I'm in Canada, so the laws are different but I can share my experience. 9000, probably sounds like a lot of money, but really it isn't that much, and could be paid off over time. I had 44K in credit card debt. I tried to negotiate a payment plan, that would have seen me paying off a much smaller portion of the debt over a 5 year period, but on my income even that was impossible. In ON, it costs $1,500 to file, which I was able to pay upfront. If you don't have the money, they'll take it out of any tax returns you get in the future until it's paid.

I had to fill out a ton of questionnaires about assets and income. And every month I had to submit a statement about how much I made and how much I spent. I was limited to earning 1,800 a month. Any more than that would have gone to my creditors. I had to attend credit counseling classes, which were actually helpful. I also had to go before a receiver general and answer a bunch of questions, which was kind of hard. After 9 months of doing everything I was supposed to, I was discharged and could stop sending in the monthly statement, and my debts were discharged.

The bad part is it wiped out my credit rating, and will stay on my record for 9 years. But it was really my only option at the time.

If you can avoid it I would. you don't need to start out adult life with that on your record. If it were me, I'd accept my Dad's help in paying it off, and work with him, to develop a budget I could stick to. It may seem controlling and unpleasant at first, but it will help you in the long run.

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