 TITLE: Can I Get a Mortgage After Bankruptcy? CONTENT: How Bankruptcy Can Affect Your Ability to Get a Mortgage\n--------------------------------------------------------\nBankruptcy can significantly lower your credit scores, remain on your credit reports and affect your ability to obtain credit, including a mortgage loan, for up to 10 years. Fortunately, its impact lessens over time.\nFor a lender to even consider you for a mortgage after bankruptcy, your bankruptcy must be discharged. A bankruptcy discharge is a court order that eliminates your debts. In addition to making sure your bankruptcy has been discharged, a lender will look at your credit report to determine your creditworthiness.\nIt's a good idea to check your credit report before you apply for a home loan to make sure it's accurate. Look for mistakes such as incorrect or outdated information or accounts that were not included in your bankruptcy filing that are listed as part of it. Be sure to contact the credit agency as soon as possible and dispute any errors you find.\nWhen you do begin to apply for a mortgage after bankruptcy, your lender will likely ask you a few questions about your bankruptcy. They may ask you when your case was discharged, what you've done to establish new credit, and how you've been keeping up with your bills. It's a good idea to have the answers to these questions ready beforehand so that the application process runs smoothly.\nLet's dive deeper into how each type of bankruptcy can affect your ability to get approved for a mortgage.\n### Chapter 7: Liquidation\nWith a Chapter 7 bankruptcy, you'll have to sell your possessions to pay off credit card debt, medical bills, personal loans and other types of unsecured debts. Even though this type of bankruptcy will stay on your credit report for up to 10 years, you may still be able to get a mortgage. You'll need to wait until enough time has passed since your bankruptcy was discharged and make sure you have a substantial down payment and that you've worked on rebuilding your credit history. More on lender-required waiting periods below.\n### Chapter 11: Reorganization\nChapter 11 bankruptcy is typically used by businesses, but can be filed by individuals as well if they make too much money to qualify for a Chapter 7 filing or have more debt than is allowed in a Chapter 13 bankruptcy. Even for those who do qualify, Chapter 11 is complex and expensive, which is why consumers typically file Chapter 7 or Chapter 13. As long as you've waited long enough after your Chapter 11 bankruptcy has been discharged, you should be eligible to get a mortgage.\n### Chapter 13: Adjustment of Debts\nChapter 13 bankruptcy can give you the chance to repay all or some of your debts during a repayment period that typically lasts three to five years. The remainder of your debt will be discharged when your repayment period comes to an end.\nThis type of bankruptcy can stay on your credit report for up to seven years. To get a mortgage after Chapter 13 bankruptcy, you'll need to get permission from your bankruptcy trustee, the person who oversees your repayment plan to creditors. END