a few questions about form

Stocksm8

I'm nearly finished completing the form. i live in Northern Ireland and is slightly different than mainland. My questions are:

Income & overtime - do I put down the average earned so far this year? My base salary is £1400 pcm but can earn £500 - 600 overtime each month. I have worked a lot of overtime over the years to keep on top of my bills. However next financial year my overtime will be reduced by at least 50%. do I put in the average (monthly) for now and explain what will happen to my income?

reason for bankruptcy - I have been in debt for 12 years now. when I was 21 I got addicted to online poker. I gambled a lot for five years and lost over £100,000. I generated debts of around £25,000 at that time.

My story is I got married in 2008 and got my life turned around. we helped each other and managed to get the debt down to just under £10k in early 2012. I even got a PPI claim for £1100 and all went to credit card debt in January 2012. My wife is from overseas and in Feb 2012 her father died. We covered all the funeral costs and had to buy flights (cost £3,000). My wife stayed with her family for 3 months to comfort her mother and came back to the UK in June 2012. This trip cost over £7000 in total.

We moved to a house in September 2012, this incurred costs, i.e. washing machine, curtains, tv, etc. We have a child and did move back to my mothers house in June 2011 to save costs. with our child at 1 year old. we felt we had no privacy and with 7 people in the house (2 brothers) we had to get out.

My wife maternity finished in May 2012 and we only have my wage to live on now. I start work at 5 am and finish 7pm (4 day week & days change each week). My work pattern means it is not worth her getting a job as childcare is a major problem.

My debt is at £17,000 across 16 creditors. I have seeked advice and stepchange have advised bankruptcy. I have £30 left each month.

story is a long story but for my reason of bankruptcy do I explain my financial history over 10 years or just over the past 3 years. I have gambled in the past 3 years. I have lost no more than a £1000 and have blocked all accounts for life.

Thank you for your time.

whichwhydoIturn

Hello I didn't want to read & run.
I've been in debt all my adult life
It's that realisation isnt ?
I'm 51 now & when i look back at the amount of life I haven't had due to repaying debt it's just time ill never get back again
I'm on the throws of BR had loads of support from here they re my life line in lots of ways so I am sure someone shall be along to advise you .n

Stocksm8

I am 30 this year. I see everyone around me at least buy a house or own something. Don't get me wrong, I paid credit cards / loans for 10 years and paid a lot of interest I must add. I did the mistake on not doing an IVA or even DMP years ago. when I was living at home with parents I paid 80% of income to debt each month. I can no longer do that . I agree, what a waste of time. working for past mistakes and for nothing really.

I no longer have the income left to make those options work. since having our daughter and this debt has been stressful on all of us. This debt is for nothing, my only asset is a Mazda and valued around £1700. This car will need new breaks, etc and with MOT due in June. will the OR let me save a little for this? I expect a £300+ bill for this and when I have £50 right now.

adpod

I went BR last month, (living in NI) and I had some small gambling debts.

On the form I put the last 3 years (or how many the form asks for) and when I had my OR interview I explained my past (last 5 years) and they put it on the statement as it was the start of my financial trouble.

I also provided everything including usernames/passwords of my betting account.

Best advice is just tell the OR everything in the interview.

And Good Luck