Garnishment

I defaulted on my discover credit card about 7 years ago, and now my accounts are being garnished. Long story short, i got sick and was mostly bed bound for about 2 years, so i used my card to pay bills. I tried negotiating with the cc companies for a payment plan or reduction in interest (i think i was paying 24+%), but they wouldn't budge, so i just gave up.

I was sued when i was pregnant. I was unemployed, suicidally depressed, and in a high risk pregnancy. I ignored it because, well, stress and depression. I have worried about it in the back of my mind since, but had no idea what to do. It's not like i can afford a lawyer. I'm only working part time because of my health, and living off the grace of others. I know i need to look into disability, but it feels useless.

I just received a letter today stating "a levey on any and all accounts" with my social security number on it. I share a checking account with my boyfriend and we use it to pay bills, and that's all. He is currently unemployed as he just lost his job. He gets his unemployed deposited in it, too.

I have an ira with about $4000 in it from previous employment. I have a car that was given to me by a friend, worth at most $4000. I have an opportune account (withdraws tiny amounts of money from my checking account to a savings account) that has about $1000 in it. It's taken me years to save that much.

Do i finally need a lawyer? How do i afford one? I'm not even able to cover my bills. Do i need to be taken off the checking account to protect my boyfriend's unemployment and ability to pay bills? I'm so lost, and am afraid of looking for a lawyer and getting scammed. i have nothing to start with.

I have a toddler, too. Everything was looking so bright, but when i got pregnant, everything fell apart, and continues to disintegrate. I've worked really hard through a lot of illness to get where i am now, working with $1000 to my name (which is just beyond sad). I owe $15000 after all the fees. Should i file for bankruptcy? I know I've fucked up a lot to get to this point. How to i swim up from this point. I've made so much progress mentally and physically, i fear I'll lose it again.

Eta: i have looked over upsolve and will keep it in mind. I have reached out to what seems like a reputable lawyer for a free consultation with regards to filing bankruptcy. I've thought about it for a while, but everywhere advertised it being $1000, which i did not have. At this time, i do have that, so i will look into it. Tomorrow, i will look into free legal advice places and try to get my bearings. I'm also looking a bit more seriously for an office job. I think if i could sit during the day, I'd physically be able to work longer hours/ more days a week. Ideally, I'd like to actually pay this off.

Thank you all for responding. I just really needed someone to point in a direction to get my head on straight and out of panic mode.

I also want to say that i am not really complaining about this. It's more like my head is finally out of my ass, and I'm just sitting here looking around, thinking, "wtf is going on?". I'll gladly cough up what little i have, and hell, they can garnish my wages, too. I just don't want to f over my boyfriend, who is totally innocent in this, and i don't want to lose my only means of transportation. It took me forever to find the job i currently have, and it's like, 4 cities away, over a small mountain range. Public transit there would take half the day, and that's just not going to work with child care. I'm fine with owning up to my mistakes, but i still gotta figure out how to live.