How can a person rebuild their credit after filing for bankruptcy?

St. Claire County, AL— Raising a credit score after filing for bankruptcy can take time, but it isn’t impossible. Although bankruptcy will stay on a person’s credit report for seven to 10 years, there are steps an individual can take to help raise their credit score. According to Experian, which is one of the largest credit bureaus, an individual can do the following if they are looking to raise their credit score after filing for bankruptcy.

Establish and practice good habits.

Despite the negative effect bankruptcy will have on a person’s credit score, there is a light at the end of the tunnel for those who want to raise their score. For those looking for that light, they will need to make sure that all of their debt payments are made on time going forward and that they keep up with their bills.

On-time payments play a crucial role in determining what a person’s credit score is, therefore, if someone wants to work toward getting their score raised, they need to be sure they are getting all of their bills paid before or by the due date.

Avoid using credit cards.

If an individual still has credit cards available for use after filing for bankruptcy, they should refrain from using them as they don’t want to accumulate any more debt. Instead, to help build credit, an individual might consider applying for a secured credit card.

A secured credit card, unlike a traditional credit card, requires a person to deposit money into an account. The money they deposit is the money they can spend. Therefore, when using a secured credit card, an individual is not accruing debt but simply using their own money. Any money that is spent will need to be repaid so that the credit card company can report on-time payments to the major credit bureaus.

Consider applying for a credit-builder loan.

Credit-builder loans are another option individuals have to raise their credit score. Credit-builder loans act more like a savings account. For instance, if an individual were to apply for a $1,000 credit-builder loan, instead of them receiving the money, they are instead required to pay about $83 a month if it is for a one-year loan term. Each month a person pays on time, the bank or lender will report the positive activity to the major credit bureaus.

Have other questions about bankruptcy?

If an individual is considering filing for bankruptcy in Alabama or has other questions or concerns they’d like to discuss with a St. Claire County, AL bankruptcy lawyer, they can contact Hill, Gossett, Kemp & Hufford, P.C. The AL bankruptcy attorneys at this firm can explain the pros and cons to filing for bankruptcy and help and individual make an informed decision as to whether they should file.

Disclaimer: No representation is made that quality of legal services provided is greater than the quality of legal services provided by other attorneys.

Hill, Gossett, Kemp & Hufford, P.C. can be reached at:

Moody Office

2603 Moody Parkway, Suite 200

Moody, Alabama 35004

Phone: (205) 640-2000

Website: www.hwhlawgroup.com

Leeds Office

7900 Parkway Drive

Leeds, AL 35094

Phone: (205) 699-5500

Springville Office

6441 U.S. Highway 11