Seeking a bankruptcy or non-bankruptcy solution to a difficult life, a single mother exiting from an abusive relationship sought my advice.P aul Hollender can help you get back on track although she came thinking about bankruptcy, I determined that she did not need to file for bankruptcy because she had only about $4,000 in credit card debt. I recommended returning for help in settling her debt if she could raise a lump sum to do so.
She had wisely consolidated her federal student loans and entered into an income-based repayment plan.
I showed her how to get free credit reports from annualcreditreport.com, and advised her to return for a bankruptcy filing if she actually had at least $10,000 in unsecured debt.
I gave her specific steps to improve her credit score: 1) she can obtain a secured credit card; 2) after we resolve her outstanding debt, I showed her how she can quickly get a loan to improve her credit score.
She left my office happy, with an action plan and a sense the future could be brighter.