Delete Bankruptcy From Credit Reports
Remove Bankruptcy
Is Bankruptcy the end of the world for your credit report or can it be deleted?
Getting a bankruptcy removed from your credit report is sometimes one of the more difficult things to do, but it can certainly be done and may not be as hard as you think. BUT, you must approach it in a methodical way.
If you’re wondering if it’s even legal for a bankruptcy to be removed from your credit report…it is if there’s inaccuracies that can’t be verified or corrected properly. More often than not, bankruptcies and related listing on credit reports are riddled with errors when examined closely.
Whether or not you had a bankruptcy isn’t the issue, it’s if it’s being reported correctly. If credit bureaus can’t get things 100% right (they usually can’t), it shouldn’t even be reported. Now, it must be said that if you are able to get bankruptcy off your credit report, that’s not going to delete the public record of it…for the most part you’re just stuck with that barring any other legal issues.
Bankruptcy removal from your credit report is one area where we can’t stress enough how much better it is to get some professional help. You can certainly go it alone if you chose, but bankrupcy can be a bit more involved than just firing off a few dispute letters.
Here’s the 7 most important things you should consider when trying to remove a bankruptcy:
- First attack all other listings related to the bankruptcy – It won’t do you any good to dispute the bankrupcy listing itself on your report until you get everything else related to it removed first.
- Take it slow – Since you need to be methodical and go after the actual bankrupcy last, you’ll need to be careful and make sure inaccuracies on interdependent items are disputed in a sensible order, make sure they’re gone, and stay gone. You need to let things rest a bit and make sure it’s clear before going for the final push.
- Research carefully and be very specific with all disputes – Sometimes you’ll find multiple inaccuracies on certain entries. Pick your battles wisely and choose the most difficult to verify first. It’s best to sit down and plan out a list or make a flowchart of what you plan to dispute. Examine everything as close as possible. Any backup documentation on the inaccurate items should be used as much as possible.
- Aggressively challenge “verified” items and reinserted items – On any so called verified items, hold the credit bureaus to the fire by requesting “method of verification”. On reinsertions, challenge the reinsertion if you feel it’s wrong and aggressively attack any lack of required reinsertion notification.
- Dispute through multiple credit bureaus – If you’re not seeing results or cooperation with one credit bureau on a bankruptcy listing, try another. Then go back and dispute the inconsistency.
- Sue the Credit Bureaus and Lenders – If something you know is wrong is not being corrected via every dispute and follow-up you’ve tried, take the bureaus and/or former lenders to court. A good NACA attorney can be of great help if you need to go that route.
- Be persistent! – Removing bankruptcies can take some work, but with consistent follow-up and a smart strategy, it can certainly be done.
As far as the ethical aspects of getting a bankrupcy removed from your credit, that’s really up to you. Lenders and credit bureaus certainly make enough mistakes to make removal possible in a legal way. What we will say on that is most people don’t file bankrupcy for the fun of it, so we don’t see anything wrong with getting a “true” fresh start and using the laws in your favor just as the banks and credit bureaus do. The entire system is stacked against the consumer to begin with, and you’re still stuck with the public record, isn’t that enough?
If you need further help, please visit the following pages for more information on DIY credit repair manuals and reviews of professional credit repair firms:
