Why Credit is So Important before and after Bankruptcy

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Why Credit is So Important before and after Bankruptcy
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By Tom Spelling

Your credit is one of the most important aspects in your financial history. Think of your credit rating as a report card of your financial doings. Every time you have a late payment on a debt, a negative mark will go against your credit report. Every time you fail to pay on a debt, a negative mark will go against your credit report. Your credit report is used by a wide variety of individuals, from lenders to creditors, and serves as a snapshot of your past financial history. Instead of digging through volumes of financial records, these individuals can quickly and easy access your credit report in order to determine whether you are a candidate for their services. If you find yourself facing bankruptcy, you will want to work diligently to ensure that your credit report is minimally damaged before the filing and work even harder to repair your credit report after the filing.

Before Filing for Bankruptcy

Before filing for bankruptcy, take a good look at all of your debts. Keep in mind that the debts themselves are not what negatively affects your credit score, but rather the accounts that are closed. These closed accounts let other lenders and creditors know that there was some sort of problem with your specific account that forced it to close. Depending on your jurisdiction, any account that has no balance will typically remain open. This is dependant upon the creditor, who may later close the account, but again depends on your specific jurisdiction. If possible, pay off or combine as many debts as you are financially able so that the number of closed accounts on your credit report is minimal. Speaking with a credit counselor will allow you to become aware of all your options and is now mandatory before you can complete the bankruptcy filing.

After Filing for Bankruptcy

After filing for bankruptcy, you will need to again seek the services of a credit counselor. The new bankruptcy law has made it mandatory for anyone who has filed bankruptcy to speak with a credit counselor after the fact so that he or she can begin repairing credit. For starters, work to resolve any issues that you may have with credit. Especially if you have found yourself buried beneath a mountain of credit card debt, these knowledgeable individuals will be able to help you break old back habits and begin new positive habits that will be beneficial to your financial status.

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You will be able to get credit after you have filed for bankruptcy; however, the rates and the terms may be much higher than your previous experiences with credit. Instead of opening up many new credit cards, consider funneling your funds into a savings account. Each month, deposit the same amount that you have been paying on your credit card minimum payments into a savings account and watch your money do something for you for a change. You should look into getting at least one credit card, though, as it will continue to better your credit report assuming you promptly pay the fee each month. In this instance, use your credit card sparingly and always pay the full amount each month to avoid carrying over a balance that is subject to expensive interest rates.

Once you have set your credit on the road to recovery, you are strongly urged to continue on with good credit practices. Even though you have filed for bankruptcy in the past, you will be able to get personal loans, home loans, and car loans if your credit rating shows you in a favorable light to potential lenders and creditors.
Allison Churchill works as a freelance writer and frequently contributes to sites like http://www.creditcardscompare.com which offers information on repairing credit, Fico credit scores and more.

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This entry was posted on Friday, November 17th, 2006 at 8:36 am and is filed under Refinance. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Responses are currently closed, but you can trackback from your own site.

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