<prompt> Human: EDIT: THANK YOU EVERYONE!Apologies for writing the post as a rage stream of consciousness.EDIT 2: Please keep in mind that my volunteering is both career-related and from my pre-default lifemindset it literally just dropped into my lap. I will have to hustle harder for side commissions this year. I am very lucky to be in a place to do that.---nbsp;Throwaway for inbox separation.Crossposted to rstudentloansI am too angry to think straight, but need to get focused, so I thought this would be a good way to do it. Apologies for not having my exact figures in front of me, but I hope the general numbers will do.F30. Cross country USA move two years ago. Pre-move, slowly took over the majority of my student loans from my parents mother is primary co-signer on oldest loans. I have 60K in federal, all dealt with, thanks to IBR. I also have a private SMNavient 17K, 6.6, 150mo. Remaining was a Chase private loan from 2007 29K, not sure about interest, but 6 or 7 220month--it was originally 22K. nbsp;When I moved, it was to get out of an abusive situation. I lived in a friends spare room and did not have to pay rent, allowing me to function on minimum wage while I got my headportfoliogeneral shit together yes, my friend is an angel. My expenses were 400month in loan payments, phone bill, temp agency fee, public transportation and CC payment just one, pretty close to its max of 1500 for the last year. It took two years, but now I have FT work 30Kyr and am planning on moving to a higher paying gig 41Kyr in two months friend is leaving her gig and recommending me for her position. I was finally starting to save money this year after years of being unable to year before my move, I made 15K; Year 1 and 2 post-move, I made less than 10K each. nbsp;Which brings us to today and opening a letter from Chase telling me that the 29K private loan has defaulted. My mother 61 was overseeing it and has been unemployed for 18 months she previously made 120Kyear. She has been fairly delusional about this we do not speak often. Her reasoning for everything is Ill fix it once I get work, you know how it is. I had been aware that something might be up during last summer when I got a collection notice out of the blue. It showed 3 months delinquency. I called and told her she had to warn me about this kind of stuff, because I can fix a 200 problem, but not a 600 one it was during hiatus, which is five weeks when no one in L.A. works because nothing is shooting--everyone plans for this. She was flippant and dismissive and said it would get dealt with. I would have pulled my credit report after this but I had already done so for the year and dont get my next go at a free one until March coming up, so I will finally see the full extent of what this has wrought. When I was home months later for XMas, I asked my father about it. He said they would deal with it next week. And now here we are. nbsp;Their financial life has been severely impacted by my moms unemployment, as my dad makes maybe 13 of what my mom makes. I know he tapped into his 401K to cover their mortgage payments at one point, but wouldnt tell me more. I never got a Hey, can you cover this? or a Hey, heads up, your credit is about to be ruined. I am putting the armchair psychoanalyzingfamily stuff away in a box for now because I can fix this my damn self and could have the entire damn time if they had just told me. I would like to focus on throatpunching this out of my life instead of taking this out on my parents though. I am mostly a little heartbroken because Id hoped to have to not lean on the friend I live with that much anymore since I got FT work, but this throws a wrench into everything. nbsp;nbsp;The options I got from Chase were:1 pay the whole 29K 2 pay 17K and itd be done with with a note on my credit report 3 pay 10 w 400mo until fully paid. No matter what the default is on my credit. nbsp;My parents reasoning is that since the default will be there anyway, theres no point in me paying them. I think they have lost their minds I dont expect them to DO anything, theyre broke--but that strikes me as terrible advice. I explained that Chase would report it to the IRS as unreported income and then Id be fucked into a new tax bracket I couldnt afford. My mom says as long as I make less than 50K, thats not that bad. I said that is assuming they do not just sue me mom and I are both on the loan, I live in CA, she is in NJ--not sure what the statutes are for either in this case. nbsp;I picked option 3, but I do not have the 10. I sent Chase the 650 I had saved up. Thats it. Now its just my income.-Bi-Weekly income is 900 after taxes. nbsp;Current expenses are: -100mo phone-150mo for SM loan I always send more-40mo CC I always pay more and was going to get the balance back down to 0 w my tax refund, which I guess is now not happening?-120mo Bus Pass-75wk Food I split this responsibility with my partner-RepairsHouse these are things I could not previously afford to address over the last two years, fixing worn out shoes, broken zippers and the like--I try to space them out-50mo Lyft less if partner can give me rides to events, more if stuff has me working later when its unsafe to take the bus--I dont drive, have a permit, and Lyft works out to be the same as gasinsurance cost-wise anyway I have health and dental insurance. CA pays for it.nbsp;I also contribute to the apt while I live here cleaning, laundry, petsitting, baking favorite cookies, therapist, videogame wingman, etc.. My partner lives close by and we are both writers who prefer to work than go out. We mostly watch TV, work on his grandparents garden and try to fart on each other. I volunteer a lot for professional things in my spare time WGA events, Cons, Bernie.nbsp;nbsp;I am saving for:-Apt 1 month deposit--which I now have to probably triple bc theres a default on my credit score-Guild fees I am SAG and WGA eligible, only interested in WGABoth are at 0 now, so I guess its essentially a wishlist.nbsp;nbsp;-Yes, I plan to consult a lawyer if I can get a free consult or a friend can recommend another friend.Thanks if you made it the whole way through. Sorry if its an info overload, just wanted to be thorough.tl;dr The one loan I did not take personal responsibility for was of course the one that was fucked. Its private and for 29K that I dont have. Co-signer says dont pay them anything since the default stays on our credit anyway, but Id like to not get suedwage garnished. Is she right?  <response>: This is now higher priority than the Sallie Mae one. You cant overpay that one anymore because you need to take care of this one.As far as finding space in the budget, break the phone contract and get a prepaid phone. And pick up whatever babysitting, copy editing, lawn mowing, etc gigs you can. 