Cosigners

[james52]

My question is, I was discharged 1 or 2 weeks ago and my girlfriend will most likely have to file in the next couple of weeks. She still has a great score and never been late. I am wanting to apply for a CC for emergencies but I know I will get declined. Is it better to apply Cosigned with her, or for her to apply herself and add me later?

Also any suggestions on company?(no bofa, citi, chase, wamu, gemb, hsbc)
Maybe Cap1

I need to have a back up plan, but I also want to start establishing my credit(I was a 750 before divorce)

Thanks

[MomIcantFindmy]

If she is on the card and then files BK your could could be canceled by the lender. I would read through some of the posts here and apply by yourself with some BK friendly creditors. Good luck and congrats on your discharge. Just don't rush too fast into cc debt.

[james52]

No I don't have a problem with that. I haven't had any CC for the past 3 years, just stuff that happened from Ex and divorce. I just couldn't pay or wouldn't pay all her debt back. I rarely use and alway pay off before reuse. Just want for emergency, I have dogs which can get sick and can get expensive, also for like breakdowns(vehicle).

[AngelinaCatHub]

James52, You will get more junk CC cards than you will want. To date and particularly after I filed I am constantly flooded with offers of pre approved this and that. I shred every one. Whenever I get around a CC card I feel like getting garlic, Holy water, and a cross to keep it away from me. Only my opinion. ‘Hub

[southernbelle]

My advice is to try applying for your own card with a BK friendly creditor because if you end up as a signer on her account, it could be short lived because there is a risk they will cancel the card anyway. I copied this post a while back and it might be a little outdated, but maybe it will help someone.


BK FRIENDLY CREDITORS
Originally posted by NanaC

Compiled by NanaC
Updated info in bold


Clarifications: Listings based on earliest receipt of credit. Occasionally, something may appear to be listed twice. This results from the credit being somehow different, for example, secured and unsecured, credit limits, etc. PFB = Planet FeedBack


STARTER BK CARDS: score bad.
1. Household - unsecured 300 - 5 mos., score about 560 ( https://www.householdbank.com/hb/Cus...irect=HomePage )
2. Cap1 - Secured and Unsecured ( www.capitalone.com )
3. Orchard - Secured ( https://www.orchardbank.com/care/Cus...irect=HomePage )
4. American Online Secured Visa ( www.apbank.com/021_scc.html )
5. Mazda (Ford) - 1 day post BK13 - auto loan
6. Kay Jewelers - $2000 - 1 year post BK, score about 540
(www.kayjewelers.com)
7. Verizon (no deposit, as little as 3 mos after discharge - www.verizonwireless.com )

6 MOS - 1 YEAR REBUILDING CREDIT: score low 600s
1. Cap1 - unsecured gold 500 ( www.capitalone.com )
2. Orchard - unsecured $500 ( https://www.orchardbank.com/care/Cus...irect=HomePage )
3. Target Guest Card- unsecured 200 (target.com/common/financialservices/apply_online.jhtml)
4. First Premier - $200 ( www.credit-cards-s.com/premier.asp )
5. Citifinancial Mortgage - 6 mths post - 9% ( www.citifinancial.com )
6. Providian Platinum (www.providan.com)
7. First National Bank Of Marin - $300 unsecured - low 600's (www.fnbmarin.com) - appears to be by mai offer only
8. Raymour and Flanigan Furniture (please provide url if available)

1-2 YEARS REBUILDING: score mid 600s
1. AT&T Wireless - No deposit ( http://www.attws.com )
2. Cap1 Platinum - unsecured 5000. Yes, platinum. started w/regular card and negotiated credit line to platinum. (Wow!) ( www.capitalone.com )
3. Cross Country Bank Visa - unsecured - $300, then $600, then $1250 over time. * ( www.crosscountrybank.com )
4. Cross Country Bank MC - unsecured - $350 * ( www.crosscountrybank.com )
5. Dillards - unsecured - $500 ( www.dillards.com/cca/CreditCardApplication.jsp )
6. Circuit City  unsecured -$2000 ( http://www.circuitcity.com )
7. Western Security Bank - secured ( www.westernsecuritybank.com )
8. Direct Merchants Bank $1001 (Semi-secured) - pre-approved mailings only ( www.directmerchantsbank.com )
9. Sprint PCS - $200 Assigned Spending Limit ( www.sprint.com )
10. Newport News/Spiegals/Eddie Bauer ( www.spiegals.com/home.asp )
11. Merrick - $1000, about 650 FICO (www.applymerrick.com)



