My name is Max and for the past 3 years until present i am trying to negotiate with a creditor that I know i owe them 10,000 what do i do?

Hi Max.   That's a difficult situation.  The first part of your analysis should be to determine what your judgment creditor can get from you.  Do you have a job?  If so, then he can garnish up to 25% of your net wages.   Do you have any assets he can lien, such as a home?   You definitely don't want to leave a lot of money sitting in any of your bank accounts, because they can be seized as well. Once you get a handle on what he can get from you outside of a bankruptcy, you should schedule a consultation with a bankruptcy attorney to go over that option.  Most bankruptcy attorneys offer free initial consultation.  You can then compare the costs of doing a bankruptcy with how much your creditor is likely to get from you if you do not file bankruptcy. Sometimes this simple analysis will yield an easy decision. I hope this helps you on your path.   Mark Markus has been practicing exclusively bankruptcy law in California since 1991.  He is a Certified Specialist in Bankruptcy Law by the State Bar of California Board of Legal Specialization,  AV-Rated by martindale.com, and A+ rated by the Better Business Bureau.  CONTACT MARK for more information or to schedule an appointment.