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Hi all,
I've read all 120 pages of messages (whew!) and have learned a ton. I'd love some advice on my particular situation. My BK7 was discharged in March 2015 and I burned CapOne, Chase and Citi in my BK. In May I got a USAA secured CC with $500 CL on which I'm charging <10% and PIFing. I still have a private student loan for $2600 remaining that I just discovered has gone to collection but is not yet reported on my CRs. I bought the MyFICO 3B today and my scores are EQ 615, TU 601, EX 619. My questions are:
1) Any advice on what to do about the student loan in collection? I was ignorant and didn't look into what would happen to my student loan in BK--I naively thought I would just keep paying the minor monthly payments after discharge, not realizing the BK filing would trigger it to go to collections. Do I have to rehab it? If I can pay it off in full (by borrowing from my DB), is that my best option?
2) TU is reporting my Chase account as open with $0 balance and mentions IIB in remarks. Do I need to dispute this as closed or is its current status showing on TU actually beneficial to my CS?
3) The big question: I'm moving to Australia in 2 months, where I'll have an income around $100K (AUD, which alas due to the current exchange rate is only about $70K USD). I'd prefer to not transfer AUD to USD to maintain my USAA secured CC or open any new accounts in the US because the exchange rate is so unfavorable. Should I continue rebuilding my credit in Australia? Does anyone here have experience or knowledge of resources re benefits and disadvantages of all things credit in Australia vs US? I was planning to follow the steps outlined in the original post but then this job offer came through and I'm uncertain how to proceed with my credit rebuilding while living abroad.
Thanks so much in advance for your advice!
1) Any advice on what to do about the student loan in collection? I was ignorant and didn't look into what would happen to my student loan in BK--I naively thought I would just keep paying the minor monthly payments after discharge, not realizing the BK filing would trigger it to go to collections. Do I have to rehab it? If I can pay it off in full (by borrowing from my DB), is that my best option?
You are correct that it should have just opened back up to paying your monthly amount. This shouldn't have gone into collections. I had five student loans going into my BK 7 and about 2 months after discharge, I got a letter in the mail notifying me of my upcoming payment due. Not a peep of collection; in fact I think that may actually be illegal? I would call and discuss it with them and see if you can get it into the correct status.
IMO, keeping your student loan open and paying on them would be the most beneficial, because you can use those in lieu of a credit builder loan and they can help up your score because of the credit mix.
Hi All,
New to this bankruptcy thing but I have learned so much through these forums. I have become obsessed with recovery. We filed 6/23 and will be discharged in Sept. (Previously thought we were discharged after 341 meeting. Oops!) I applied for cap one platinum a week ago and was approved for $3k . BK shows on all reports. Credit Karma has TU at 650and EQ at 660. Cap one has TU at 703. (I kow these are fako's) I got cocky and went for a quicksilver visa signiture and was declined. The decline sited derog and collection acct on EX so I pulled the report and the score was sitting at 550. All of my past credit card accts list on EX say Derog and CO. No other report lists this. There was also an old medical collection acct for $170 that I never realized was there. Again, just on EX. Based on what I have read, these items can be disputed. Has anyone been in a similiar situation and had luck with these type of disputes. Any advice? Should I pay the collection agency?
Glad to know there are others out there going through a similiar situation. I appreciate everyones stories... They have been very inspirational.
Ps My score is now 647.
@Anonymous wrote:Hi All,
New to this bankruptcy thing but I have learned so much through these forums. I have become obsessed with recovery. We filed 6/23 and will be discharged in Sept. (Previously thought we were discharged after 341 meeting. Oops!) I applied for cap one platinum a week ago and was approved for $3k . BK shows on all reports. Credit Karma has TU at 650and EQ at 660. Cap one has TU at 703. (I kow these are fako's) I got cocky and went for a quicksilver visa signiture and was declined. The decline sited derog and collection acct on EX so I pulled the report and the score was sitting at 550. All of my past credit card accts list on EX say Derog and CO. No other report lists this. There was also an old medical collection acct for $170 that I never realized was there. Again, just on EX. Based on what I have read, these items can be disputed. Has anyone been in a similiar situation and had luck with these type of disputes. Any advice? Should I pay the collection agency?
Glad to know there are others out there going through a similiar situation. I appreciate everyones stories... They have been very inspirational.
Were the accounts charged off prior to you filing BK? If the medical collection was prior to the BK you would want it to update to IIBK and a $0 balance. Capital One's Visa products are geared more toward "better credit". There is a Mastercard Quicksilver that would be better for you
Hi there! Long time member, returning poster. Thank you SoulMaster for this post, so much!
Admittedly and apologetically, I did not read through the 120 pages of posts so please bear with me if I ask something that has been asked and answered previously.
I just filed for BK7 on 7/27 (pro se - straight no asset - wholly consumer debts) so I'm just starting this process and am trying to plan ahead but I think I have to make a few tweaks to the original process and am looking for some advice/tips/recommendations. One reason for tweaks is I want to follow a hybrid of the Dave Ramsey CASH ONLY plan but still want to make sure I have a decent credit rating for those times that all-powerful number matters.
