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Like so many I've learned so much from these forums and thought I'd share our experience with NFCU Auto during a 5yr BK 13 plan. My wife's scores were in the low 600s. NFCU is great institution to partner with during rebuild if not burned I would suppose.
Hope I did a decent job highlighting the experience apologize not providing exact FICO auto scores at the time but, the key takeaway is NFCU is BK friendly to some capacity within the Auto Financing arena. Also, Synchrony appears to be forgiving at least from the retail side of the house. Testing the prequalification waters a bit after Lowes approved the Double Whoper w/Cheese size limit of $17K I'm now prequalified with CareCredit (burned $5K in BK) and PepBoys (burned $1100 in BK). Made last BK 13 payment in June 2021 (thank God!) not doing any further until discharge is completed plan to sell my house and off to new FHA loan with manual underwriting.
Income: $150K
Current Fico8:
EQ: 674
TU: 633
EX: 616
Mortgage Scores:
EQ: 703
TU: 673
EX: 630
Congrats. Nice job and some lucky approvals to move forward with. Great story!
Thanks for the data points.
I'm finding mixed results when trying to get unsecured credit within the first two years of the 13 if you don't have a lucky tradeline surviving the filing. My wife has a surviving tradeline and her rebuild was much, much faster and easier. Your timing on the start of the rebuild was pretty good to get past what I think is the 2 year window of recent derogatories when you are untouchable to most.
@jmw1 Interesting you should say that, during my first 2yrs:
I was never solicited for new credit cards from the cesspool of predatory lenders neither for secure or unsecured for that matter. Funny how BK 13 makes us humble, prior to BK I would've never considered these Class C and D lenders they always found a bee-line straight to my trashbin "physical or electronically". Then the tables turn reality of BK settles introducing a different perspective on priority (needs vs wants). After I filed BK 13, I found myself desperate to have some prequalifying offers from these predatroy CCs knowing I'd have to start rebuilding during bankruptcy folllowing my attorneys' advice. However, on the flipside I'm greatful I went through the first two years dependent on cash/debit cards found it to be a refreshing learning curve almost like going back to basics.
Now enter year 3 - Solicitations started to roll in via email and Experian's "See what you prequalify" link. Attorney OK'd my rebuild strategy giving me the greenlight to apply for both (OllO and CreditOne). Also had to ask my attorney about new federal school loans since I was faced against an unfortunate circumstance at work (get certified in a course or find myself on the chopping block). She also OK'd new school loans as long as I could prove job loss was at risk. I think helped my circumstance as it shows a healthy installment loan payment, since my mortgage and car loans were reported ZERO since filing. It's alot of patience to say the least.
Just hang in there JMW1. I'll let you know how my discharge goes as it progress. I'm hoping Broward County makes it quick!
Good plan and good job. If you keep that additude and keep your utilizations low, your scores will climb quickly.
I was in a similar situation, but I decided to wait the 24 months to apply for a conventioinal /confirming loan to avoid PMI. The math worked for me after looking at refi costs twice (if I wanted to get PMI off 24 months later). I joined PenFed and NFCU. Got a surprising $25K SL on PF PCR card, and I'm considering applying for a NFCU card soon ( I opened OLLO, Barclay and Cap1 in first year after discharge but only got a combined $4100 SL).
One advantage of BK 13 is you get use to that payment, and after paying off any debt, savings can be built quickly.
Good luck!
@SB_F wrote:One advantage of BK 13 is you get use to that payment, and after paying off any debt, savings can be built quickly.
Agreed, I received my Chapter 13 discharge in March of 2020 and have been living like I'm still in the bankruptcy; instead of paying the Trustee, I'm paying the savings account.
@Horseshoezand @SB_F I'm looking forward to redirecting my portion of BK payments back into my NFCU savings account. In fact, I get paid from work next week, which will be my first not paying BK.
@SB_F CONGRATS!!! I like your plan and do agree that's the smarter route. I share a wall with my neighboor & the wife and I did plan to wait out 2yrs post discharge to purchase our first single family home with better rates. Then the pandemic hit and home prices here in Fort Lauderdale skyrocketed (still on the rise) our plan was impacted we accelerated our move and looked at more affordable properties about 1hr north where we live. Found a new home builder which covers closing costs went through the preapproval process given the "Go" my credit is healthy with verifiable income and 401K but only blemish is the bankruptcy so will have to go through the manual process.
@FLLGuy I forgot to ask if you were in a 100% plan at any point in the BK.
Manual is not bad. It's the FHA in general that is bad with the huge upfront mortgage insurance, especially when you'll probably refi out of it in two years if rates don't go up.
@jmw1 Apologies late response. Yes, my plan was 100% paid without any reductions.
I agree with you FHA is not the best option for that very same reason "upfront costs". Yes, i do plan on refi after 2yrs along with many prayers that rates keep cool during that time.
I noticed you're a fellow Broward county neighbor - i'm here in Davie west.
How's your BK coming along?