Will I Be Able To Get Loans Or Credit After I File For Bankruptcy
Whether you can get loans or credit immediately after bankruptcy depends on what kind of credit you’re seeking.
Many bankruptcy filers are bombarded with credit card offers after the bankruptcy is over. Credit card companies know you can’t file again for several years , so they might be eager for your business. But bewarethe credit card offers will likely have very high interest rates, annual fees, and other high charges.
Car loans. Most likely you’ll be able to get a car loan right away. But you’ll be dealing with subprime lenders, which means high interest rates and other unfavorable loan terms.
Mortgages. How long it will take to qualify for a mortgage depends, in large part, on the mortgage lender. You might qualify for an FHA-insured mortgage even before you complete a Chapter 13 plan and two years after a Chapter 7. For conventional loans, if your lender sells its loans to Fannie Mae, for example, you’ll have to wait at least two years from the discharge date after a Chapter 13 bankruptcy and four years after a Chapter 7 bankruptcy discharge or dismissal date . If your lender doesn’t sell its loans to Fannie Mae, you might have to wait even longer.
These are minimum wait periodsit might take longer to qualify for a mortgage. Other factors that affect your qualification include your income, your debt load, how large your down payment will be, and more.
What Is Your Credit Score After Bankruptcy
If your debt is getting on top of you for whatever reason, you may be forced to file for bankruptcy. While going through a bankruptcy proceeding may relieve you of the burden of paying off some of your debts, there are long-lasting consequences that you need to consider.
Since bankruptcy is considered a public concern, it becomes part of your credit history even after you discharge it. This ensures that lenders or others youre looking to enter a financial agreement with can find out about your bankruptcy, you are also obligated to inform them directly. The credit reporting agency will also include your bankruptcy on your credit file for either five or two years from the date your bankruptcy is considered discharged or cleared. This is based on the calculation that the usual duration of bankruptcy is three years and one day. If, however, your bankruptcy trustee has any objections, this can get extended to as much as eight years.
Some of your creditors may have also reported payment delays to the credit reporting agency before you declared bankruptcy. If you had a good credit score before you started facing financial issues, it mightve decreased due to these incidents. You may then see it reduce even further once youve declared bankruptcy.
Effects On Your Credit Score
Not only is your credit history impacted, and lenders see you as a liability, but your credit rating drops significantly. A low credit score prevents you from being approved for various financial products like credit cards, lines of credit, personal loans, car loans, and most importantly, mortgages which are essential when purchasing a home.
It is still possible to receive a mortgage with bad credit, but the lender will view you as high risk. As a result, acquiring a mortgage with low credit comes with higher interest rates, a lowered loan limit to borrow, and a need for a larger deposit. These reasons are why it is crucial to understand the downfalls of declaring bankruptcy and how it affects your credit.
Recommended Reading: Can An Employer Fire You For Filing Bankruptcy
Apply For A Loan With A Co
Should you apply for a loan on your own, lenders might deem you risky because of your credit past. Getting a co-signer on a loan can help boost your chances of getting approved. Thats because lenders will take into account the co-signers credit score, which would up your creditworthiness. When someone cosigns a loan, they dont have access to the money. However, they are on the hook for repayment should you be unable to keep up with your payments.
Why this matters: Rebuilding credit after youve filed bankruptcy can help you re-establish your credit profile. By understanding the different options, youll learn how these different forms of credit might help you boost your credit after its been on shaky ground.
How to get started: Explore the different options for establishing a new line of credit and see which ones you think might be beneficial for you. Youll want to take into consideration whether a hard pull or soft pull on your credit is required, what you would use that line of credit for, setting limits on a line of credit, and having a repayment plan in tact so you dont fall into a deeper debt hole.
What Should You Do To Improve Your Credit Score After A Bankruptcy
After you have filed for bankruptcy, it will be very difficult for you to be approved for any type of credit, including regular unsecured credit cards. So, you should ease back into borrowing money by applying for a secured credit card. A secured card is just as good for your credit as is an unsecured credit card, but there is a difference. With a secured credit card, your credit limit is determined by a security deposit that you give the issuer.
For example, if you want a $500 credit limit, the card issuer will ask you for a $500 deposit. The security deposit is kept by the bank as collateral in the event that you fail to repay your credit card. Usually, if you use the credit card and make all of your payments on time, the card issuer will return the security deposit to you within 12 to 18 months.
Dont be discouraged from applying for a secured credit card after your debt has been discharged. Its one of the greatest ways to build a good credit history after bankruptcy. That said, make sure to make all of your payments on time and dont fall back into the bad habits that cause you to file for bankruptcy the first time.