Once I received my discharge I will enroll in SW. I will obtain my reports and make sure everything is reporting correctly and dispute as/what needed.
The rebuilding process is where I have my main questions.
I should be able to get the Credit One as recommended but after doing some research of my local CU's I don't find any that offer a credit builder type loan (that I would be eligible to join anyways). I could get a USAA secured card. But after reading the comments above mine, my students loans (positive pre BK and will be positive post BK) should fulfill the purpose of that loan, correct? Another possibility is that I am currently paying on an auto loan in my mother's name. After discharge, we talked about refinancing the car and adding my name to the loan. This loan was opened over a year ago, I'm just basically taking over her payments as of last month - it's not a brand new car loan. She is also willing to add me as an AU on one or two of her credit accounts to possibly boost my score. Good or bad idea during this process?
I should be able to get a Cap 1 card at the estimated time interval.
Now, I burned Walmart/Discover Card and Barclay in my BK. What other options might I consider here?
I should also note that pre BK I have open, positive accounts with Jared's and a Military Star Card with zero balances ($7,600 and $8,200 limits respectively) that I'm crossing my fingers survive the BK, if not, it's ok. I also have many positive, closed accounts (more than negative IIB accounts). I don't know what, if any, factor that may play.
I'd appreciate any suggestions/advice anyone might have! Thanks much!
@kjm79 wrote:Hi there! Long time member, returning poster. Thank you SoulMaster for this post, so much!
Admittedly and apologetically, I did not read through the 120 pages of posts so please bear with me if I ask something that has been asked and answered previously.
I just filed for BK7 on 7/27 (pro se - straight no asset - wholly consumer debts) so I'm just starting this process and am trying to plan ahead but I think I have to make a few tweaks to the original process and am looking for some advice/tips/recommendations. One reason for tweaks is I want to follow a hybrid of the Dave Ramsey CASH ONLY plan but still want to make sure I have a decent credit rating for those times that all-powerful number matters.
Once I received my discharge I will enroll in SW. I will obtain my reports and make sure everything is reporting correctly and dispute as/what needed.
The rebuilding process is where I have my main questions.
I should be able to get the Credit One as recommended but after doing some research of my local CU's I don't find any that offer a credit builder type loan (that I would be eligible to join anyways). I could get a USAA secured card. But after reading the comments above mine, my students loans (positive pre BK and will be positive post BK) should fulfill the purpose of that loan, correct? Another possibility is that I am currently paying on an auto loan in my mother's name. After discharge, we talked about refinancing the car and adding my name to the loan. This loan was opened over a year ago, I'm just basically taking over her payments as of last month - it's not a brand new car loan. She is also willing to add me as an AU on one or two of her credit accounts to possibly boost my score. Good or bad idea during this process?
I should be able to get a Cap 1 card at the estimated time interval.
Now, I burned Walmart/Discover Card and Barclay in my BK. What other options might I consider here?
I should also note that pre BK I have open, positive accounts with Jared's and a Military Star Card with zero balances ($7,600 and $8,200 limits respectively) that I'm crossing my fingers survive the BK, if not, it's ok. I also have many positive, closed accounts (more than negative IIB accounts). I don't know what, if any, factor that may play.
I'd appreciate any suggestions/advice anyone might have! Thanks much!
Just my $.02. I am not a big Dave Ramsey fan. I do not believe in the "All Cash" method. I do understand that some people do not have the discipline and will-power to manage credit. I have not paid cash for anything since my BK7. I wrote probably 8 checks in the past 4 years; mostly to the man with the very nice blue uniform, a shiny gun and the pretty red light on top of his car.
I never have to worry about keeping receipts, the CC warranty is additional to the manufacturers warranty, and I have no worries about getting stiffed (I know, insert viagra joke here).
Do you qualify for Navy Federal? If so, apply for their savings account now. Do not go get a drink of water then to the bathroom...apply now. Once your case is D/C, then apply for a CC with Navy. Cap 1 is also a good choice.
Good luck and keep us posted.
Thanks, cem13. I like parts of Ramsey's stuff but I'm not 100% sold on it. I do want to implement parts of his plan but in no way do I plan to live "cash only."
I have a checking/savings account with NFCU now (verly lightly used)...but, I was a co-signer on an auto loan with my exhubby and for a credit card through NFCU, who has since let his truck get repo'd and has stopped paying on all of his credit obligations (part of the reason I'm doing the BK). Since I don't have $27k to pay NFCU to cover the auto loan and cc I don't know what I can do to get back in their good graces so quickly. That's a mountain I'll have to climb after the discharge. If BK would let me only discharge the co-debts with him, that would be uh-mazing, sadly it doesn't work that way...gotta include my previously good standing accounts too.
Watch your speed, cem13! lol. Thanks again.
ETA: I went ahead and signed up with Scorewatch now...just to watch what happens as things update. As I sit right now, with the BK already showing my EQ FICO is 593. Not all that exciting to be honest but that's still with balances (some past due) showing. Maybe this road back won't be so bad afterall!