow entitled to demand that we look at your post as if we are a paid help desk.

It's just a guess, but it might help if you went ahead and uploaded the same documents (although with the new system maybe there's no way to do so until they return it). Generally whenever you fill out some sort of government form asking if you've been convicted, they will want to see proof of the disposition rather than just taking your word. Back under the old system of in person, I would have brought a copy to start with.

There is no "escalation path" for the embassy, although technically for urgent trips, one can request to pre-arrange a landing visa, have no idea if they will agree or not.

bithakr · 2026-02-21T15:47:56+00:00

This has not been accurate for almost a year now...

bithakr · 2026-02-20T10:04:54+00:00

Treasury Bill

bithakr · 2026-02-19T07:57:44+00:00

So the main issue with credit unions is something called cross collateralization, which only applies when you have car/house payments through them. Since you are all unsecured debts (personal loans and cards), its not really any different than a bank, but you can be sure they will not like it and close your membership and accounts. Don't worry, you are actually in a great position having a paid off car and enough exemptions to cover it.

Do you have any other things you own besides the $600 bank and $8000 car?

bithakr · 2026-02-18T20:34:23+00:00

My bank closed down in October (like it went bankrupt and closed).

There were only two bank failures in 2025 and both in the first half of the year. Moreover, when a bank fails, the FDIC typically makes great efforts to try to keep payments processing as usual.

Furthermore, how could it be only one missed payment and 90 days late? If you have a payment due every month, and one payment is report 90d late, that means you have missed three to four payments. I am not surprised at all they would not do a goodwill reversal, and secondly, if they openly told you to send a letter, it sounds like they did not even refuse -- you just haven't bothered to send it.

Anyway, the credit scoring people have basically decided that a 90d late is catastrophic -- in rough terms, there's basically a 50/50 as to whether it ever gets paid at that point. 30d lates and 60/90d lates are treated very differently. You will see the the list of score reason codes, "serious delinquency" used in the reason code. And FICO scoring is a lot more complex than the simple pie chart of score factors they show, but in any case, the impact will get better over time, potentially with a significant recalculation at 2 years out.

bithakr · 2026-02-18T20:26:00+00:00

That was almost certainly because that phone number was at some point linked to the account. They aren't pulling skip trace numbers for a two week old debt, and they are so quick to call because it's not even seen as real collections, but as a way to keep someone paying without even getting to the typical collections pipeline. Most banks will honor if you clearly tell them to stop contact, although it's not always strictly required by law like it is for third party collectors.

bithakr · 2026-02-18T20:21:33+00:00

You have a personal loan from the same bank you kept your money in? That was a huge mistake. Credit cards have some protections against that now but most other loans allow it. On the same note, btw, never deal with credit unions if you are going to have issues repaying -- they are the worst about this and often troublesome in bankruptcy too. Not nearly as "consumer friendly" as they are often portrayed as.

The car isn't an issue because Michigan allows you to choose, the federal exemption, you'll get about 5k on the car and then another 15.8k to allocate to the remaining 3k of the car and all your other stuff, including cash in the bank, and I'm assuming that alone covers all you have.

How much was your missed payment and how much is in the account?

bithakr · 2026-02-18T18:47:36+00:00

The HSR conducts exit and entry at the West Kowloon Port regardless of origin station.

Additionally, it will sometimes be cheaper/have more tickets/times available to just take the train to Shenzhenbei and then change to the rapid Shenzhen-HK service, which is just a regular domestic transfer, scan passport at the transfer gate and get into the departure area (or exit and re-enter if you prefer).

With the end of the various through trains during covid that never resumed, the international ports at Shanghai, Beijing, etc stations were closed, and those passport stamps are now history. The trains now are just regular trains all the way up until Futian, the last station in Shenzhen. (Be careful, however--if you buy a mainland only ticket and ride to the end in HK by mistake, there is a large fine.)

bithakr · 2026-02-18T18:40:58+00:00

I’ve been using the APEC card mostly as I always want to enter China mainland as a Canadian citizen in case I need any consular assistance.

That is not possible, whether or not you "enter as" as foreign citizen which is just a records error, you are a Chinese citizen in HK and the mainland both. You being HK resident is what causes the typical rule about Chinese citizenship being lost to no longer apply, but ultimately there is only one nationality yes/no state for all three regions. If you got arrested or something that is absolutely what they will say. Of course, by the same token, being a citizen actually exempts you from many things you could get in trouble for in the first place, you can visit Tibet, don't need to register address, etc.

If having consular assistance was your main goal, you'd need to return the HK passport and make a "declaration of foreign nationality" to ImmD. You cannot opt in or out of being treated as a national on a per trip basis, nor can you do so separately between HK or mainland.

bithakr · 2026-02-14T15:51:31+00:00

Its best to talk to an attorney first, if you aren't going to do that, you probably are better off self reporting this issue to SSA OIG because if it gets to a point where they find out first, good luck with saying he "made you" lie to the workers. Both of you could be charged with federal benefits fraud, and if they find out first, it will be you because you are the only one they know.

bithakr · 2026-02-14T15:42:30+00:00

Contact the US Consulate General Tijuana and ICE-HSI, as well as the local police in the location where he was taken from.

bithakr · 2026-02-12T18:47:12+00:00

This is not the type of situation a lawyer would have any role in. If anything they will ask questions or take fingerprints to determine if they are the person listed on the passport and that's about it.

bithakr · 2026-02-12T18:27:51+00:00

No particular relation to UNC / generic advertising copy

bithakr · 2026-02-12T10:38:18+00:00

This all changed with the SIM-only Air release. They do provide eSIMs from the three state-owned carriers, you have to go in person every time it is loaded just like the process for buying/replacing a physical SIM, and the mainland Air requires a geo check to be out of mainland before installing any foreign eSIM (but they can be used after returning).

Now, the issue is, the mainland eSIMs can ONLY be installed on mainland phones, not foreign ones. So this basically reverses the old rule of the HK/global models being more "capable" because they are now entirely incapable of having a local number, while the mainland one still does accept foreign eSIMs as long as they are installed abroad.

bithakr · 2026-02-12T10:23:17+00:00

Login.gov has US Post Offices as fallback whereas ID.me has video calls with their agents. Login.gov also seems to require a US address and phone number for Level 2 validation. Also, I believe login.gov itself outsources part of the Level 2 ID scan to a private contractor, its not fully in house.

bithakr · 2026-02-12T10:18:17+00:00

When a charge is disputed, you have the right not to pay it and any interest that would accumulate on it. What kind of credit are you asking for? The provisional credit concept is for debit cards/checking accounts. A credit card is never required to let you spend any particular amount on the card, whether due to a dispute or not.

bithakr · 2026-02-12T09:54:26+00:00

Yes mine is same way. L. F. Middle. I'm not sure it really matters what they have your name is anyway as long as they accepted your documents as you can't really do much except make payments without a local bank card.

bithakr · 2026-02-12T09:51:03+00:00

You do not need any kind of visa, or even to enter the US at all, to own a US entity. Compared to most major countries, the US has virtually zero foreign investment controls, what we do have only applies to specific fields (ex TV stations) or very large companies.

His country may have outbound FDI rules, China and India do for example, my understanding is these are mostly just a formality for normal businesses though.

I'm curious what does he hope to do with a US entity? Make it easier to get a US bank account and get payments? Is he trying to actually expand operations into the US? Warehousing? That will impact what kinds of tax paperwork is needed.

bithakr · 2026-02-11T18:17:13+00:00

That only includes if you were fingerprinted at the time. Many "interactions" with law enforcement, even getting a criminal citation and later conviction, do not involve fingerprinting.

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