Fixing Your Credit After a Bankruptcy to Apply for a Mortgage

When I first started working with Charlie (not his real name) in 2005, his bankruptcy had just been discharged, meaning his remaining debt was cleared. His credit score was 526, and he didn't think he had a chance to even get a credit card.

Charlie's bankruptcy filing was needed after a difficult divorce and a medical emergency. In fact, a a majority of people who seek bankruptcy protection do so after a medical emergency, difficult divorce, job loss; or some combination of the three.

It didn't take long for him to realize that his financial life was not over. Within a couple of months, he'd gotten more than a dozen credit card and other loan offers. After the discharge of a Chapter 7 bankruptcy, you're considered an even better risk than someone who still has a mountain of debt because you can't file for bankruptcy for at least eight years. In reality, you can get a credit card immediately after your bankruptcy discharge.

Many people think, That's exactly what got me into trouble in the first place, so I'm going to avoid plastic in my life forever. That's a huge mistake if you want to buy a house. You need to rebuild your credit score, and the best way to do that is to show that you can manage credit wisely. A credit card history that shows you can pay your bills on-time every month is one of the best ways to rebuild that history.