How Will a Bankruptcy Affect My Credit Score?

 Posted on February 22, 2019 in Credit Score

One of the biggest worries people have when they go to file for bankruptcy is what that will mean for their credit score. There is a lot of confusion surrounding bankruptcies and how they affect your credit. While it is true that they do negatively impact your credit score, it is not nearly as bad as some have let people believe. There is no one answer to how your bankruptcy will affect your credit score. It is a combination of what your credit score was before your bankruptcy and what appears on your credit report. Each situation is different and it is nearly impossible to say how a bankruptcy will affect your credit score.

Effects on Your Credit Score

While there is no simple way to tell how a bankruptcy will affect your credit score, FICO, one of the nation’s leading credit reporting bureaus, has released information on how bankruptcy and other credit mistakes could affect your score. According to FICO, those with higher credit scores before bankruptcy typically lose more points after a bankruptcy, while those with lower credit scores lose fewer points. Despite the difference in the number of points that the score drops, both people with high and low credit scores will have credit scores that end up in the same vicinity.

How Long Bankruptcies Stay on Your Credit Report

Much of the impact bankruptcy has on your credit score is determined by how long it will be on your credit report. The length of time in which the bankruptcy will be on your credit report varies depending on the type of bankruptcy you file. For example, a Chapter 13 bankruptcy will appear on your credit report for up to seven years and your discharged debts will also stay on your report for up to seven years after they are discharged. In a Chapter 7 bankruptcy, the bankruptcy will appear on your report for up to 10 years, though the discharged debts will drop off the report after about seven years.

Worried About Your Credit Score? Contact a New Braunfels, TX Bankruptcy Attorney

For most people bankruptcy is (and should be) a last resort. If you have tried other debt and credit counseling options and nothing has changed, then you may need to talk to a skilled Boerne bankruptcy lawyer. At the Law Offices of Chance M. McGhee, we have extensive knowledge of U.S. bankruptcy law and we also have more than 20 years of experience with helping clients get a clean slate. We can walk you through the bankruptcy process from start to finish and we can help you set yourself up for success after your bankruptcy is completed. Contact our office today by calling 210-342-3400 to schedule a free consultation.

Sources:

https://www.moneycrashers.com/bankruptcy-affect-credit-score/

https://www.thebalance.com/how-much-will-bankruptcy-hurt-your-credit-score-960061