Legal Question in Credit and Debt Law in Pennsylvania
My husband and I owe Discover card $20,000.00 and the minimum payment is $300.00 per month. Our monthly income is only $1465.00 combined. We cannot pay the minimum payment. If we cannot pay this monthly bill anymore, what can they do to us. I have a heart condition and we both are retired. We own a home also. Can they put a lean on our house?
1 Answer from Attorneys
Of course they can lien your house. Discover may eventually sue and get a judgment against you. The judgment automatically becomes a lien on your home. However, if you and your husband jointly own the house, it cannot be seized and sold.
Your income, if its Social Security, is exempt. What I would do, depending on your situation (and a lot more details than you relate) is stop paying and start putting aside whatever you can afford. Depending on your circumstances, Discover will settle debts pre-litigation for around 30%-40% of your debt. Post litigation is different. However, I would only make this determination if you have your situation reviewed by either an attorney or certified debt analyst. You can email me at rachelhunterlaw@gmail,com and I can provide you some guidance.