How to Rebuild After Bankruptcy: Part 1
When someone files for bankruptcy, they’re often filled with dread for the future. They fear that filing for bankruptcy will ruin their credit for life, preventing them from ever being able to buy a house, be approved for a car loan, or even get a new credit card. The good news is that it’s entirely possible to have a great credit score after filing for bankruptcy if you know the right steps to take. The first step is to know exactly what your credit score is. You can’t start planning a trip if you don’t know where you’re starting from. If you’ve just filed bankruptcy, this number probably isn’t very pretty, but you can’t hide from it. By law, the three major credit reporting bureaus (Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion) are required to give you a free copy of your credit report once a year. Your credit report is essentially your financial report card. You can get it at AnnualCreditReport.com. It’s important to check your credit report regularly because it’s possible that some negative things on your credit report are false and can be disputed. Between 30 and 60 percent of Americans have errors on their credit report. You don’t want bad information bringing your score down.
Check your report from one of the three agencies every three months to look for misinformation. Your credit report will not have your credit score. To access your credit score, you’ll have to pay for a service like myFICO.com, which pools together your credit reports from the three major bureaus to create a score. This number is what lenders use to decide if they’re going to extend you a line of credit. But that score doesn’t reflect who you are as a person or what you’re capable of. If you have a score of 620, 520, or even a 300, it doesn’t mean you are irresponsible or untrustworthy. It just means you’ve hit a rough patch, but you can overcome it! It’s important to remember that bankruptcy isn’t the end of the line; it’s the first step to freeing yourself from the bonds of overwhelming debt and become a contributing member of your community again. If you’re struggling beneath impossible debt, we can help you navigate the bankruptcy process and rebuild your credit. Give us a call at 480-755- 8000 and ask what you need to do to enjoy a credit score of 720 or higher.
What’s Your Credit Score?
recipe:
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Valentine’s Day Cookie Cards
Directions:
Roll this classic sugar cookie recipe into thin sheets and cut into rectangles for delicious valentines.
1. Heat oven to 375 F. 2. In a mixing bowl, combine flour with sugar and salt. Add butter and combine using a mixer at low speed, until butter breaks down into small, crumbly pieces. Increase mixing speed to medium and mix until butter and flour clump. 3. Add egg yolks and vanilla extract to bowl, return mixer to low, and mix until dough congeals. 4. Carefully roll dough into a sheet 1/16- inch thick and cut into 4x6-inch cards. 5. On a parchment-lined baking sheet, bake cookie cards for 6 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through. 6. Let cookies cool completely, decorate, and distribute.
Ingredients:
• • • • • • •
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 sticks unsalted butter, cold and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
AQUARIUS CHOCOLATE FEBRUARY LEAP ROSES YEAR
ARROW CUPID FLOWERS LOVE
DATE HEART PISCES VALENTINE
2 large egg yolks
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
Royal icing, sprinkles, and edible markers, for decorating
SWEET CANDY
480-755-8000 • 3
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