So you’ve filed for bankruptcy and you’re ready to start rebuilding. But, how do you know which credit cards will approve or deny you with a BK on your credit? That’s where we come in!
We’ve got it all sorted out to help you pick the right choice for you!
If you’ve filed bankruptcy, there’s a large chance you’ve included some of the biggest names in the credit card world. It’s wise to avoid these companies because you’ve burned them and it’s unlikely they’ll open the door soon after.
This list should include at least one option that you can get, but if you don’t see one send us an email for a custom recommendation!
The cards below are listed in order of ease for approval, and we’ve only included cards we can suggest with a good conscience. (Predatory lenders don’t have a place in our hearts.)
Capital One
With one of the loosest policies for folks that’ve gone through a BK, Capital One will approve consumers for a credit card the day after discharge!
Depending on how you’ve been able to clean up your reports after BK and what your history and score are at, we’ve seen people be instantly approved for a $3,000 SL just weeks after BK!
Normally, Cap1 will start you off with a lower limit like $300 or $500 and include you in their “Credit Steps” program that will give you an automatic CLI after 5-6 timely payments.
After getting in with Cap1, they’re usually a great card to keep until you qualify for some of the highest tiers of cards. Cap1 is known for giving out generous increases if you use your card often and pay it down before the statement cuts.
If you’ve burned Cap1 in your BK, they will let you back in, but (normally) not before you’re 1-year post filing.
Barclaycard Apple Rewards
Barclays is quite BK friendly so long as they weren’t burned. The Apple Rewards is a great version of their standard rewards card.
If you’ve cleaned up your credit reports post BK and have established at least one or two credit lines for a few months, Barclays is fairly forgiving with this card.
They pull TransUnion and only require a credit score of 600 to get approved. Of course, some instant approvals may not happen if you meet these criteria, but calling the reconsideration line is highly recommended on this card.
From the hundreds of data points we’ve looked through, it appears that Barclays is sensitive to people who have opened too many accounts recently and most people report success with approvals about 6 months post-discharge.
Discover
While Discover is friendly to those who’ve filed BK, they do have a more strict set of rules for approvals before you even get to a required credit score.
First, you’ll likely need to be a minimum of 7 months post-discharge before they’ll even consider approving you.
Next, you’ll need to have at least 2 trade lines reporting positively for 6 months, no late payments, etc.
Once you’ve reached that point, applying for the Discover card is fairly simple. You’ll probably have a FICO score around 625-650 with the 2 trade lines (so long as your usage is low).
Note: if you burned Discover in your BK, they aren’t very forgiving and we’ve seen reports from consumers who were denied for 10 years post-discharge.
NFCU Cash Rewards Visa
Since we’ve already shown you how to join Navy Federal as a civilian, this card is one of the best choices for anyone who’s filed bankruptcy.
As a credit union, they have great low rates, easy lending criteria and are very generous with credit limit increases!
You can join NFCU any time after bankruptcy discharge (or before you file) and once you’ve been a member for 90 days, you can feel free to apply for their credit cards.
NFCU, while being forgiving to those that have filed BK, does like to see a credit score around 620 and at least 2 trade lines reporting for several months before they’ll approve you.
Truly, if you can get in with NFCU, you probably won’t look for much credit elsewhere since they offer some of the best rates on the market and love for their members to keep all their loans with them!
Why is this card at the bottom of the list?
Well, NFCU is NOT forgiving to those that have burned them in a BK. If you have burned them, they will not let you back in until you’ve repaid every penny you burned them for, settlement amounts not included.
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