Should I Get a Credit Report Before I File Bankruptcy?

Although, it’s important to keep statements that you receive in the mail regarding your debts, you should also consider obtaining a credit report.

For many people, it is difficult to remember original creditors, collections agencies, amounts owed, and so on from years past.  A credit report is a great way to visually see all of your debts listed out for you, especially if you did not keep statements.  Our recommendation would be to look at your statements first, then back it up with a credit report.  For many people, this will cover your bases in regards to who you owe, but remember this does not guarantee to be all of your creditors.  This is why it’s important to keep up with your statements and also view your free credit report yearly.  By doing this, it allows you to see whom you owe, if it’s accurate, and when and where the debt was incurred.

You are entitled to a free credit report every 12 months from www.AnnualCreditReport.com. It is one of the only legitimately free places to obtain a credit report. It will not, however, give you your actual credit score. Use this website, if you have not already done so in the past 12 months, to view your debts and names of your creditors.  We recommend checking this annually so you can be sure the creditors on your report are accurate.  When filing bankruptcy, it is essential that all of your creditors are listed, so be sure to use both statements and a credit report to back up what you already know regarding your debt.

It’s also a good idea to be sure you get your free credit report again a few months after you file bankruptcy. It will help you rebuild your credit after bankruptcy.