BANKRUPTCY UPDATES

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• Nassau Broadcasting Sells its Assets in Bankruptcy Court (May 22, 2012)

Opening a Checking Account After Bankruptcy

Personal bankruptcy has helped millions of Americans restore their financial health and leave their debt problems behind. Life immediately after bankruptcy, though, does have some challenges.

One of the potential challenges is opening a checking account after bankruptcy. Such a maneuver, though, is entirely possible for many people. Taking a few credit-rebuilding steps after bankruptcy will help you begin to restore your credibility with your bank.

Getting a Checking Account After Bankruptcy

In order to open a checking account after filing bankruptcy, you may have to do a bit of homework before approaching your bank. Here are a few steps that take many in their efforts to open a checking account:

• Research local options. Smaller banks and a local credit unions may be more amenable to serving people right after bankruptcy.
• Open a savings account. A bank might prefer a savings account first to develop trust. Then, after a few months of responsible banking, the bank might be more willing to open a checking account.
• Put up collateral. By offering some protection for the bank, such as depositing cash through a certificate of deposit, the bank could be more willing to open a checking account.

Obtaining a checking account after bankruptcy is very important because it allows you to have a stable place to keep your hard-earned money, as well as a way to pay your bills on time.

With a little perseverance and careful planning, you may be able to find a bank willing to help you restart your financial life.

Rebuilding Credit After Bankruptcy

One important part of life after bankruptcy is rebuilding credit. By restoring the health of your credit score, you'll also be a more attractive candidate for checking accounts and credit cards. Listed below are a few steps that many use to improve credit:

• Get a new credit card and use it responsibly
• Pay all bills on time
• Set a monthly budget and stick to it

These tactics may sound overly simple, but rebuilding credit is not necessarily a complicated task. Opening new lines of credit, such as phone and utility bills, and paying them on time may show trustworthiness to creditors.

After you've regained the trust of creditors, you may be able to take out loans for important purchases, such as homes and cars.

To learn more about what to expect after bankruptcy, such as opening a checking account or rebuilding your credit, contact a local bankruptcy lawyer today.