just have to suffer because I don't want too much debt." Most of the ultra-high medical bills never get fully paid, so the providers just pass the buck to the next patient and charge them even more. Most hospitals will settle immediately for 40% off their bill because that is how much they lose when the bill goes to collections in 3-6 months. When a creditor has a debtor that matches my profile, they are willing to settle for even much less. I just settled a $900 bill for $300. I will pay what I can when I can. But if I owe you $10k, and owe 12 other creditors just as much, then your payment will just have to wait. In the meantime, I will do what I can to make sure my healthy son gets an education -- and he sure won't get a Pell grant because my income is way too high to qualify. And in ch 13 bankruptcy college funding is not considered an "allowed" expense. Regardless of your income, in ch 13 you're expected to live with just basic needs for 5 years, even if median income families in your area are receiving entitlements to help them make ends meet. In this manner you can be better off earning under the median income for 6 months, filing ch 7, and be back on your feet living the good life in less than a year. I'm not complaining about median income families, but my family shouldn't