How do I know when its time to file bankruptcy

It seems to me you have already answered your question, when you do not have the money to pay all your bills and support yourself, it's time to file bankruptcy. In your case it seems you have a lot of bills, which I'm assuming our credit card and other unsecured debt types of bills. If you have a car loan and wish to keep the car, the chapter 7 bankruptcy will not help you. Since you can't afford to pay your bills and pay for rent somewhere to move out, chapter 13 bankruptcy would not be helpful for you. I would suggest you file a Chapter 7 bankruptcy petition, discharge all of your debts and then you should have enough money to move out.   I have responded to your inquiry according to the laws of Massachusetts, where my firm is located. Laws can vary significantly from state to state and cases tend to be rather fact-specific, so you are best served by consulting with a knowledgeable attorney in weighing your options. Email messages/Online Correspondence are akin to conversations and do not reflect the level of analysis applied to formal legal opinions. Email/Online responses do not form an attorney-client relationship.    Joseph F. Botelho, Esq. BOTELHO LAW GROUP Attorneys At Law www.botelholawgroup.com 901 Eastern Ave.  Unit 2 Fall River, MA 02723  Office:  888-269-0688 FAX:    877-475-8147