Fixing Your Credit Score After Bankruptcy
Nov 20th, 2008 | By William Blake | Category: FinanceThere are really few other situations that would cause as much damage to your credit as claiming bankruptcy, and so if you are unfortunate enough to have to do so at some point in your life, then you are going to want to be aware of the various bankruptcy credit repair tips and tactics that you can use to gain back a positive credit rating.
Bankruptcy Credit Repair
After having to claim bankruptcy, you may feel as though you will never regain a positive credit rating. Although it will be a challenge, it is definitely not an impossible task, which is important to keep in mind.
Any strike against you on your credit report (including the claiming of bankruptcy) remains on your credit record for a maximum of seven years. After this time, it is dropped from your record entirely. It IS possible, although you will likely have to wait for seven years, to make positive gains on your score after filing bankruptcy.
Getting Started
First things first- you need to get a copy of your credit report. In order to get started, you need to be aware of how your credit stands presently. Most times you can obtain your report for free or for a very low charge.
You will need your credit report to understand not only your rating, but also to check for errors. You’ll need to review the report, checking for any errors or negative strikes against you, after which you will work at getting corrected. If you locate an error, you will need to contact the credit bureau directly, offering verification that you do not owe what is listed on the report.
Paying off debt is a critical step towards bankruptcy credit repair, and even if you only owe a few dollars somewhere, if it is showing on your credit report then it is still negatively affecting your credit rating. You should always pay off your highest interest debts first, and remember that the lower the debt you owe the less negative your credit rating is going to be.
There are many other steps you can take towards bankruptcy credit repair. If you have more debt than you can manage repaying, you should consider filing a formal proposal with your creditors, or consider starting a debt management plan.