How to Clean a Credit Report for Free After Bankruptcy

What many people do not realize is that you actually can clean your credit report after having a bankruptcy. Many times you can actually raise your score significantly even before the bankruptcy falls off of your credit report, which can take up to 10 years. It may take a little trial and error, but you can clean up your credit report after a bankruptcy and get your financial future back on track in a lot less time.

Instructions

1

Obtain a current copy of your credit report. You may not even have looked at your credit report since the bankruptcy, and there may be mistakes or errors on your credit report that you do not even know about. To get a copy of your credit reports for free every year, go online to annualcreditreport.com and request copies. You can view them online, and print them out right at home.

2

Check your current credit report for any errors. You credit report may be brought down not only from your bankruptcy, but from errors made by your creditors. If you find any errors on your credit report, you can dispute the charges with the credit reporting agency that the report came from. This can be done online by filling out an inquiry, or even mailing them a letter explaining the dispute.

3

Work with collection agencies, if any, to work out payment plans to get out of debt faster. If you have any past debt that was not declared on the bankruptcy, talk to the creditors or collection agencies and work out a payment plan that works for you to get the debt cleared. Make sure that it is something that you can afford.

4

Obtain a small loan to start rebuilding your credit. Even if it is a small auto loan or personal loan, you want to start rebuilding your credit so that your score will increase after the bankruptcy. Be prepared to expect that you will need either a co-signer or expect to pay a higher interest rate.

5

Request a secure credit card. Since you will probably not qualify for a unsecured traditional credit card, a secure card will allow you to start building your credit. Check for a company that charges low fees and reports to all three credit reporting agencies: Experian, TransUnion and Equifax. This will help your credit increase with usage.