Here are some quick tips on improving your credit score:
You May Like: How Many Times Has Trump Declared Bankruptcy
Seek A Credit Product For Your Situation
Your pre-bankruptcy payment history will make you look like an extremely risky borrower to lenders. You can fix that problem by providing extra assurances that they wont lose money by lending to you.
Here are some credit products designed to do that as well as other ways to improve your financial profile:
Get a secured loan or credit-builder loan: This comes in two varieties, and most often is offered by credit unions or community banks. One kind of secured loan involves borrowing against money you already have on deposit. You wont be able to access that money while youre paying off your loan. The other kind can be made without cash upfront, though the money loaned to you is placed in a savings account and released to you only after you have made the necessary payments. In return, the financial institution agrees to send a report about your payment history to the credit bureaus.
Get a secured credit card: This kind of card is backed by a deposit you pay, and the credit limit typically is the amount you have on deposit. A secured card often has annual fees and may carry high interest rates, but you shouldnt need it for the long term. It can be used to mend your credit until you become eligible for a better, unsecured card.
This route wont lift a score by nearly as much as the other methods, because authorized users dont have ultimate responsibility for repaying debt. But this path wont hurt, so you may want to pursue it.
Build An Emergency Fund Into Your Budget
If possible, youâll want to make sure that a certain amount of your monthly income goes into a savings account. You do this by making the emergency fund one of the expenses in your budget. Then, make a plan to make sure this amount actually makes it into your savings account every month – or every payday. Donât just wait to see whatâs left after paying for everything else.
This will help you build a financial cushion in the event something goes wrong. Like the water heater breaking. Or getting an unexpected medical bill. You donât want to use the money youâve budgeted for bills and other monthly expenses for these extraordinary expenditures, if you can avoid it. And you donât want to be stuck having to get a high interest short-term loan either.
Don’t Miss: How Many Times Did Donald Trump File For Bankruptcy
Where To Get Further Advice And Information
If you are looking for further advice on bankruptcy and how it may affect your credit score, make sure to read the Governments official bankruptcy section. There are also organisations called StepChange and The National Debtline that have useful online resources as well as Freephone numbers and online chat functions to get advice directly.
Related Articles
What Is A Bankruptcy Score
Categories
While lenders are always interested in lending money and finding new clients to lend to, they are also always looking to reduce the risk associated with lending. Credit scores are one of the most used and most convenient ways to assess this risk. There are of course many other ways to evaluate the risk of lending, including but not limited to credit history, income, overall financial health and the bankruptcy score.
The average Canadian typically has never heard of the bankruptcy score, its a little known form of risk evaluation and assesses your overall creditworthiness.
Learn more about bankruptcy in Canada here.
Don’t Miss: Epiq Corporate Restructuring
What Are The Different Types Of Bankruptcy And How Is Each Considered By My Fico Score
A bankruptcy will always be considered a very negative event by your FICO Score. How much of an impact it will have on your score will depend on your entire credit profile. There are a few types of bankruptcies and how long they stay on your credit report is different.
Someone that had spotless credit and a very high FICO Score could expect a huge drop in their score. On the other hand, someone with many negative items already listed on their credit report might only see a modest drop in their score. Another thing to note is that the more accounts included in the bankruptcy filing, the more of an impact on your score.
As long as the bankruptcy is listed on your credit report, it will be factored into your score. However, as time passes, the negative impact of the bankruptcy will lessen. Typically, here is how long you can expect bankruptcies to remain on your credit report :
- Chapter 7 and 11 bankruptcies up to 10 years.
Chapter 7 bankruptcy is often called “liquidation” bankruptcy as it discharges most unsecured debt including personal loans and credit cards. When filing Chapter 7 bankruptcy, you can keep most of your assets and the process takes about 3-4 months.
Chapter 11 bankruptcies are filed usually by large businesses.
- Chapter 13 bankruptcies up to 7 years.
Deciding to declare bankruptcy is a hard decision, but there is a community of people who have gone through it. Check out the myFICO Forums to discuss your situation.
S To Rebuilding Credit After Bankruptcy
You might think youre a pariah in the eyes of lenders and credit card issuers, but thats not quite true. Youll have to prove yourself, of course, but it can be done.
Although your goal building a good credit score is the s ame as that of someone starting from scratch, your situation is different. Your problem isnt that creditors dont know anything about you, but rather that they know a lot. Here’s how to start rebuilding your credit after bankruptcy:
Read Also: How To File For Bankruptcy In Nh
What Is The Credit Score Cost Of Waiting To File
While a 240-point drop is certainly worth noting, its also worth noting how much waiting to file or not filing at all can negatively impact your score.
