BANKRUPTCY UPDATES

• Prized Dance Studio in Lower Manhattan Files for Bankruptcy Help (June 17, 2013)
• Famed Tech Investor Halsey Minor Files for Personal Bankruptcy (June 03, 2013)
• Leader of Arizona School District Files for Chapter 7 Bankruptcy (June 05, 2013)
• Study Says Cancer Patients More Likely File Bankruptcy (June 06, 2013)
• Investment Bank Ledgemont Capital Files for Chapter 7 Bankruptcy (June 05, 2013)

Getting a Cell Phone After Bankruptcy

While bankruptcy can help you restore your financial health, life after bankruptcy may pose some uncertainties. For example, some filers are concerned about getting a cell phone after bankruptcy.

While cellular companies may charge extra fees or offer lower plans for recent bankruptcy filers, there may still be quality cell phone options. In addition, by making regular payments, you may be able to improve your credit score and prove your financial responsibility.

If you're considering filing bankruptcy, you may have questions about what to expect during the process and after your bankruptcy is over. By filling out the form below, you can arrange a free, no-obligation consultation with a local bankruptcy lawyer who can help answer other bankruptcy questions.

Cell Phone Options After Bankruptcy

Most cell phone providers will look at a person's credit report when determining his or her ability to secure a cell phone plan. Immediately after bankruptcy, though, you may be limited to a few options. These include:

• Prepaid minutes. This strategy allows you to buy minutes upfront, reducing the risk to the cell phone provider. Prepaid minutes usually also require a small monthly fee to continue service.
• Large upfront deposit. If you want a more traditional plan, a phone company may require you to make a large deposit. As the months progress, the provider may take money from this deposit to make your payments.

Thus, immediately after bankruptcy, there may be some inconvenience in securing a cell phone plan. Nevertheless, there will likely be options. A prepaid phone plan may be mildly inconvenient, but it can also help keep finances in order.

In addition, making a large deposit upfront can help serve as an incentive to ration minutes, in order to stretch that money as far as possible. Plus, after you make regular payments on your new cell phone, you will gain the trust of your cell phone provider. This may lead to a more beneficial cell phone plan down the road.

Benefits of Getting a Cell Phone After Bankruptcy

While you may have to settle for a compromised plan, there are several benefits of obtaining a cell phone after filing bankruptcy, particularly if you do not have, or cannot afford, a traditional land line. These include:

• Job hunting. Having a regular phone enhances your ability to keep in contact with future and current employers.
• Improve your credit. If you make regular monthly payments on a cell phone plan, your provider will report this to credit report agencies. In turn, this, along with other healthy financial habits, will gradually help improve your credit score.

By making regular cell phone payments and improving your credit score, you'll eventually improve your odds of landing bigger loans, such as car loans or home mortgages.

To learn more about other concerns regarding post-bankruptcy life, connect with a local bankruptcy lawyer today.