We normally do not seek judgement due to the expense that is involved, even after you win you have to continue to renew the judgement every year.We put them in collections and have it hit all three credit bureaus.

@Daniel MadhavapallilYou should hire a tax professional. 

At the same time, someone else reduces your debt, and you get to use the tax code to improve your tax situation legally.  

I recently purchased a 2 unit property as owner occupied with one unit already rented out. 3 months after closing, I was laid off due to a restructure at my company, so I decided to rent out the other unit my girlfriend and I planned to live in.

There are many tax accountants on Bigger Pockets that can help you with your situation. 

If your friends have a rental they should hire a tax professional. 

Focus on tax-saving strategies such as cost segregation studies and bonus depreciation to accelerate deductions.By qualifying as a Real Estate Professional (spending 750+ hours annually and materially participating), you can offset your wife’s S-Corp income with real estate losses, reducing your tax liability.

Looking for various tax strategies to reduce the reality that a large RV or boat is a grossly depreciating assetI would not have a loan, so claiming it as a primary or secondary residence and claiming the mortgage deduction is not applicable.I sold my primary residence and I have several rental properties which I use as I'm fixing them up.What I'm pondering is living aboard and working aboard developing a new product, while traveling.  

Sounds like I can safely write them off only after I purchase the rental and start the renovations to ultimately rent it out.

After entry, save receipts and back up in a file for that year.