 TITLE: How to Build Credit After a Bankruptcy CONTENT: Apply for a Secured Credit Card\n-------------------------------\nAfter a bankruptcy, it may be difficult to get approved for new loans or credit cards. But having open credit accounts helps you to rebuild your credit. So what do you do?\nSecured credit cards are a great way to get started. You don't need good credit to qualify for a secured credit card. Instead, you qualify by making a deposit that the creditor can keep if you stop making payments on the account. Here are a few key features to look for in a secured card:\n*   **Reporting to credit bureaus**: Make sure the card issuer will report your account information to all three major credit bureaus (Experian, TransUnion and Equifax), giving you a better opportunity to build up all of your credit scores.\n*   **Conversion option**: Ideally your secured credit card will \"convert\" to unsecured after a set period of time. When it converts, you get your deposit back, as long as you've paid your balance. You can also keep using the card to help you continue building your credit history.\n*   **Deposit amount**: The larger the deposit on a secured card, the higher your credit limit. Having more credit available—that you're not using—helps you improve your credit utilization ratio and build up your scores.\n*   **Rates and fees**: Fees and interest rates may be high compared with unsecured cards. Make sure you review the annual percentage rate (APR), annual fee, maintenance fee and any other fees to choose the best secured card and keep your costs to a minimum.\nMany credit unions offer secured credit cards, and some banks too. You can also use Experian CreditMatch™ to compare multiple secured credit card offers in one place. END