Hiring a Bankruptcy Lawyer-- Credit Concerns

One of the main things that often keeps people from considering a bankruptcy lawyer to help them recover from debt is the hit their credit report will take. This is a legitimate concern, although it is often secondary to some other important considerations. Most attorneys will be frank with you: finding an alternative way out of debt is always a good idea. Filing for Chapter 7 or Chapter 13 should usually be a last resort. But that doesn't mean you should wait until you have already suffered intense consequences before you consider filing.

Credit Damage

What many people don't realize is that their credit score is already damaged by the time they begin thinking about hiring a bankruptcy lawyer. Filing for relief is far from the only thing that can hurt your score. Missing payments, having property repossessed, or being sued for bad debt are just as damaging to your credit. If your credit score dips below the low 600s, your chances for getting a new loan or credit card are extremely low already. Even barely keeping up with too much unsecured debt can be enough to lock you out of additional credit. It's important to take a clear look at where your credit stands before you can make an informed decision about discharging it.

Repairing Credit

Most people don't think of hiring a bankruptcy lawyer as a path towards repairing credit, but it really is just that. Filing will discharge your debts quickly and put you back on a path towards financial stability. As part of the process, you will likely learn some new things about credit, budgeting, and financial planning that can help you avoid mistakes in the future. Once fully complete, many clients find their credit score in the mid-600s, which can only increase as you stick to your repayment schedule. While it may be a few years until you can get a home loan, many clients are able to get financing for a car almost immediately after a successful discharge entry.

Improving Your Score

There are several things you can do to improve your score after successfully filing with a bankruptcy lawyer. The first thing is making sure everything goes through completely. After everything has been discharged, make sure your credit report shows the $0 balances (in the case of Chapter 7 filings). Sometimes accounts can slip through the cracks, so make sure this isn't the case. Second, get back on the credit wagon as soon as possible. Even getting a secured card and handling the payments responsibly can lead to better credit.