How to Fix a Bad Credit Score? How to Obtain a Credit Card Following Bankruptcy?
Your credit report is like your financial biography. It comprises all your credit accounts, including application details, approval, defaults, credits, loans, payment status and active dates. This largely determines your eligibility for future credit opportunities.
A bad credit score may have far-reaching consequences that can affect several areas of your life. Including job applications, bank account approves, renting real estate property, buying a vehicle or even getting a new credit card!
Today I’ll be here to talk about the consequences of bankruptcy on bad credit scores, how to fix bad credit reports and if it really means being barred from getting a new credit card.
Knowing About Bankruptcy
Bankruptcy is a legal status that to people who are unable to repay their debts. Bankruptcy can be frightening; you may be concerned about how it will affect your daily life, loved ones, and financial future.
However, if you’re drowning in debt, declaring bankruptcy can be a game-changer. It allows you to get the assistance you require while also working towards a debt-free life.
How does bankruptcy occur?
There are two ways to become bankrupt:
- Even if you don’t want them to, a lender can file for bankruptcy against you. They may do this to recoup the money you owe them.
- You have the option of declaring bankruptcy on your own.
What is the procedure for declaring bankruptcy?
Bankruptcy assets are usually divided among creditors. This can include your home, car, recreational equipment, and pieces of jewellery – anything but the necessities. You may also be required to make debt payments for up to three years, depending on your income.
It may appear gloomy, but there is a silver lining. You will no longer be under the pressure of dealing with creditors once you have been declared bankrupt. Lenders will also be required to halt most types of legal action against you. Most importantly, you will usually be ‘discharged’ – that is, free of your debts – after one year.
What are the impacts of bankruptcy?
- Bankruptcy can have an impact on your income, employment, and business.
- Your ability to travel internationally
- Creditworthiness in the future
- Your possessions, such as your home, if you own one
- Some of your debts, but not all of them
If you declare bankruptcy, your bankruptcy will be managed by a trustee (either a person or an entity), who will seek to ensure fair and reasonable outcomes for you and your creditors.
Your assets may seize and sold by the trustee., with the proceeds going toward repaying the money you owe. While you can keep your vehicle if its value is up to an indexed amount ($8,100 at the time of writing), a trustee can claim any houses or property you own as assets as part of the proceedings.
What effect does bankruptcy have on your credit report?
A credit score, also known as a credit rating, is a number that determines by a credit bureau or credit reporting agency (Equifax, Experian and Illion). It represents how trustworthy your reputation as a borrower is. And it is a factor that lenders may use to determine whether or not you are eligible for a credit product, also how much interest to charge you.
In most cases, credit reporting agencies do not specify how much being declared bankrupt will affect your credit score. However, filing for bankruptcy will almost certainly have a negative impact on your credit score. Which may last for some time.
According to Illion, a ‘Zero score’ may indicate that you have something negative on your files, such as a court judgment or bankruptcy.
How long will your bankruptcy appear on your credit report?
Bankruptcy is recorded by credit reporting agencies for the duration of:
- five years from the date of your bankruptcy
- two years from the date your bankruptcy is discharged
Bankruptcy can usually last three years and one day. However, in certain circumstances, a trustee may file an objection to extend the period of bankruptcy to five or eight years.
Common Errors that Lead to Bankruptcy
The first error is a lack of knowledge.
Numerous companies fail due to a lack of information. As a company owner, you’re occupied with devoting all of your time and energy to developing your enterprise. Thus, you may overlook rules or lose money in areas that have been neglected for a long time, such as overheads.
Solution: Consult an expert.
Every company requires a sound management system and a strategic, operational structure. It may be difficult to find time to examine and produce these documents on your own when you’re so busy operating your company! This is why seeking expert guidance is well worth the investment.
A business consultant can help you in developing an efficient company structure. That will support your enterprise over the long term. Additionally, they will keep an eye out for areas of your company that may slip between the cracks while you are busy.
Error number 2: Inadequate insurance.
Many companies are unaware they are underinsured until the worst-case scenario occurs. The damage may be caused by a break-in, a natural catastrophe, or a data breach.
You may have chosen the least expensive insurance option, or you may have neglected to renew your insurance coverage as your business grew. In either case, you are underinsured and unable to pay for the harm.
Solution: Avoid purchasing a generic insurance policy.
It’s smart to work with an insurance broker to obtain your business the coverage it needs. A broker will not accept a one-size-fits-all policy, and they will also negotiate aggressively on pricing. Additionally, they’ll know what to look for and are likely to discover possible hazards to your company that you hadn’t considered insuring.
If you take your time and choose the appropriate broker, they will also be able to assist you in upgrading your policy as your company grows. Another element that you won’t have to worry about while you carry out your day-to-day management responsibilities!
Error Number 3: Being unprepared.
Denial may be a pervasive and harmful characteristic of company leaders. Denial results in a reluctance to recognize when things are going wrong and a general disdain for the need for contingency planning. Maybe this is because of pride or a desire not to ‘spoil’ a business venture by predicting failure. However, it is crucial to plan for the worst-case situation.
Solution: Be realistic and have a contingency plan.
Bear in mind that anticipating the worst is not the same as preparing for it. If you ever need to shut your doors, you need to know that you may do it gracefully and without incurring enormous debt. You do not want to forfeit all of your personal property in the process.
