bankruptcy

Practical and Practice issues for Professionals who practice in the area of taxation. Moral, social and economic issues relating to taxes, including international issues, the U.S. Internal Revenue Code, state tax issues, etc. Not for "tax protestor" issues, which should be posted in the "tax protestor" forum above. The advice or opinion given herein should not be relied on for any purpose whatsoever. Also examines cookie-cutter deals that have no economic substance but exist only to generate losses, as marketed by everybody from solo practitioner tax lawyers to the major accounting firms.
camelye

bankruptcy

Post by camelye »

If a bankruptcy is discharged is that good or bad for your credit rating? I filed for bankruptcy in 1998. Recently in my credit report there was a public notice saying it was discharged.
Last edited by webhick on Thu Jan 20, 2011 9:41 pm, edited 2 times in total.
Reason: Removed spam links.
Judge Roy Bean
Judge for the District of Quatloosia
Judge for the District of Quatloosia
Posts: 3704
Joined: Tue May 17, 2005 6:04 pm
Location: West of the Pecos

Re: bankruptcy

Post by Judge Roy Bean »

camelye wrote:If a bankruptcy is discharged is that good or bad for your credit rating? I filed for bankruptcy in 1998. Recently in my credit report there was a public notice saying it was discharged.
Welcome to Quatloos, camelye.

A successful discharge of a Chapter 13 bankruptcy is far better than a dismissal but a bankruptcy will seriously depress a credit score for years.

Technically speaking, bankruptcies will remain on the credit reporting bureau's database forever but depending on which chapter and whether it was discharged or dismissed, it will be reported and used for either 7 or 10 years from the date of filing.

It will also show up in other databases - and the court paperwork will always be available.
The Honorable Judge Roy Bean
The world is a car and you're a crash-test dummy.
The Devil Makes Three
rogfulton
Caveat Venditor
Posts: 600
Joined: Fri Aug 14, 2009 10:08 am
Location: No longer behind the satellite dish, second door along - in fact, not even in the same building.

Re: bankruptcy

Post by rogfulton »

You might want to also make sure the correct file number was reported and if not, contact the Clerk of the Court. Since you don't say how you got a copy of your credit report, I recommend the government mandated annualcreditreport.com site for free copies of your reports from the Big 3.

When my wife and I were trying to qualify for a mortgage <mumbled number> years ago, we realized her bankruptcy had been reported under three different chapters with three different file numbers (While two of them were incorrect, they all should have fallen off her report several years before). Once we contacted the Clerk of the Court, the corrections were made and a letter was given us to present the mortgage underwriters to that effect. Resulted in an 8% rate (prior to correction, rate was going to be 10.9%) which saved us over $100/month.
"No man is above the law and no man is below it; nor do we ask any man's permission when we require him to obey it. Obedience to the law is demanded as a right; not asked as a favor."
- President Theodore Roosevelt
Galee

Re: bankruptcy

Post by Galee »

Hi Judge Roy Bean,
Thanks for making it clear that bankruptcy will be on credit reporting bureau's database forever but when it is discharged does it effects in getting loan?
Cathulhu
Order of the Quatloos, Brevet First Class
Posts: 1258
Joined: Wed Apr 07, 2010 3:51 pm

Re: bankruptcy

Post by Cathulhu »

Galee, what do you think a credit report is for? Of course it would affect getting a loan. Welcome to Quatloos, now ask a smarter question.
Goodness is about what you do. Not what you pray to. T. Pratchett
Always be a moving target. L.M. Bujold
Prof
El Pontificator de Porceline Precepts
Posts: 1209
Joined: Thu Mar 06, 2003 9:27 pm
Location: East of the Pecos

Re: bankruptcy

Post by Prof »

Interestingly, in my experience, following entry of a discharge in a chapter 7 (liquidation) or a chapter 13 upon completion of the plan (adjustment of debt [thru a plan] by individuals [human beings and their spouses] with a regular income) may increase the ability to borrow money, since the new debt cannot be discharged again for 8 years after the date of the most recent discharge.

However, the cost of the debt may be high and available amounts will be more limited. And, generally speaking a discharge under chapter 13 is better for credit purposes than a discharge under chapter 7. In a chapter 13, the debtor(s) propose a plan to pay at least some of their unsecured debt. This indicates more responsibility than a chapter 7, which involves pushing all non-exempt assets, if any, to a trustee for liquidation of those assets and application to debt. Many, if not most, consumer chapter 7 are what are called "no asset" cases, with no distribution to unsecured creditors.
"My Health is Better in November."