Desperately Need Advice About Major Financial Crisis And Debt - What Should My Next Steps Be?

I need advice from financially and business-savvy people regarding my major financial crisis. Please, no shaming or criticism about past decisions—this is already difficult enough. I simply want guidance on the best next steps.

Many years ago, I recovered from a severe financial crisis caused by a domestically and financially abusive partner. When he discovered I was leaving after breaking my bones, he maxed out our credit cards with cash advances and overdrew our bank account. Due to emotional and physical trauma, I left grad school, losing my stipend and income essentially at the same time. Unable to keep up with bills, my accounts closed, severely damaging my credit for seven years.

Despite this, I rebuilt my credit slowly from secured cards to regular credit cards, always paying in full each month. Although I didn't accumulate assets, I managed to sustain myself in a very high-cost of living area until the pandemic caused sudden unemployment and I had to use credit to survive. I eventually almost recovered with a new job that also provided housing, saving and nearly paying off my debts from 2020 down to 3000.

After struggling in the U.S. for about a year during the pandemic, I moved to Europe due to a supportive network, lower cost of living, and concerns about direction the US was going. Initially, 2022 was challenging as an immigrant in Europe, making work difficult to find. Just as my situation began improving in early 2023 and finding a good job, I contracted COVID-19, which resulted in a major health crisis permanent health complications due to pre-existing conditions. These complications left me completely unable to work for over a year and fully disabled for a while . To pay for food, rent, basic necessities and medical care, my debt skyrocketed to $46.4k. I finally was able to start working a little late 2024 but now my current monthly income is only €800-€1000 gross, drastically lower than my pre-pandemic earnings ($6k-$8k gross/month), barely covering rent and food phone bill etc. .

My current financial status:

Total Balances

$46,417

4 ACCOUNTS

AMEX

$28,793 / $33,200 min payment $950+/mo interest + 24.99%apr

JPMCB CARD

$11,262 / $11,500 min payment $320/mo – interest 170+/mo 18% apr

CAPITAL ONE

$6,253 / $7,000 min payment $200/mo interest 125/mo, 25%apr

SYNCB/PPC

$109 / $2,500 (need to check but its almost paid off – I started on this one and almost made it)

My usage is at 89 percent credit score has plummeted to 670

I have no assets—no car, home, or significant possessions.

My ex husband also coerced me when I was with him to cosign his student loans and take much more than I wanted to for myself – then he consolidated all of them together – well when the other things all happened I defaulted – they don’t show on my credit score at all anymore – apparently this could be because they were consolidated with a private lender (Navient) and its been over 10 years since I interacted at all with them I only mention this because I'm unsure if this affects bankruptcy or other decisions.

Currently, I'm barely managing basic expenses on my reduced income (approx. $1,300/month), and my debt has ballooned to $46.4k. I've kept payments on time until now, but minimum payments ($1,300-$1,500/month) are now impossible. I've turned off autopay.

Occasionally, I earn extra through freelance gigs (like a rare $5k TV set job last year), but this isn't consistent. I'm considering bankruptcy, although I dread it, especially from abroad. The logistics of filing from outside the U.S. seem daunting and costly. If I come into extra money through rare gigs, I'd likely need it to cover bankruptcy fees ($5k last year from a TV set job, for example).

What should I do?

is there any way to save this?.

Should I just let them start coming after me? Or do I go bankrupt? Last time ( I hate so much that I have to say that – last time - ) they came after me but I had nothing and I guess they gave up then the seven years passed and it all dropped off and disappeared – at 5 years I used the secured credit card to start building beforehand. I never filed bankruptcy.