As they struggle to make ends meet, past consumer debt problems may be hindering their ability to get a good job, housing, transportation, or utility services.
Consumer debt is also a well known source of marital stress and anxiety.
Dischargeable debts include credit card debt, hospital bills, doctor bills, rent arrearages, and utility bills. Some debts are not dischargeable such as most student loans, tax arrearages, and criminal penalties. Child support arrearages owed to a parent are not dischargeable either. The answer to whether child support arrearages owed to the Commonwealth are dischargeable is currently unknown. The Department of Revenue's child support enforcement unit pursues these claims for the Commonwealth by attempting to collect the debt from the non-custodial parent.