After Bankruptcy: The Next Steps
After your St. Louis Bankruptcy case concludes, you will receive a Court Order called “DISCHARGE OF DEBTOR” which is the official notice that your case is complete. If a creditor listed in your Bankruptcy case contacts you, tell them that they are violating Bankruptcy Law and send them a copy of the “Discharge of Debtor” order. If they continue to contact you after you have done this, call a bankruptcy lawyer to discuss options with regard to stopping the collection attempts and possibly suing for damages.
You'll also want to reestablish your credit so you can apply for car or home loans in the future with great interest rates. You can start with secured credit cards from your bank. The most important thing with building credit is to pay all of your bills on time (preferably pay off your entire card balances each month). You also don't want to max out your credit cards. Not only does that make it difficult to pay back, but it also hurts your credit score.
The final thing you will want to do when your case is complete is to check your credit report. We've compiled some information with regard to getting your credit report, monitoring your credit score, managing finances, and disputing any errors.
Where can I get an updated credit report?
AnnualCreditReport.com – Authorized by Federal Law, get a free copy of your credit report every year from each credit reporting agency (Equifax, Experian, or TransUnion). annualcreditreport.com 877-322-8228
CreditKarma.com – Get free credit scores, reports, and monitoring along with tools to help you understand what makes a good credit score. (Free. Supported by advertisements and offers)
What resources can I use to help monitor my credit and expenditures?
CreditSesame.com - get your free score from TransUnion updated every month & get personalized tips on how to manage your credit and loans. (Free. Supported by advertisements and offers)
CreditKarma.com – Get free credit scores, reports, and monitoring along with tools to help you understand what makes a good credit score. (Free. Supported by advertisements and offers)
Mint.com - Manage your money, pay bills, and track your credit score. Create budgets, see how you're spending your money, and get credit tips. (Free. Supported by advertisements and offers)
What should I do if I find information that I think is incorrect?
Contact the credit reporting agencies (Equifax – www.equifax.com/CreditReportAssitance | Experian - www.experian.com/dispute | TransUnion - www.transunion.com/dispute ), the Federal Trade Commission (www.consumer.ftc.gov 877-382-4357), or the company that provided the information (store, bank, etc.).
