Three Tips For Rebuilding Credit

Wednesday, February 3, 2010 by Richard Check

This blog often addresses the events leading up to an individual bankruptcy in Wisconsin or the bankruptcy process itself.  But what about the aftermath?  How do you rebuild your credit rating? It's impractical to try to pay cash for everything going forward so rebuilding credit is a priority simply to function in the marketplace. Woman's Personal Finance.net has three tips that may apply regardless of gender.

First, get a secured credit card. The card gets its name because it is secured by a deposit account that is directly linked to it. Your credit limit is usually roughly equivalent to amount of cash that you've deposited; the card issuer will tap into this account if the consumer defaults on his or her credit card balance. Secured cards tend to charge higher fees and interest rates that the ordinary credit card, so investigate the card issuer thoroughly to make sure it is a reputable one. Once you establish a track record of paying off your balance on time, you can likely switch over to a regular card.

Second, join a credit union, which is a non-profit equivalent of a bank but owned by its members rather than a bunch of stockholders. Credit unions often have better deals and promotions than traditional banks, such as lower interest rates on small loans that can reestablish your creditworthiness.

Third, although this may not be for everyone, consider joining a support group to remind yourself that you're hardly the only one trying to restart after a Chapter 7 or Chapter 13 bankruptcy in Milwaukee: "A support group, either live and in person (if available) or via the Internet, is a perfect way to help you deal with what’s going on."

A qualified legal specialist such as a Wisconsin bankruptcy lawyer can provide advice about post-bankruptcy credit issues as well as responding to any of your other Wisconsin bankruptcy questions.

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