Bankruptcy can give you a clean break from debt, which means you can focus on rebuilding. On the other hand, digging yourself out of debt can take years and lead to more damage.
- Missed payments remain on your credit report for seven years.
- Collection accounts remain for seven years from the date the original account became delinquent.
- Debts that get settled remain on your credit for seven years from the date of filing.
So, while bankruptcy will negatively affect your credit, not filing can also have a significant negative impact. And the damage can last just as long.
Talk to a debt relief specialist to see if bankruptcy is the best option for you.
Can Bankruptcy Improve Your Credit
Filing for bankruptcy can improve your credit in the long run, however, when you first file for bankruptcy, the bankruptcy will do significant damage to your credit and credit score.
Filing for bankruptcy may help you in the long run because it discharges unsecured debts that you owe, such as credit card debt and medical bill debt. Discharging debts prevents creditors and lenders from continually harassing your for payments. However, it does not remove them from your credit report.
Delinquent accounts will remain on your credit report even though youve filed for bankruptcy. However, delinquent accounts will only remain on your credit report for 7 years from the date that you first became delinquent on your accounts.
After the 7 year period, the delinquent accounts will be automatically removed from your credit report and will no longer negatively impact your credit score.
That said, filing for bankruptcy gives you the opportunity to open new accounts, such as a secured credit card to begin rebuilding your credit without having to worry about repaying old delinquent accounts.
Without filing for bankruptcy you will have to worry about and continue trying to make payments on old accounts while being harassed by collections to make payments. Bankruptcy stops all of this, giving you the opportunity to focus on your future.
You May Like: How Many Bankruptcies Has Donald Trump Filed
Is Chapter 13 Bankruptcy Better For My Credit Than Chapter 7 Bankruptcy
According to FICO , whether you file for Chapter 13 or Chapter 7 bankruptcy makes no difference to your credit scores. But it’s possible that a potential creditor viewing your credit report might look upon one type of bankruptcy more favorably than another. For example, some creditors might view someone who files for Chapter 13, in which you repay some or all of your debts over a three- to five-year period, as more responsible, and thus a better credit risk, than someone who files for Chapter 7.
What Types Of Financial Products Can Help Me Rebuild My Credit After Bankruptcy
The most important thing after bankruptcy is taking the right measures to improve your credit history. Only apply for a product when youre confident youll meet the eligibility requirements and can manage the account responsibly. Remember that it could take some time before a lender is willing to approve your credit application after bankruptcy.
Some different types of credit that can help improve your creditworthiness after bankruptcy include:
When using new credit accounts after going through bankruptcy, its essential that you confirm with the lender that it reports your activity to the two credit bureaus: Equifax and TransUnion. On top of that, make sure payments are being made on time and that youre keeping your credit utilization ratio well under 30% to ensure your credit score doesnt get damaged.
You can build your credit as an authorized user on another persons credit card account. As an authorized user, you can use the account freely, but wont be directly responsible for making payments to the lender. The account owner is essentially trusting that youll use the credit card responsibly while you piggyback off of their good credit to build up yours.
Don’t Miss: How Many Bankruptcies Has Donald Trump Filed
Bankruptcy May Help Relieve Your Debt Obligations But It Will Impact Your Credit For Years
Bankruptcy is a special legal proceeding you can use to reorganize or get rid of your debt, depending on your financial situation. Bankruptcy can be helpful if youre overwhelmed with financial commitments, but it could also negatively affect your credit. A bankruptcy will generally stay on your reports for up to 10 years from the date you file.
I refer to bankruptcy as kind of Armageddon on someones , says Freddie Huynh, vice president of data optimization for Freedom Debt Relief.
The good news is your credit can gradually heal if you take the right steps. Heres what can happen to your credit reports when you file for bankruptcy.
Your Credit Report After Bankruptcy
For the years following your bankruptcy, monitor your credit reports regularly. Watch for errors and then file disputes. Get help from a who can spot inaccuracies, dispute the errors and coach you toward your best credit score possible.
Lexington Law has helped clients work towards fair and accurate credit scores by leveraging their rights. Weve helped hundreds of thousands of clients remove unfair, inaccurate and unverified accounts from their credit reports.
Don’t Miss: How Much Does It Cost To File Bankruptcy In Iowa
How Does Bankruptcy Affect Your Credit Rating
Bankruptcy is likely to drop your credit score to the lowest possible rating at most Canadian credit bureaus. That means lenders, insurers, landlords, employers, and utility companies are less likely to extend you credit upon completion of your bankruptcy, but there are ways to rebuild your credit. To learn more about rebuilding your credit, please see .
