High Income But Old Charged-off Debt. Does Chapter 13 Even Make Sense?

Location: Florida

About 4 years ago I partnered in opening a restaurant that failed. I personally guaranteed and used personal loans and credit cards to keep it afloat, and when it collapsed I lost all savings and eventually defaulted on all unsecured debts. My last payment on any of these accounts was a little over 4 years ago. Since then, I’ve had no judgments and only one attempted lawsuit, which was dismissed.

I now live in Florida and recently landed a job where I’m finally earning good income. I met with a bankruptcy attorney to discuss options, but the proposed Chapter 13 plan shocked me. Based on the means test, my “disposable income” is around $4,000/month, and I was told the plan payment would be roughly $3,500/month for 60 months, which looks like close to full repayment of the unsecured debt.

I don’t own real estate, have no savings or assets, and I’m the head of household with no current judgments or active lawsuits. At this point, I’m struggling to understand the benefit of filing Chapter 13 versus doing nothing. It feels like I’d be voluntarily locking myself into a near-full repayment plan when creditors haven’t actively pursued me for years.

Is it reasonable in a situation like this to not file bankruptcy, allow statutes of limitations to continue running, and only address debts if litigation actually arises? Or would strategic settlements make more sense than Chapter 13? I’m trying to avoid waking up dormant creditors unnecessarily, but I also want to make a smart long-term decision. Any insight from those familiar with high-income Chapter 13 cases would be appreciated.

Also, if I do settle will I have a big tax obligation? I understand I might be able to claim insolvency since my debts exceed my assets. Does anyone know about this?

TIA.