Question I need help..

[mpera]

Hi.
My boyfriend filed bankruptcy about 3 years ago and for some reason he was advised to chose the chapter 7 I believe where he didnt have to pay the amount that he owed off. However,I think that because he filled that he wont be able to do anything with his credit for the next 10 years. Now he wants to apply for a federal job as a police officer. One of the questions is has he ever filed bankruptcy. Obviously he would say yes but I wanted to know if that might hurt the chances of him being called. Now he does have a credit card with creditline and walmart I believe and he is making these payments on time as well as his phone bill. Iwas wondering if he should include a letter attached to his application explaining what happened that he had filed for bankruptcy at such a young age (22). His reasons were the cars he had bought he didnt have enough to pay them back and the other bills were just too much for him to handle.

[LadyInTheRed]

If the job requires a security clearance, the BK could prevent him from getting the job, but that shouldn't keep him from applying. I wouldn't attach a letter about why he filed bankruptcy, especially with the reason you describe. He should be prepared to answer the question if he gets called for an interview. I wouldn't be very specific. Just something like "I got in over my head with credit, but I learned a lot in the process and have learned how to use credit wisely."

Your boyfriend will not be denied credit for 10 years. Yes, it's still on his report. But, after 3 years, he should be able to get some decent credit offers assuming he hasn't fallen back into old habits. Also, while a Chap 13 may look a little better on a credit report, it still would have damaged his credit. If you qualify for a chap 7 which is over in a few months, you have to have a real good reason to choose a Chap 13 which last 3 to 5 years. The effect on your credit score is not a good reason. The effect on future job prospects, if any, may be a better reason, but still not a very good one.