7 year anniversary

[woeisme]

So today marks 7 years from when I filed my CH 13, so in theory, the day it should no longer be on my credit reports! Woo-hoo! It's been a long hard 7 years, but successfully completed my CH 13, and am currently rebuilding my credit so that I can refinance my home mortgage which has an awful interest rate.

I still just use my debit card for almost everything I purchase, and finally have a savings account for when bigger expenditures are necessary, but have one Visa card and several "store" cards like Kohls, Penny's, etc. that I intermittently use then pay off for credit building. It was a combo of medical and credit debt plus my husband going on disability that landed us in a CH 13, and I won't say I'll never be back in that situation because job losses and medical issues can happen to anyone regardless of how much we plan ahead, but I will say that I'll never let credit card debt and a lack of any savings lead me back into financial troubles.

Anyhow, just feeling good about soon not even having the CH 13 show up on my credit as a derogatory public record anymore, and wanted to thank the moderators and other people on this site for all their advice and support over the years. I don't post much anymore, but still check in, there are always so much to learn from everyone out there! This forum is the best!

[LadyInTheRed]

Hi, woeisme! Congratulations on reaching this milestone!

[spidge]

Thanks for sharing your accomplishment and congrats. I wish you well.

[AngelinaCat]

I'm glad to hear of your progress! Congrats!

[kornellred]

Hi woeisme - The seventh anniversary of my filing for Chapter 13 will be March 2015. (I completed a 54 month Chapter 13 in September 2012). If you would be so kind - please inform this forum of when your credit score improves with the dropping of the derogatory public record. Does it happen automatically, or do you have to apply a little bit of pressure?

I was pre-approved for a VA and an FHA mortgage back when I was still in my Chapter 13. I can go out right now and come back with a brand new car within an hour or two if I felt so inclined. But I have been turned down repeatedly for a personal (unsecured) loan. My credit karma score is 651, which is described as "fair". I am operating under the assumption that unsecured credit is not available as long as a Chapter 13 bankruptcy is still on record, no matter what the credit score numbers are.

I am sure that you would be doing a great service to quite a number of forum participants if you could keep us informed of what happens upon the 7th anniversary of Chapter 13 filings (with respect to credit scores).

All the best to you.

[woeisme]

I will let you know, it's at 683 on TransUnion right now (my Citibank card gives me updates for free) and credit karma says 693. The Citibank one won't be re-updated until the end of the month, at which point I can at least answer the question whether it's automatic that it is dropped or whether I will have to contact the credit bureaus and force them to remove the derogatory. I've restrained myself on getting my free reports this year, but will do so the first of October or so to see what, if anything, needs cleaned up or isn't reporting right.