Having been unemployed for over a year, I maxed out my credit cards. I am now employed and trying to get on top of things again. I am back on track with my mortgage and everything else except credit cards. Now the credit cards. I stopped paying them completely about 4 months ago so they have not gone to a collection agency yet. Do I contact the cc companies now before they are sent to collections to get something set up that I can handle? If they are not willing to work with me (many cards to pay at same time), do I pick and choose which to pay back and default on others. What can they end up doing to me?