<prompt> Human: Hi,I hope this posting doesnt become too long and I apologize in advance if it does become too long-winded.Im posting this at the advice of my granddaughter who is now in college. I was born in 1943 and have lived in the southern western PA area near the steel mills. When I was 18, I got married, and then I joined the Army and was in Vietnam for a year before getting medically discharged. I worked at the mills until they closed in the 80s. I then took a job at the United State Post Office in the sorting division. There I worked until I retired.I get about 500 a month from the US government for my service time plus the time at the US Post Office. I also get approximately 200 a month from my time in the mills. I get an additional 100 in state assistance.About 12 years ago my wife was diagnosed with Alzheimers disease. From then until 2010, I took care of her at home and also received assistance from the state in the form of supplies and visiting nursing help. In 2010, I was forced to put her in a nursing home because I just couldnt care for her anymore.When she died a few months later, I was devastated and overcome with guilt. She had taken care of me when I was sick from injuries sustained in Vietnam, but I could no longer care for her at home and she died alone in the nursing home.I had to put a lot of time and money into her care, but at the time, thats all I could do. I accumulated over 18,000 on a credit card that Ive had since 1980. The APR is almost 30 and my minimum payment is over 600.After a recent scare with cancer, Ive come to realize that I still have a few good years left in me. So I attempted to talk with the credit card company to try and get the payment lowered. But they refused. I called them again a few months later and tried to work with them, but they wouldnt budge.So now I have this incredibly large monthly bill, and no real way to pay it. Ive been scraping by the past few months, but I dont wan t this to kill me.So I was told I could hopefully get some good opinions on what to do on this website. Specifically this financial section. Unfortunately, I cant really find a lot of information regarding people in my age group. Since the credit card company has refused to work with me, Ive thought about just forgetting about it, what can they do to an old man? Well, not a lot, but when I die, they could come after my family. I really do not want that to happen. So I am asking for ideas on what to do. Do I have a way to pay this off? Should I ? I am unsure on so many levels.Thanks for your time.  <response>: I just want you to know that unless your family is co-signed for your debts they will cannot be held responsible for them when you pass on. They will try to take the debt out of your estate, but it sounds like that is going to be lean anyway so your family really wont be affected. 