One of the things that you may be interested in doing after you go through bankruptcy is getting a personal loan. If you want to take out a loan to get a vehicle, to start a business or for other purposes, having a bankruptcy on your record could impact you negatively.
That doesn’t mean that getting a loan is impossible, though. It’s still possible to get approved for a personal loan, but you may have to deal with high interest rates.
If you choose a Chapter 13 bankruptcy, the bankruptcy itself may fall off your credit report after seven years. Some of the debts you defaulted on may drop off sooner than that, depending on the date when you first defaulted.
Initially, it’s likely that your bankruptcy will knock your credit score down below the lenders’ requirements. However, as time passes, you will get more opportunities to take out credit and loans, because your score will be improving a little bit all the time. Essentially, time will heal your credit score so long as you keep making payments on time. The longer it has been since your bankruptcy, the better you’ll look to a lender.
If you do find a lender who is willing to give you a loan, be cautious. High-risk loans offered early after bankruptcy may have high interest rates and make it difficult for you to pay back what you borrowed. If you still need a loan but are worried about the rates you could be charged, consider getting a co-signer or wait until your credit score recovers.