This is why developing an exit plan for your company from the start is critical. It’s proactive and prudent and will save you a great deal of heartache (and money) if the occasion ever arises.
Is it possible to fix your bad credit score after bankruptcy?
Only after the bankruptcy order ends, you may begin repairing your credit score. As a result, the longer you try to repair your credit each year, the less impact bankruptcy has on you and your ability to borrow money.
Thirty days following final release for filing. The bulk (if not all) of your accounts will have zero balance, and creditors cannot reach you regarding obligations.
To fix a bad credit score, you should do the following steps:
- Request three free credit reports and verify that there is no debt. The law requires that you get these three reports.
- If any of these accounts do not have a zero balance, initiate a credit repair dispute.
- Make on-time payments on student loans or other unforgiven obligations to begin repairing your credit history.
- If feasible, get a secured credit card. Often, you may open them with a cash deposit or a personal loan. Use the card to make minor, necessary purchases.
- If you have any leftover credit cards, make a monthly payment of at least 70% of the credit limit. Never open more than one new credit card in a six-month period (and only if you can afford to make the payments).
- Strive for a vehicle loan or another big loan to gradually accumulate a varied variety of manageable debts.
By using these short- and long-term strategies of fixing a bad credit score, you will notice an improvement in your credit within a year.
Related Topic: Do You Need Credit Repair? How to Increase Credit Score Fast
Getting a Credit Card After Bankruptcy
One of the many consequences of bankruptcy is the effect it has on your ability to obtain a credit card. Obtaining a credit card after bankruptcy is not impossible. But it may be difficult due to the long-term damage a bankruptcy can cause to your credit score. This can be frustrating for bankruptcy filers.
Because using a credit card responsibly is one of the ways to repair your credit. Fortunately, there are still options available to people in bankruptcy recovery, such as becoming an authorized user on another’s account or getting your own protected credit card.
Can You Request for a Credit Card After Bankruptcy?
Getting a credit card after bankruptcy is a good idea if you use it properly. Making timely credit card payments is one of the most effective ways to rebuild your credit after bankruptcy. But, before applying for a credit card after your bankruptcy, consider how you got into financial difficulty and whether you can manage additional borrowing right now.
Perhaps your bankruptcy occurred as a result of an unforeseen and unfortunate occurrence, such as a medical emergency, divorce, job loss, or natural catastrophe, rather than due to bad financial management.
In such a scenario, you’re more likely to be financially equipped to resume credit card usage and start on the lengthy process of credit rebuilding. Just make sure to strengthen other aspects of your financial well-being, such as a stable job and an emergency fund, so you’re ready for any unexpected challenges in the future.
However, if the financial spiral that led to your bankruptcy included overspending, undersaving, or poor budgeting, don’t be too eager to re-access credit. Instead, consult with a credit repair expert or financial planner to develop a manageable budget based on your income and monthly expenses.
It should also include a strategy for increasing your savings. In the meantime, if you require the convenience of a payment card, utilize either a debit card associated with your bank account or a prepaid debit card.
Consider adding a credit card after you’ve shown to yourself and others that you can pay your monthly expenses on time and save consistently over time. Utilize it carefully and sensibly to help you rebuild your credit and develop confidence in managing your debt.
How Long Can I Get a Credit Card After Filing for Bankruptcy?
A bankruptcy will remain on your credit report for seven to ten years, despite the fact that its negative impact diminishes over time. This implies that your selections will be restricted for a time.
What to Do Once Your Bankruptcy Has Been Discharged
Following the discharge of your bankruptcy, you should get credit reports from Equifax, Experian, and Illion to guarantee that your lenders record the discharge appropriately. Only debts listed in the bankruptcy filing should be listed as discharged.
Also, double-check your credit reports to ensure that all of the accounts included in the bankruptcy have a zero balance. After confirming that your credit reports are accurate, you may consider applying for a new credit card.
Even after your bankruptcy is dismissed, obtaining a new credit card may be tough. Certain credit card issuers may deny your application if your credit record shows a recent bankruptcy. Others may be less strict because your chances of filing for bankruptcy again are low, as there are rules limiting when you can file for a second bankruptcy.
Fix A Bad Credit Score with ACL!
Bankruptcy Information Is Not Always Accurate
If your credit report contains incorrect financial or bankruptcy information, you may want to contact a credit restoration attorney like an Australian Credit Lawyer. They may communicate with credit reporting agencies, credit card providers, and credit card issuers on your behalf if you are experiencing financial difficulties.
Additionally, an attorney may intervene if a business fails to properly discharge your debt or if you fall victim to credit counselling fraud.
Bear in mind that a bankruptcy discharge effectively prohibits creditors from pestering you. You have rights if a business does not adhere to the bankruptcy procedure or does not respect your bankruptcy filing.
If you are facing bankruptcy in the future and are unable to obtain a new credit card, contact an experienced credit repair in Australia. Call us now for a free; NO FIX NO PAY POLICY.
Our lawyers can help you solve problems associated with fixing a bad credit score, your old credit card debt, including medical expenses, utility bills and car repairs. Our firm has been appointed as personally bound to all accounts payable under Australian bankruptcy law, so we are able to assist clients with immediate problems without delay. Sign up for FREE CREDIT ASSESSMENT now!