Over the years, we have had many Minnesotans contemplate bankruptcy but what they really want to know is, if I do this, how will bankruptcy really impact my credit? If we let our home go back can we get financing to buy another one soon so we are not on the street? Can we buy a car if I need another one- I have to get to work? I completely understand these concerns our guests have and if I were in your shoes I would share the same concerns. We all have them- we need to live, a place to stay and we need vehicles to get around!

Like so many Minnesotans that call us every day, we hear one common concern over and over again. Minnesotans worry about how bankruptcy affects their credit score and credit life after the bankruptcy is filed. If you are contemplating Filing Chapter 7 Bankruptcy in Minnesota, but you just need a better handle on how bankruptcy affects your credit, here it is. The obvious question so many ask about their credit relates to their future dreams and ambitions.

Wouldn’t it be nice to get rid of all your credit card debt and start fresh again? Could you imagine the peace of mind you would have knowing that you could wipe your credit cards clean and not have to worry about paying them back? If you’re like most Minnesotans it’s pretty easy to rack up large amounts of debt on your credit cards quickly especially if something unexpected happens. Let’s face it, you never know if something unexpected is going to happen that might cost you several hundreds or even thousands of dollars. Let’s say your vehicle breaks down, you get sick or are injured in an accident, your business becomes unprofitable or you maybe you get laid off from work. The bottom line is that these types of things can happen to anyone and they happen all the time.

I often tell clients that banks don’t care if you pay your creditors. What? How can that be? I thought credit scores and paying your creditors was the most important thing to banks when they look at the decision to either lend you money or not. Turns out, that is not always true. Let’s look at a case study to illustrate the point.

It’s no surprise that VISA is a wordwide powerhouse in the financial industry but I bet you would be shocked to know how big they really are! VISA Inc. started their 2016 fiscal year off with over a whopping 857 million credit cards issued worldwide! That’s enough credit cards to wrap around the world twice! To top it off they ended their year in 2015 with over 14 billion dollars in gross profit and nearly 7 billion of that net profit! Unbelievable. That’s right I said BILLION. With that net profit, half of every BILLION dollars VISA sees, after every expense is paid, gets deposited directly into the bank account!

Completing a bankruptcy case can be a relief after the stress, anxiety, and frustration you experienced trying to pay debts that you could not afford to pay. Regardless of whether you filed a Chapter 7 case or a Chapter 13 case, you now have a fresh start to begin rebuilding your financial well-being for the future. Many of our clients have heard or been told that they would never qualify for a loan after bankruptcy, or that it would be many years and very difficult if they did qualify for a loan after bankruptcy. This is a common misconception about bankruptcy.

One of the top concerns of many of our clients is how filing bankruptcy will affect their credit rating. This is a valid concern because credit scores are no longer used only for obtaining credit. Insurance companies, telecommunications companies, and employers are now checking credit histories and using credit scores to make decisions about more than simply issuing credit. So, how does filing bankruptcy affect your credit score?

The following story may sound similar because many American struggling with credit card debt did not incur that debt by purchasing luxury items, taking expensive vacations, or buying unnecessary personal items. In many cases, a person struggling to pay credit card debt incurred that debt because of a financial crisis.

Not all debts are the same.  Some debts are unsecured (i.e. credit card debt) while some debts are secured (i.e. mortgages).  Most people think of a mortgage as “good” debt because as you pay this debt down, you are increasing your net worth because the equity in your home is increasing. Furthermore, a mortgage is a debt that has a purpose — to provide a home for you and for your family. 

It is easier than you think to get into trouble with credit cards. You begin with one card and before you realize it, you have several credit cards with substantial balances. You may have several major credit cards in addition to store credit cards. Retailers entice customers to open an account by offering a discount on your first purchase. Of course, you only receive this discount if you charge the purchase on your new account. You open the account to “save money” with the intention to pay off the credit card next month. Unfortunately, many people find themselves making the minimum payments even though their intentions were to avoid them. By the time the balance is paid off, you have paid more money in interest than you saved on your first purchase.

The first step in understanding your credit score after bankruptcy is to understand how your credit score is calculated. Credit scores are not as complicated as some of us assume. Credit reporting agencies combine information from your credit history with your current financial condition to calculate your credit score. Credit scores are a very important element of your financial well-being as they are used to determine whether you are eligible to receive credit and the interest rate that will be applied to credit that you receive. However, credit scores can now affect several other areas of your financial life including rental applications, insurance rates and cell phone contracts.

In my opinion, the single most important tip to rebuild credit after bankruptcy is to not be afraid of credit. One of the biggest mistakes people make is completely avoiding credit after they file bankruptcy. Although avoidance is likely done with good reason, it won’t help rebuild your credit.

Filing a bankruptcy case is an emotional process that most people never want to repeat during their lifetime. However, it is also a process that allows individuals who are suffering from debt problems to receive the help they need to recover from a terrible financial crisis. Taking on credit again after filing a bankruptcy can be scary because credit probably played a role in your decision to file bankruptcy in the first place.

Jane’s Experience with No Credit, Post-Bankruptcy

One of the biggest concerns that most people have about filing bankruptcy is their credit score. As experienced bankruptcy attorneys, we understand our clients concerns about their credit score after bankruptcy. Your credit score affects everything from obtaining new credit, to the amount you pay for your automobile insurance. Credit ratings are vital to our financial stability, and rebuilding credit takes time and patience.