How Do I Rebuild My Credit?
When a person declares bankruptcy or files a proposal, the Office of the Superintendent of Bankruptcy notifies the credit bureau. The system holds the information on your credit bureau report for 6 years (for a second-time bankrupt). A proposal is recorded for 3 years after the completion of your proposal.
After discharge, you can start to re-establish your credit by doing the following:
- Talk to your banker and say you want to re-establish your credit rating.
- Open a savings account.
- Be a regular and persistent saver:
- Pay yourself first
- Take your next raise and save it
- Save 5 % of your pay
- Have your savings come right off your pay and into a separate savings account
- Take out a small loan using the savings account as collateral, and then pay it back.
- Apply for a credit card with a low limit and secure the limit by using your savings account as collateral.
If you have difficulty getting a new credit card, you may want to apply for a "secured card" from your financial institution. A "secured card" is a card backed-up or secured by funds you have deposited with the bank or credit union. Several Canadian financial institutions offer secured credit cards and you can link directly to their web sites below:
Do not apply for more than one or two credit cards. Each application for credit will show on your rating.Target one or two financial institutions
Pay your credit card balances on time