2+ Years Rebuilding: score low to mid 600's:
1. Aspire - unsecured - $500 ( www.compucredit.com/pdcts.html )
2. Voicestream - No deposit ( www.voicestream.com )
3. Bank One Checking Account with Debit Card after 5 months usage ( www.bankone.com )
4. Mortgage Received (No specific name as more than one loan was found by those reporting receipt of mortgage loan.)
5. Nordstrom - suggest not applying on-line ( www.nordstrom.nordstrom.com )
6. First N.A. Nat. Bank - 3 years (www.fnanb.com)
7. Citibank MC- will consider post-7 years ( www.citibank.com )
8. Nextel - must be 7 years post BK, no dep. ( www.nextel.com )
9. Exxon - 4 years ( www.exxon.com )
10. Home Depot - 4 years ( www.homedepot.com ) **
11. Bloomingdales - 3 years ( www.bloomingdales.com )
***out of sequence due to updating of information
13. Washington Mutual Visa secured card issued by Citibank N.A. South Dakota ( www.washingtonmutual.com )
14. Mervyn's ** ( www.mervyns.com )
15. Generations (6 year mark!) - $1000 ( www.genscu.com )
16. Target Visa - mid 600's required ( www.target.com )
17. Lowes - 3+ years ( www.lowes.com )
18. Washington Mutual Mortgage - 3+ years ( www.wamuhomeloans.com )
19. Nordstrom - 5+ years (www. Nordstrom.com)
20. Wescom Credit Union - 5+ years ( www.wescom.org )
21. First Nationwide Mortgage - 5 years ( www.firstnationwide.com )
22. Dell - $1500 - 5+ years ( www.dell.com )
23. Nissan Lease - 6+ years (Please provide link if known.)
24. Phillips 66 - 7.5 years ( www.phillips66.com )
25. Ford Credit - 5 years ( www.fordcredit.com )
26. Diamond Shamrock - 6.5 yrs ( www.valero.com )
27. Menard's Big Card (Conseco) - $3000 - 5+ years ( www.menards.com )
28. Capital One Auto Finance -14 % interest, score approximately 650 - ( https://www.capitalone.com/capitalon...d=2000bann0202 )
29. JCB Card - CE642 (www.jcbusa.com)
30. Union Plus - initial rejection, then approved on PFB reconsideration (www.unionplus.com)**
31. Corvette Mastercard - 7 years post (was not in dispute when pulled)- score 678 with 4 CA's in dispute when pulled - $1500 - (https://www.household.com/corp/hipf_..._select.jsp)**
32. J.C. Penney - 4 years, 7 months post bk7 (www.jcpenney.com)
33. BOFA - Alaskan Airlines Plat - 5 yrs, 3 months post BK7 approved on reconsideration (www.bofa.com)

Special Considerations-please consider these with a cautious mindset as these are not based on actual approvals but information gathered through CSR's, etc.:

1. Bank of America - will consider post-BK if you have established credit and can show unusual circimstances (business loss, medical, etc.). Customer service rep reports Secured considered 5-years post BK, Unsecured 7-years post BK.
2. Citibank MC- will consider post-BK after 7 years
3. Citibank Diners Club - will consider post-BK if you have established credit and can show unusual circimstances (business loss, medical, etc.)
4. Federated (Pres. Club Visa)- 3 years post BK was able to override with explanation and good (>680) score
5. Federated (Macy's) Store Card - 2 years post-BK was able to override with explanation.

Rejections (BK Unfriendly):
** Seen on both lists

1. Lowe's (MB)
2. Home Depot (MB) **
3. Walmart
4. Mervyns **
5. Exxon/Mobile **
6. Amex Green
7. Best Buy (Household)-Recently confirmed letter due to bankruptcy Ch 13 6.5
years
8. Citgo
9. Amex Optima Secured
10. Home Depot
11. CitiBank
12. Associates: Citgo (try manual 24 ms+, 3 good lines)
13. First USA (try manual 5+ years discharge)
14. Bank of America **
15. Sears
16. Fleet
17. First USA
18. Mens Wearhouse
19. Monogram Bank = MB **
20. Amex LOC
21. Juniper
22. Chase Manhattan
23. Target Visa
24. Corvette Mastercard**
25. Target with recent BK discharge within 4 months**
26. UnionPlus**
27. GM Card
28. Conoco
29. Newport News/Spiegals/Eddie Bauer **
30. Wells Fargo Secured
31. WFNNB
32. Circuit City **
33. J.C. Penney **
34. Kohl's
35. USBank
36. Netbank
37. Discover


Smart Suggestions:
1) Try Credit Unions
2) Ford is BK friendly
(updated 5/6/04)

~NanaC~

Since my BK filing in Feb 04 and discharge in May 04;

I have been approved for:

Orchard Bank: started at $300, now $500 (applied June 04) Pulled EX
Capital One: Platinum, started at $200, now $2000 (applied June 04) Pulled all 3
Providian: Platinum, $1000 (applied November 04) Pulled EX
Valero Gas Card: $400 (applied November 04) Pulled EQ
Target Guest Card: $200 (denied in Oct 04, Approved in Jan 05) Pulled EQ


My scores were in the mid 500s when I got the June approvals.

My scores were in the lower 600s when I got the November and January approvals.

I live in South FL.