 TITLE: Can I Get a Credit Card After Bankruptcy? CONTENT: How to Build Credit After Bankruptcy\n------------------------------------\nOnce your bankruptcy is discharged and you've opened a new credit account that you manage responsibly, there are still other steps you can take to help rebuild your credit after bankruptcy:\n**Become an authorized user.** If you don't qualify for an unsecured credit card, and cannot afford a secured card, you may be able to begin accumulating a positive payment history as an authorized user on a friend's or family member's credit card account. The account will appear on your credit reports, but the primary cardholder is responsible for making payments to the card issuer. If the primary user has stellar credit and makes all payments on time, your credit scores are likely to improve; if the primary user has a record of late payments or a large amount of debt, however, that won't do your scores any good.\n**Consider a** **credit-builder loan****.** These are small personal loans, most commonly offered by credit unions, specifically designed to help people improve their credit. The financial institution issues you a small loan—typically a few hundred dollars or up to $1,000—and places that sum in a special interest-bearing savings account in your name. You cannot touch that money until you pay off the loan in full, by making regular monthly payments, typically for a period of no more than 12 months.\nWhen you've paid off the loan (with interest), the money in the savings account is yours. Assuming you make all your payments on time, you'll have accumulated a series of positive payment entries on your credit reports, which will tend to increase your credit scores. If you're considering a credit-builder loan, make sure the lender reports payments to all three credit bureaus (Experian, TransUnion and Equifax) so your positive payment history benefits all your credit reports.\n**Monitor your credit reports and credit scores.** Checking your credit as it improves can help motivate you to keep managing your finances responsibly. In addition, it can also alert you to suspicious activity on your credit accounts—a possible warning sign of fraud and identity theft.\nYou can check your credit reports from all three credit bureaus for free at AnnualCreditReport.com. You can also sign up for free credit monitoring with Experian, which allows you to check your Experian credit report and FICO® Score, as well as get alerts when any suspicious activity appears on your report.\nBankruptcy is a major event that can have negative consequences for many years, but millions have successfully moved past it, and you can too. If you obtain credit as soon as possible after your bankruptcy and take care to use it wisely, you can begin rebuilding your credit quickly, and get back on your feet sooner than you might imagine. END