Debt Relief Information

Life After Bankruptcy


Bankruptcy and Credit - What Happens After Your Debts Are Discharged?

Bankruptcy will remain on your credit report for ten years. But you may be able to get credit fairly quickly - almost immediately after a bankruptcy - although you will pay dearly for it.

Due to anomalies in the credit scoring process, you're likely to have a better score than you had while you were struggling with debt. Also if you handle debt responsibly from then on, you will find your credit score will be close to prime within a few years.

Credit scoring gives more weight to more recent events. So if you use of credit is down and you're handling your debts responsibly, you score will go up. Remember you have to use credit to get a credit score.

Many lenders love to extend credit to recent bankrupts. They know you have more free cash because most of your debts were discharged. They also know you can't go bankrupt again for another seven years. So they will extend credit, usually with outrageously high interest rates.

If you managed to keep your car and/or house through the bankruptcy, your first step is to pay these bills on time.

If you have to start fresh expect to pay. A car loan may carry a 21% interest rate. Credit cards you're offered might have an interest rate around 24%. These rates will make it very difficult to stay on top your debt.

Many experts advise that if you need a new car to get it before you apply for bankruptcy and keep your payments up. You'll have a lower interest rate and will be on your way to re-establishing credit.

You might only qualify for a secured credit card at first. You will have to make a deposit of several hundred dollars with a bank, which will then grant you a line of credit in the same amount. If you handle this card correctly, the card will be converted into a regular unsecured card in a year or so. Make sure the lender is making periodic reports about your good behavior to the credit bureaus.

Don't use more than 20 - 25% of your available credit, even if it's only $500. Pay your bills on time. If you act responsibly, in a few years you will be able to loans and mortgages at rates only slightly higher than prime borrowers get.

If you need to rent an apartment, you might have more difficulty. Landlords who check your credit report might not rent to you at all. Your auto insurance premium will likely rise and you might have difficulty getting a new job. These are some of the downsides of going bankrupt.

Everything is not all brightness and light, but the few sacrifices you will face might be worth the removal of the emotional and financial pain you are suffering every day you struggle with a load of unpayable debt.

Chris Cooper is a retired attorney who has spent several periods of his life deep in debt. At http://www.credit-yourself.com he tries to pass on some of the knowledge he picked up in his journey to become debt free.


MORE RESOURCES:

US Jubilee Act rewards past African leaders reckless behavior
Ghana Dot, Ghana - Jul 7, 2008
Unconditional debt relief, ascalled for in the Jubilee Act perpetuates poverty rather than alleviating it. In fact, it rewards past reckless behavior. ...


Response to "Unconditional Debt Relief is Not the Answer for ...
Ghana Dot, Ghana - Jul 7, 2008
Further, the Jubilee Act recognizes and works to end the unsustainable ‘lend and forgive cycle’ that has brought on the need for debt relief. ...


Hard issues hit G8
Joy Online, Ghana - 17 hours ago
Loans were approved for countries that already qualified for debt relief under the Heavily Indebted Poor Country (HIPC) Initiative. ...
The Group of Eight: What is it? Times of India
all 815 news articles


Nigeria: G8, Poverty And Africa
AllAfrica.com, Washington - 21 hours ago
We have some aid, but not enough, some debt relief but not enough and virtually nothing on trade. Once again Africa's people have been short-changed. ...


NDTV.com

Debt relief Waiving, not drowning
Economist, UK - Jul 3, 2008
A KNOT of farmers points in anticipation and dread at the spreadsheets posted on the walls of a bank in Sikandrabad, a small town in Uttar Pradesh, ...
Banks in JK identify 34000 beneficiaries for debt relief GreaterKashmir.com (press release)
Himachal government urges to Centre to look into debt relief ... myHimachal
SyndBank to waive Rs 1063 cr farm loan Business Standard
Chandigarh Newsline - Livemint
all 81 news articles


Dhumal writes to FinMin for debt relief anomalies
Business Standard, India - Jul 3, 2008
... has sought removal of numerous anomalies in the Union government's debt relief scheme so that majority of farmers of the hill state could be benefitted. ...


CARICOM advised on strategy for debt relief requests
Caribbean360.com, Barbados - Jul 4, 2008
They do not have the instruments available to them to give debt-relief to middle-income countries," he said at the 29th Heads of Government Summit in ...


Daily Star - Lebanon

$7bn debt relief
Gulf Daily News, Bahrain - Jul 6, 2008
ABU DHABI: The UAE yesterday waived Iraq's debt of nearly seven billion dollars and named an envoy to Baghdad, in a twin boost timed with a visit by Iraq's ...
UAE Vows To Forgive $7B In Iraqi Debt Evening Bulletin
UAE retires Iraqi debt Hot Air
Wave of attacks kill 16 in Iraq Seattle Times
Aljazeera.net - CNN International
all 519 news articles


Jamaica Gleaner

Obama's promise of debt relief a $29b opportunity for Jamaica
Jamaica Gleaner, Jamaica - Jun 27, 2008
Democratic presidential candidate, Senator Barack Obama, is promising 100 per cent debt relief for the Caribbean if he becomes the next leader of the United ...


99 Thousand Himachal Farmers To Get Rs 260 Cr Debt Relief Under ...
myHimachal, India - Jul 3, 2008
He added that 3789 other farmers had been provided a debt relief of Rs 16.83 Crores. Murgai said that all banks in the state had completed the ...

Debt-Relief - Google News

Good Credit Loans | home | site map | School Bus Clothing | Florida Pool Heating
© 2006