Why's that? Between mortgage, repaying education debt, supporting children, recovering from a husband's failed business venture...what is hard to believe about having trouble paying for another expense, especially after you've been reassured that the expense would be at least partially recompensated and that turns out to not be the case?
For example, that mortgage, did you stretch the very limit of your income or did you buy something reasonable?
Nobody forced you to buy a house, you could also rent or commute longer.
I lived in a crappy rental for five years and commuted and was able to fully pay off my student loans at the beginning of my career. As an example
Education debt can be put on forbearance or deferment under many life circumstances.
Given high income level, you also have many options available to you like personal loans.
As long as we’re throwing anecdotes, access to forbearance and deferment is shaky at best. I’ve personally had inconsistent success across various income levels.
They had the buffer! She’s top level medical doctor with top health insurance for her family, shelling out who knows how many thousands of dollars a month for it.
Those payments must have covered them, but they were denied instead.
American health insurance is a total scam.
UPDATE: also a minor proof in the days of wealth accumulation to the top 0.00001%, that (seemingly) wealthy Californian doctors and entrepreneurs are much much closer to bankruptcy than many of us could think.