You did everything right.
You have the six-figure job. You commute down the 805 every morning. You live in a nice apartment in Mission Valley or a house in East County. On paper, you are a “success story.”
But the reality is different. Between the “Sunshine Tax,” the insane SDG&E bills, and the mortgage that eats half your paycheck, you are drowning. You are using credit cards to buy groceries at Vons. You are robbing Peter to pay Paul.
You want a way out. You want to push the “Reset Button.” But you are terrified to call a lawyer because you believe the biggest myth in bankruptcy:
“I make $100,000 a year. I’m too rich to file.”
Silence. Finally. Stop listening to your brother-in-law. Stop listening to the generic “Call Centers.”
Here is the truth: We file Chapter 7 for high earners in San Diego all the time.
The “Means Test”—the government’s formula for who qualifies—is not just about what you make. It is about what you keep. And in San Diego, where the cost of living is brutal, the math often works in your favor.
The Means Test: It’s a Math Problem, Not a Moral Judgment
The “National Billboard Giants” are lazy. They look at your gross income, see that it’s over the California median, and hang up the phone.
We are “The Aggressive Advocates.” We dig deeper.
The Means Test calculates your Disposable Income. This is the money left over after you pay your allowable expenses. If that number is low enough, you qualify for a Fresh Start, even if you make $100k, $120k, or more.
Think of it like a bucket.
- Water In: Your $100k salary.
- Holes in the Bucket: Your expenses.
- Water Left: Disposable Income.
If the bucket is empty at the end of the month, the government says you cannot afford to pay your debts. You pass.
San Diego is Your “Secret Weapon”
Here is why living in San Diego actually helps you pass the test. The government allows us to deduct your actual expenses in certain categories, and San Diego has some of the highest expenses in the country.
We use the “High Cost of Living” as ammunition to fight for your eligibility.
1. The Housing Deduction
Rent in Mission Valley isn’t cheap. A mortgage in Chula Vista is massive. The Means Test allows us to deduct your actual mortgage payments or the IRS standard for rent in San Diego County (which is high). This massive deduction can wipe out a huge chunk of your “income” on paper.
2. The Tax Deduction
You pay federal tax. You pay California state tax (some of the highest in the US). We deduct every penny of it. You can’t pay Visa with money the Franchise Tax Board already took.
3. Secured Debts (Cars & House)
Do you have a car payment? Maybe two? In Southern California, cars aren’t a luxury; they are a necessity. You can’t take a subway to work. We deduct your car payments. We deduct your HOA fees.
By the time we finish subtracting your real life expenses from your gross income, that “$100k salary” often looks like $0 on the Means Test.
What If I Really Do Make Too Much?
Let’s say we do the math, we fight for every deduction, and you still show disposable income. Is it over?
No.
We pivot to Chapter 13. This is not a “failure.” It is a strategic “Shield.”
In Chapter 13, you enter a repayment plan. But here is the kicker: You stop the bleeding.
- The interest stops (usually 0% in the plan).
- The late fees stop.
- You pay what you can afford over 3 to 5 years, and the remaining unsecured debt is discharged (wiped out) at the end.
We Don’t “File Paperwork.” We Fight for Deductions.
A generic legal assistant might miss the deduction for your term life insurance. They might miss the “special circumstances” of your long commute down the 8.
We don’t. We are “The Local Fighters.” We know the cost of living here because we live here. We know how to position your expenses to maximize your chance of qualifying for a full Chapter 7 discharge.
Ready to Check the Math?
Don’t disqualify yourself before you even start. You need a Direct-Response Marketer and an Aggressive Advocate to look at your numbers.
Call The Law Firm of Howard Williams now at +1 (206) 260-0835. We handle the math. You get the Fresh Start.