| Declaring chapter 7 bankruptcy was not an easy | | | | make sure that any accounts included in your |
| decision to make; however, it gave you a chance to | | | | bankruptcy claim are marked satisfied or paid in full on |
| start over and manage your finances more effectively. | | | | your credit reports. |
| Take steps to ensure that you will not need to declare | | | | - If there are any late payments or other negatives |
| bankruptcy again. | | | | noted incorrectly, request that the reporting errors are |
| Keep Your Credit Cards Below the Credit Limits | | | | corrected, and follow up until that is done. |
| In the event you need to borrow money, lenders like to | | | | To keep your credit score updated, ensure that any |
| see that you have credit cards you have responsibly | | | | negative entries older than ten years are deleted from |
| managed, and not maxed out or charged over the limit. | | | | your report. Be very careful taking this action because |
| You should keep your credit cards but strictly ban | | | | deleting the wrong or too many accounts can affect |
| yourself from using them to purchase anything you | | | | your credit score negatively. |
| cannot repay in full upon receiving your monthly credit | | | | Ask Your Creditors to Re-Age your Accounts |
| card statement. | | | | After several months of consistent on time payments, |
| Responsibly managing your credit cards by making on | | | | you can request that your accounts be re-aged to |
| time payments and keeping your card balance within | | | | remove any references to past delinquencies. This will |
| the approved credit limit will help to improve your credit | | | | help to repair your credit score over time. |
| score over time. | | | | Develop a Plan to Get Out and Stay Out of Debt |
| Monitor your Credit Reports with all Bureaus | | | | If you are still trying to manage some of your debt, |
| It is a good idea for you to regularly monitor your credit | | | | develop a plan for how you are going to become |
| reports with all three of the major credit bureaus - | | | | debt-free. Then, implement your plan and stick to it until |
| Experian, Equifax and TransUnion. Whenever | | | | you are out of debt. Make sure that you always make |
| necessary, request that corrections be made to your | | | | your credit card payments on time and learn how to |
| credit report. You can make these requests via mail or | | | | manage your money more effectively. |
| online. | | | | You can rebuild your financial life after bankruptcy. Get |
| When reviewing your credit report for inconsistencies, | | | | your finances in order and start making new and |
| be sure to: | | | | improved financial decisions. Make sure that the credit |
| - Check your credit limits and make sure they are | | | | bureaus have correct information reported on your |
| reported correctly. | | | | credit reports and whenever possible, move to have |
| - If you have recently obtained a bankruptcy discharge, | | | | old negative entries deleted. |