<prompt> Human: Hello. Im 29, in a domestic relationship currently supporting my SO and renting a small house in an Atlanta suburb. - Rent is 795mo - Utilities end up averaging about 250mo, including internet - Other expenses gas and food are budgeted at 300mo - My private student loan payments are 365mo - Currently am not paying my federal loans forbearancedeferment Here is a list of my private loansThe loans with the 1 interest rate are under an automatic debit program for 365mo. The Signature Loans are the loans which my parents cosigned, and are paying currently. The Smart Option loan, with its high interest rate, is of some concern. My federal loans include Stafford Loans, shown here: Department of Education Subsidized Federal LoansThe grand total currently is 160,171.70With an income hourly not salary of about 2000mo, I can sometimes come away with 290 in disposable income. This doesnt account for emergencies and unexpected expenses.Eventually, I need to start paying my federal loans. With recent changes in forgiveness laws, I know that its possible to get by just paying my 365mo private loans for 20 years. If I pay off that smart option loan asap, interest doesnt get any better for me. I say all of this to acknowledge that my situation is managable.Heres the rub: I want to save for retirement, for travel, for anything else. I want something closer to what I naively thought college expenses would grant me. That 365 could be put toward these things, along with some more affordable payments to my federal loans.In Georgia, the statute of limitations for collections by private lenders is 6 years. Im starting to wonder if I could manage having bad credit Ive had poor credit for a long time now for part of my life while saving the money. I know that not paying federal loans would result in wage garnishment, but with private loans, I keep hearing the idea that theyd have a much harder time doing so. This is eroding my desire to continue paying them.Any experience or advice is welcome. Please be constructive; I dont need to hear that I shouldnt have taken the loans out in the first place. It was ten years ago, and I accept responsibility for my ignorant actions and for allowing myself to be preyed upon by a for-profit college. Thank you for taking the time.EDIT: I appreciate everyone who gave advice, provided a realistic perspective, or just told me some of the hard truth that I have to swallow. Thank you for not personally attacking me for my ignorance. There are no delusions that my thought of defaulting was completely selfish, but if you were in my situation you might understand why it would come to mind. Simply classifying someone as an idiot is lazy and not very constructive, so I thank everyone who has avoided doing that.Youve all given me the motivation to try harder to get things under control. If end up being debt free one day, Ill have this sub to thank. Cheers. Assistant: Not what you want to hear... If your SO is allowing you to support them then why doesnt your SO get a job to support you and the loans you took out? If youre accepting responsibility for your actions then pay off your loans. You opened the beer, now you get to drink it.Human: Thats a welcome question. Shes had some legal trouble and cant work retail. Current shes getting her GED and then taking free construction and welding courses. Assistant: Unless she is physically incapacitated, cant she get some kind of work? It doesnt have to be retail. You cannot afford to carry the both of you with your income and debt levels. Human: Youre right. Its a tough conversation to have. There are a number of factors involved, but I kind of blame myself for not being more encouraging. Urging contribution without putting too much pressure on your loved ones is a problem that Im still learning to navigate.  <response>: Urging contribution without putting too much pressure on your loved ones is a problem that Im still learning to navigate.Im going to be really, really blunt here. Youre much too passive and this statement reads as just a deflection where you basically say I tried talking to SO, but its hard.What does your SO bring to the table that helps you reach what you see as your and here I mean the both of you ideal situation in life?Retirement, travel, etc. are not your here I mean just you individual responsibility to make happen for the two of you. Both people need to contribute in some way: what is SO planning on doing with the construction and welding courses? 