If you decided to take the plunge and file for bankruptcy: Good on you! Filing for bankruptcy is one of the biggest financial decisions a person can make.
And while it can help stop the immediate crisis, it doesn’t fix everything. Life after bankruptcy can feel overwhelming, but you can rebuild. No matter if you filed Chapter 7 or 13, there are clear steps to help you move forward, protect your finances and start feeling more in control. Let’s get into some of them.
How Long Bankruptcy Stays on Your Credit Report
You’ve done your hearing, gone through means testing and gotten a plan in place for your debts. But the mark of bankruptcy doesn’t disappear the next day, even if you’re in the process of making good. Bankruptcy can stick around on your credit report for up to ten years, and can impact things like loans, credit applications and housing.
That doesn’t mean you can’t start rebuilding sooner. Many people begin making progress within the first year — the key is to know what to expect and take small steps toward improvement.
Rebuilding Your Credit After Bankruptcy
Bankruptcy can bring your credit score down, but it doesn’t lock you out of rebuilding. Here are a few ways to start improving your score:
- Try Secured Credit Cards
This is a clever one. A secured credit card can help you control your access to credit and help build your score at the same time. Here’s how it works: You pay the deposit upfront, and use the card like any other credit card. Because you’ve already pre-paid, you can’t exceed your credit limit — and show credit rating agencies that you can handle your card responsibly by “pre-paying” it each month.
- Pay All Bills On Time
Your payment history matters, even the small stuff. If paid on-time, bills like phone or utility payments can help you bolster your credit score. We recommend setting up autopay, so paying by your due date becomes effortless.
- Check Your Credit Regularly
Keep an eye on your credit reports. You can request free copies from each of the three credit bureaus every year at AnnualCreditReport.com. Be proactive about looking for errors and disputing where needed.
Rethink Your Budget
Your budget may need a full reset after bankruptcy. This doesn’t mean cutting everything fun — it’s just a well-deserved fresh start.
As always, make sure basics like rent, food, transportation and medical care are covered first. From there, you can build in room for savings and flexible spending.
Savings can seem scary — especially after a stressful financial period — but putting away as little as $10 or $20 a month can build momentum. It helps you feel more stable and gives you something to fall back on, if and when you need it. Give yourself a head start by finding places where you can negotiate down and, if you’re in a relationship, ensuring your partner is on board with your new plan.
Stay Out of Debt Traps
It’s easy to fall back into old habits, especially during stressful times. But this is when you need to stay extra aware.
There are a few financial services you should avoid entirely, like payday loans and Buy Now, Pay Later plans. While these are convenient options in a pinch, the debt they can accumulate can undermine all the work you’ve put into righting your financial ship.
Your first goal should instead be building your savings before borrowing again. Try to set aside a little before adding new credit to your life, and consider that the lines of credit available to you after bankruptcy may be more expensive than normal. Prioritizing your savings helps you avoid leaning on credit cards when something goes wrong. It’s hard at first, but essential in the long run.
Signs You’re Back on Track
Recovery isn’t about perfection. It’s about progress. You can trust you’re moving forward if your credit score improves (even slowly), you have emergency savings and you can spend without leaning on credit to get by.
If none of that feels true yet, that’s okay — everyone moves at their own pace. Stick to it, and the payoff will be worth all the effort.