You have come a very long way, and I want to be the first person to CONGRATULATE you on completing all of your Chapter 13 Bankruptcy Plan Payments, and successfully receiving a Chapter 13 Bankruptcy Discharge! I understand what an incredible accomplishment this is and admire your determination to clean up your debt and get a Fresh Start!
The day you receive your Chapter 13 Bankruptcy Discharge is the first Debt-Free day of the rest of your life. I know, as awesome as that may sound, it may also seem a bit scary to think you will have no credit and not be able to fall back on credit cards in an emergency after the long years of being in the Chapter 13 Process, but it’s not forever and there is a healthy and productive way about living cash-only during and after the Chapter 13 Bankruptcy Process.
| “Chapter 13 Bankruptcy is a process for people serious about getting a second chance at a financially healthy life.” |
Through your Chapter 13 Bankruptcy Process you completed a Debtor Education/Personal Financial Management Course that taught you effective ways of rebuilding your credit. One of those ways is by obtaining a secured credit card, which you can do almost immediately upon receiving your Discharge. This is great for two reasons: (1) it will immediately help you rebuild your credit (as long as you pay at least the minimum payment on time each month) and (2) it will give you that safety net back of having a credit card (but it should be strictly for emergencies only). The beauty of a getting a secured credit card right after Bankruptcy is that you will only be allowed a very small limit (usually $200 at first), this will help you police your spending habits and force you to learn to live life cash-only.
After you start your new debt-free financial journey you will become confident that you can support yourself and have a healthy financial life without the crutch of credit cards and having the burden of the crushing debt that results from those credit cards.
The number one worry my clients have is that Bankruptcy is public information and it will be used against them. Although Bankruptcy is public information, your filing is not printed in the newspaper or easily accessible to the community.
Your Bankruptcy filing will show up on your Credit Report and it will show up on a financial background search, however, filing for Bankruptcy is a constitutional right and you cannot be discriminated against solely on the basis of your Bankruptcy.
A few years after you are discharged from Bankruptcy you will able to obtain car loans and mortgages for real estate. As time goes on, you will be given more favorable interest rates and your credit score will begin to grow. In fact, some creditors even look favorably on people who have completed a Chapter 13 Repayment Plan, because they know you have the determination, perseverance and ability to make monthly payments on time.
The bottom line is that once you start over in Bankruptcy, learn healthy money management skills and begin to regain your credit, you can live a life of abundance with peace of mind and security.
I tell all of my clients: do not let the potential after-effects of Bankruptcy deter you from filing and getting your second chance at life.
For more information on the Chapter 13 Bankruptcy Process, please contactAttorney Theresa DeGray, at 203-713-8877.
