Filing for bankruptcy is a difficult decision but it can be the right one. It allows you to wipe away debt and start fresh.
But one of the consequences of bankruptcy is that it stays on your credit report for years, making it hard to get new lines of credit and make large purchases.
Fortunately, there are ways to rebuild your credit after a bankruptcy filing.
Here are 10 ways you can take to improve your credit score and start rebuilding your financial future.
1)) Start Budgeting
One of the most important things you can do is create a budget and stick to it - this will help you stay out of debt and gradually improve your credit score.
Make sure that you include all expenses - from rent to groceries - in order to ensure that you are living within your means.
2)) Check Your Credit Report
Errors on your credit report can be detrimental, so it’s important to check them regularly and dispute any errors or inaccuracies that may be present.
You should also keep an eye out for any signs of identity theft or fraudulent activity on your account as well, which could further damage your credit score if left unchecked.
3)) Establish New Lines Of Credit
Since bankruptcy will remain on your credit report for up to 10 years, one way to improve your score is by establishing new lines of credit with lenders who specialize in helping people with bad credit rebuild their scores over time.
This could include secured cards or personal loans, but make sure that you pay off any balances in full each month to avoid piling up more debt.
4)) Pay Bills On Time
Making sure that all of your bills are paid on time is key when trying to rebuild your credit post-bankruptcy, as late payments can quickly drag down a score even more than before the filing took place.
Setting up automatic payments for all pertinent bills is an easy way to ensure that nothing slips through the cracks.
5)) Get A Secured Card
Secured cards require a deposit upfront and they often come with higher interest rates or fees than conventional cards, but they are an effective way to demonstrate responsible spending habits while still rebuilding a good payment history at the same time - both factors which play into building up a good credit score over time.
6)) Keep Balances Low
Once you have started using a few accounts again post-bankruptcy, try not to use them too much; instead, focus on keeping balances low across all accounts since high utilization percentages (the ratio between how much money is owed versus available balance) can really harm scores fast.
7)) Become An Authorized User On Someone Else's Account
If someone close to you has excellent payment records and plenty of unused available balance space on their card(s), consider becoming an authorized user.
This will allow some positive information about their good spending habits onto your record as well.
Just make sure not to abuse this privilege by going overboard with purchases or letting someone else run up huge tabs without paying them off first.
8)) Use A Co-Signer When Necessary
If there's something larger like a car loan or mortgage that requires co-signers and because banks don't trust borrowers after bankruptcies yet then work hard to find someone willing to trust in order to obtain financing needed to purchase the item desired need.
Remember to always pay back every penny owe otherwise you risk dragging down your co-signers' own good standing too.
9)) Take Advantage Of Credit Repair Services
Companies specializing specifically in repairing bad histories offer services that range from analyzing reports, disputing errors, and updating information to making it more appealing.
The goal is to help clients raise their credit scores faster and easier than they could accomplish by themselves.
Be certain to do research on any credit repair company you consider and do your due diligence before signing any contract.
10)) Stay Patient And Positive
Rebuilding after bankruptcy takes time and patience; don't expect overnight success.
Rebuilding takes time and patience but eventually, those efforts will pay off when creditors start offering better terms/rates once again thanks largely in part due to higher scores reflective of responsible use over extended periods.
When you combine taking action on restoring your credit score with a positive attitude, this can create an unstoppable amount of momentum.
If you remain consistent, your credit score will eventually be restored to its former financial glory.
Conclusion
Reestablishing good credit after declaring bankruptcy isn’t impossible - it just requires patience, dedication, and discipline.
Applying these 10 tips should provide the guidance necessary to rebuild successfully while avoiding common pitfalls along the way.
As long as you stay patient and remain positive during this process, it won’t be long before you have reclaimed control over your financial future once again – no matter how dismal things might seem now!
