Economics Finance

Filing for bankruptcy ruins your credit for 10 years.

Not True. As with any other credit information, the fact of the bankruptcy can stay on your credit report for 7 to 10 years. (Remember, if you are considering bankruptcy it is highly likely that your credit rating has already been damaged, especially for the purpose of obtaining a home loan.) You can start rebuilding your credit, however, even before your bankruptcy is completed. Continuing to make your house or car payment on time can help you reestablish a good credit rating, as can making timely payments on a Chapter 13 plan or on any new loans.

Everyone will know you filed for bankruptcy.

Not True. The fact of your bankruptcy is a public record but unless you are a prominent official or high profile person, people aren’t going to go looking.

After the recent changes to the bankruptcy law, filing bankruptcy doesn’t help much.

Not True. The 2005 changes mean that a few people may no longer be able to file a Chapter 7 case, but most people are still able to get the same relief now as before the law changed. If a Chapter 7 is not available to you because of the 2005 changes, Chapter 13 may still offer you significant relief.

You are a bad person for filing bankruptcy.

Not True. Bankruptcy is a solution to help good people go through a tough financial time. It provides people with the fresh start that they deserve. Congress passed the bankruptcy laws because Congress recognized that we needed a safety net in our economic system for individuals, who have little control over large shifts in our economy or over unexpected personal developments such as job losses and medical expenses. The events of late 2008 should be making it clear to all of us that our financial health is not usually a function of whether we are good or bad persons.

You can pick and choose what to put into bankruptcy. Continue reading ‘Bankruptcy Myths’ »

While bankruptcy is very much a viable and legitimate means of resolving desperate financial situations, people have some very grave and real concerns about a number of potential consequences. A commonly asked question by those considering bankruptcy as a route to solving their problems is, “Will bankruptcy affect my job?” And if so, “HOW will bankruptcy affect my job?”

Well, technically, federal law prohibits any discrimination on the part of your lawyer against you because you have declared or are planning to declare bankruptcy. So, you should not feel concerned about the potential problems with an existing employer. There should be no ill will, negative responses, being overlooked for promotions and certainly not fired over your personal financial situation in regard to bankruptcy. If you receive this type of treatment, your employer is in breach of the law and you could take legal action against him or her. Continue reading ‘Will Bankruptcy Affect My Job? Get the Answers Here’ »

If you are a US citizen then you have the right to have an accurate credit report. Any misinformation must be corrected by the consumer reporting company or the company that is providing the information to them.

Consequently, if you see inaccurate information in your credit report, contact the consumer reporting company and tell them you found wrong information in your credit report and you want it corrected.

How do you do this?

You need to completely and clearly state your problem and then show them what is wrong and why you think it is wrong.

To do this you should do the following:

* Tell them in writing. Do not phone them or send them an e-mail.

* Give them your complete name and address Continue reading ‘Steps in Correcting Your Credit Report’ »

The medical bills are piling up in the mail box. You can’t afford to pay them even with health insurance. Let alone without any insurance at all. So now you are considering bankruptcy as the only way out. Filing bankruptcy in the long run wont really solve the problem. What if you get sick again, and the bills start piling up again? You can always file again in 7 years but you may end up with two bankruptcies on your credit report. What is the solution to this stressful problem?

You can get someone else to pay for them. Especially if you are unemployed, and have large amounts of medical debt. Apply for the medicaid program through your state government. Whether you are a man or a woman you may qualify for aid. Although women, & pregnant women usually have a somewhat higher approval rate. You may even qualify if you have a mental disability like depression. Submit all of your bills along with the application. Continue reading ‘Filing Bankruptcy Due to Medical Illness is Not the Solution to Your Sleepless Nights’ »

Did you know you can go online right now and view credit report information for your name? All you need is your social security number and answers to a few personal questions from your past, and you can see everything lenders and creditors see when they view your credit, plus more! Today, your handshake means nothing and your credit means everything. That is why you need to protect you name.

The mistakes that can be on your credit report right now may surprise you. Some people find that there are even alias names attached to their reports which are not legal names they have ever gone by. This happens when a creditor or debt collector makes a report under your social security number but gets your name wrong. This associates that name with your real name and your only recourse is to catch the mistake and dispute the alias.

You can also dispute any creditors or flaws that may be on your report wrongfully. Most people believe everything is done electronically these days and machines don’t make mistakes, but there are still humans on the other end of those machines. Mistakes are made every single day and the only way you will know about them is to go online and view your credit report.

Continue reading ‘How To View Credit Report History Online’ »