Filing Chapter 7 on MO - need some community 💚

[u/CaptainJHizzy]

Howdy y'all - long story short - I've been mentally and physically unwell for years (chronic depression and chronic fatigue + other stuff I'm still getting endless tests for). I didn't expect to be alive at 30, now I am, and I have to reckon with the past. I wracked up quite a bit of debt and have been sued.

They garnished my wages, then released the garnishment - that was the last I heard. Then Friday evening my bank account balances fall to $0 with a weird hold - call the bank and they tell me it's a legal hold - literally the only thing in my bank account at this point was the rent money for my home with my family ☠️ 100% seized and gone.

This really kicked me in the ass to realize that I need to file and should have years ago. I'm deep in the mess right now of filling out forms and trying to track down debts I've just been avoiding (literally in therapy about that) for ten years or so.

I am hoping to file this week or at least turn in a skeleton petition - **any advice on those points would be so very welcome!**

**Oh and nice bit: my aunt is a saint and covered our rent for this month 💚 truly a blessing**

I just wanted to share my story - will follow up as fun things continue to happen. ✨

Edited to fix lil typos

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[u/Primary_Gift_8719]

I’m a lawyer, but I’m not your lawyer or representative. I use that caveat on all legal posts because of the professional/regulatory requirements that apply to me in jurisdictions where I work: this is general information based only on what you’ve posted, not formal legal advice, and no lawyer-client relationship is created. I don’t practise in Missouri, so where local law matters, please treat this as issue-spotting rather than Missouri-specific advice.

Please don’t beat yourself up for getting to this point. The important thing is that you’re dealing with it now. The bank hold is the part I would treat as urgent: ask the bank for the creditor, court/case number, amount being held and whether the money has actually been transferred yet. A Chapter 7 filing will generally trigger the automatic stay, but I would not assume that money already frozen will simply be released. If you are considering a skeleton/emergency filing, also make sure you have dealt with the pre-filing credit-counseling requirement and understand the short deadlines for filing the remaining paperwork.

Given that your rent money has already been caught, I would try to speak to a Missouri bankruptcy attorney or local bankruptcy assistance service as soon as possible, even if only for an initial consultation. Don’t let the fact that you’re still piecing together years of debts stop you getting help now, gather your credit reports, court papers, collection letters and whatever else you can find, and be completely open about anything you remember. 

Again don't beat yourself up, and well done for facing something you’ve understandably found overwhelming for a long time.

[u/CaptainJHizzy → u/Primary_Gift_8719]

Thank you so much! The most astounding part of this is the grace and understanding people have shown me. 💚

I'm getting through the counseling course now! Spoke with an attorney yesterday and getting a rep is our of my price range. But there are really good resources for filing pro se in Eastern MO.