Sounds like he might need to file, but he better get his ass in gear to get filed before the law changes. Child support and alimony can really crush someone. Our child support is basically a percentage of pre-tax income, and you can additionally end up paying for child care and uncovered medical expenses, so it can come up to 1/2 of someone's take home pay pretty quickly.

Credit scores and counselling aren't my thing, but if you continue to pay on cars and houses you are in better shap than otherwise. Very high interest car loans are not hard to obtain after bankruptcy. It's tough to finance a used car, generally it has to be a new, or relatively new, car. Mortgages are harder to get, but I do see people get them after filing eventually.

The willingness of some credit card companies to write stupendously stupid credit risks is just amazing. I could tell you about people that you wouldn't loan a rusty screwdriver to who get new credit cards not long after filing-absolutely amazing. Of course when you're writing 30% interest plus, $ 30 if the payment is not received within 14 days of the date of mailing of the bill, plus $ 40 overlimit fees plus etc etc you can see how the bottom feeders like Household/HSBC, Cap One etc can make money even though they'd give a drunken sailor on shore leave in Bangkock a loan for hookers and booze.