bankruptcy

Refinance After Bankruptcy

Tip! Get a referral. If you know someone who has filed bankruptcy, don’t be afraid to ask them whether they felt their lawyer handled their case well.

You think you have hit the bottom of the finance world when “bankruptcy” is mentioned. Whether you went into bankruptcy due to business reasons or because you could not pay off a loan for your house, it is not the end of the world. It may appear hard to refinance after bankruptcy, but you do have options that may be able to get you back on track.

After you file for bankruptcy you have some time before you can really refinance a mortgage. You have roughly 6 months so you might as well take this time and get a plan together. You still have bills to pay, so make sure you pay those on time. Regardless if you have filed bankruptcy or not, paying bills on time always improves your credit. If you can manage to get a new credit card then you might want to think about using that as well. Pay the bills with the credit card on time, then pay your credit card payments on time. This is like a little double bonus as it shows multiple payments all on time and improving your credit.

Tip! Make three copies of the section of papers that list all of the creditors and collection agencies that were included in the bankruptcy – usually this is called the Schedule F.

When possible, save as much money as you can before you refinance after bankruptcy. Even if it is just a few dollars per week, make sure to put it into a savings account. People are less likely to withdraw money from savings accounts and any money you have in the bank will improve you ability to refinance after bankruptcy. The lenders view this as another asset you have. THe more you have the better client you appear to be.

If you don’t feel you can save much money, then you should consider some options that raise a little money. Sell some things on eBay. Have a yard sale. Take a part time job, or do odd jobs for people. Any money you can raise will help you in the long run.

When it comes to choosing a lender make sure you research! This cannot be stressed enough – there are a large number of lenders out there competing for your business. Find out the lowest interest rates and ask about extra fees involved. You are going to want a balance between the fees you have to pay and the interest rate you are being charged so make sure you really think things over before you settle for a lender. When you refinance after bankruptcy You are probably going to get a slightly higher interest rate than normal due to the bankruptcy on your credit report.

Tip! The final step in considering bankruptcy is to actually engage the services of an attorney. At this juncture, you attorney will prepare a bankruptcy petition on your behalf that will be filed in the bankruptcy court.

After a lender has been chosen be sure to completely fill out all the paperwork that you need. Ask questions about anything you are not 100% clear on. You do have the opportunity to review the loan again before it is finalized, but it’s best to have everything in order from the beginning.

By refinancing after bankruptcy and doing all of this you will accomplish improving your credit rating in just a few years. Keep making all your payments on time and continue to grow that savings account you were working on. Remember, every dollar counts. Once all your accounts are closed from the bankruptcy you will be able to refinance again with another mortgage lender and get those lower interest rates again. Your credit should be much better by now and the process shouldn’t be difficult at all.

For more information on how to Refinance After Bankruptcy and other financial information, please visit the author’s website.