<prompt> Human: Throwaway account and not sure if this is the right spot- seems like most of the people in here are looking for advice on inheritance, lol, but ok, this is likely to be long, so your patience is appreciated. I was laid off of my job of 13 years in August. Im 46 years old and a lifelong type 1 diabetic. My wife and I always knew that I would not likely be able to continue to work until the national retirement age because of complications from my diabetes- particularly retinopathy, chronic kidney disease, and neuropathy. While I am neither blind nor disabled today, one of these things or another complication is likely to take me out of the working pool at some point. I had planned on working for my present company until that time, obviously now that is off the table. Weve always lived paycheck to paycheck. We have one daughter in college and another entering next year. I havent had any real interest from anyone who was hiring. Of course, I am looking hard, but havent had any real luck. Im a chemical lab technician, BTW. I have a degree as well. The affordable care act is really going to kill us next year in terms of the cost of coverage. With me having chronic health issues, my yearly cost is expensive as hell. My wife has a chronic condition as well which costs us in the form of multiple prescriptions. Here are the nuts and bolts- were in chapter 11 bankruptcy since 2010 underwater house, mortgage unaffordable, medical bills from car accident- even 20 can eat you alive. If I dont get hired on soon, we can convert to a chapter 7 and move on, which we are going to do. Weve had some additional medical bills during the meantime that would get incorporated into the chapter 7. Here is the question though; would we do better in the long run, assuming that I am unable to find work, by divorcing on paper? It would help with a couple of things- we could use my wifes income 43,000 as the basis for the FAFSA and probably receive Pell grants for the kids in college. I could get on the health exchange on my own and get a subsidy for my health insurance, considering my reduced circumstances. Also, I should qualify for some government benefits, perhaps applying for disability. What might be the unintended consequences of such a radical move getting divorced on paper? Where can I go for some practical non-judgmental advice? Perhaps there are other solutions I am ignorant of, or just cant see due to my situation. Assistant: The affordable care act is really going to kill us next year in terms of the cost of coverage.The affordable care act is going to fucking enable you to get coverage at all. You are exactly the type of person who would have been rejected out of hand for coverage before the affordable care act.Edit: subjunctive.Human: Ive always had coverage for my family, its just that my premiums this year were 2,200 and next year they will be 6,000 at the exact same time that my income has decreased by more than 60. And the coverage is going to be worse.Assistant: Serious question, where was your insurance coming from? Private plan? Your workplace? Your wifes? If you were previously on insurance provided through work its an unfair comparison as your employer was paying a portion of your premium.All that being said, do you qualify for the tax credit?Human: I follow exactly what you are saying regarding my employer providing insurance and covering a portion of the cost. Now we are going to be on a different employers plan and thus the difference in cost, but in the end, it doesnt really matter. Our premiums will be higher, regardless, and our income has been drastically reduced. I just need to figure out a way to manage both the interim time for the next year and the long term problems of not being employed, or even being unemployable due to complications from my diabetes.Oh, and as far as the tax credit, even with the higher costs of going with my wifes work, the premiums and HSA are tax deductible, which we wont be able to take advantage of going with the public exchange, so it seems like the better option.  <response>: You should still take a look at the public exchange. You might be able to find a better plan. 