Many people are able to receive bad credit personal loans after bankruptcy, often as soon as 30 days following the discharge of the bankruptcy. Many companies have actually found a pretty good market offering these loans to their clients.

You see companies are willing to do this knowing that a person cannot claim bankruptcy for a minimum of seven years following the bankruptcy discharge.

This opens a new market where some lenders will take a chance of people with a bad credit rating knowing they have legal recourse to recoup the amount of the loan.

Although most traditional lenders simply will not grant bad credit personal loans after bankruptcy there are numerous lenders that fight over the market.

At the time of writing to my knowledge there are no laws in place to stop people from taking on these loans, even though people are required to go to counseling lessons they are not actually forced to follow-up on everything they are told.

Once the bankrupt individual has discharged his bankruptcy he or she should be free to go after a bad credit personal loan when they feel the time is right.

We all know that bankruptcy records are totally public and this very often causes people a lot of embarrassment and difficulties in getting by. For this reason people are often in a rush to get back on their feet and many feel that a personal loan after bankruptcy is the answer.

Some people are maybe a little bit too desperate and find themselves repeatedly having to file a bankruptcy in a continuous seven-year cycle. I’m afraid the new bankruptcy law has not managed to put an end to this.

The absence of a law against bad credit personal loans

While many laws exist over who can offer bad credit personal loans after bankruptcy and the interest rates charged for them, there are no laws governing who can apply for them.

Many folks take out these loans despite the well-known fact that they come with very high rates, even folks who have been through multiple bankruptcies in the past still very often take them out.

It is the norm for lenders in this industry not to require collateral for the loan. The truth of the matter is that because of the legal recourse available which can include Wade garnishment, even when the loan goes into default the lender stands to make a profit.

You see when someone defaults on one of these loans a court ordered repayment is commonly granted right away for however much the loan comes to, plus all costs involved with the collection of the loan.

Either way you are strongly advised to consult your lawyer on anything relating to this as bankruptcy and these kinds of loans are to be taken very seriously, also like in all markets there are scams to be avoided so you must check out any deal you are interested in very closely.

Exactly who is trying to get me to pay up? The Fair Debt Collection Practices Act was written in the 1970s and provided many protections for consumers. There are strict rules and regulations that a collector has to abide by, and if any of these regulations are violated, there is a good chance that you could sue that agency. But what about that friend of yours who owes you five bucks? Do you have to grant them thirty days to refute the claim? Obviously, you do not.

The point is that the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act is applicable to debt collectors, and only debt collectors. Consider Morency v. Evanston Northwestern Healthcare Corp, a district court case in Illinois from 1999. In an attempt to collect debt, a hospital mailed out pre-collection notices, which is a no-no for third party collectors. But the court ruled that the hospital was only a creditor, not a collection agency, so the FDCPA did not apply to it.

Courts take many factors into consideration to figure out whether the creditor should be deemed the actual debt collector. A collection agency’s participation in the actual debt collection would have to be minute. Is the collection agency a mere mailing service? Do the letters state if the debtor does not pay the debt will be referred for collection? Is the collection agency paid only for sending letters, rather than commission?

If the collection company does not get any payments or forwards payments to the creditor, that could look suspicious. If a debtor fails to respond to the letter and the collection agency has no further contact with the debtor, or if it does not receive the files of the debtors, they probably aren’t going to be considered debt collection agencies.

The lesson is that it is important that you know who you are paying your money to. It’s always wise to be vigilant when it comes to your finances.

In recent years, the housing market has been on a very bumpy financial ride. Due to the sub-prime mortgage crisis which resulted in millions of homeowners losing their homes due to the inability to pay their monthly mortgage payments, President Obama’s mortgage refinance stimulus plan was implemented to help people stay in their homes and encourage people to buy a home. The plan included lowering interest rates so that people could take advantage of the savings. Now that the economy has shown signs of improving, many people are wondering how long mortgage rates will stay low or if there is going to be an increase in the coming months and next few years.

In this current economic environment where improvement in the economy is not happening as fast as we would like, as well as the continued Government and Federal Reserve support, most experts agree that for the next few months, there should not be much of a change in mortgage rates. Currently 30 Year Fixed mortgages rates have been hovering just under 5%. It is expected that 2010 will see rates rises to just over 5%. This is mainly due to the economy not getting worse and there are some signs that the economy will get better. However, many economists predict that low mortgage rates will be here for a little while, but not for long.

Economists suggest that as the economy grows and banks begin to increase their lending, mortgage interest rates will steadily increase to rates preceding the housing market crisis. In the next few years, many predict the pre sub prime mortgage crisis rates will return. This may be a good time for prospective homeowners to consider buying a home as the rates will not be making any further dramatic reductions, and over time they will begin to rise. Locking into a low rate now will definitely save homeowners money in the future as the rates start to rise. As well, by the first half of 2010, the Federal Reserve’s Housing Recovery Plan of buying as much as $500 billion of securities backed by Ginnie Mae, Freddie Mac, and Fannie Mae, will be coming to an end, so mortgage rates are expected to rise. Many experts believe rates will rise to over 5%.

Another consideration many housing market forecasters are worried about is inflation. Concerns about inflation could send Treasury yields higher which would cause an increase in mortgage rates. So, the mortgage rate prediction by many economic experts is that for the next few months, rates will stay about the same, and then they will begin to slowly rise in the next few years, depending on the state of the economy and the recovery progress of the housing market. But do not expect a continued decrease and the rates will eventually go up.

If you are considering refinancing or planning to purchase a home in 2010, this may be a great time to lock into a low interest rate mortgage. If not, you may miss out on a great deal if you wait too long.

Your credit history. It could be your best friend, or your worst enemy. Usually it’s like a nosy mother in law coming to visit for an extended period. You know that she’s coming, and that’s always bad news, but you are too afraid to ask or even consider how long she will be staying. Even though that was the worst analogy ever, read on to see how long negative marks should remain on your credit history!

In my opinion, there are two records that really count. Your criminal record and your financial record. Unlike your criminal record which will loom over your head for a very long time, your credit report and scores are not permanent. But how long can these negative records exist on file?

First, errors in your credit report will be removed immediately. It you find a mistake, or a negative account that doesn’t belong to you, contact the credit reporting agency and the creditor. You should be able to have the negative account removed within 180 days.

Anytime your credit report is pulled at your request, something called an inquiry is put on your report. An occasional inquiry couldn’t hurt, but if you have placed a large number of inquiries within a short time period, this usually lets prospective creditors know that you need the dough and you need it fast. The bottom line is that the more inquiries that show up on your report, the lower your score will drop. These will usually last only up to two years.

But here’s the scoop about inquiries. Not all inquires will negatively affect your credit score. Soft inquiries, like when you get your credit score, or when companies check your credit for purposes of making unsolicited credit offers do do any harm. When you apply for a credit card, the creditor pulls your credit report that will result in what is a hard inquiry. This may potentially lower your score.

If you are a current or former student with school loans, you have probably been bombarded with mailed and online solicitations to consolidate your debt. The loan application process can seem overwhelming, particularly if you have more than a couple of loans issued from a number of lenders. However, it is generally simple and straightforward if you are prepared. Here is a brief overview of what you can expect when you decide to consolidate your student loans.

First, you will need to choose a lender. There are many to choose from, but, in general, it’s smart to stick to a well-established financial institution. These lenders will have a variety of payment plans and discounts, and they will be less likely to sell your loan to another lender in the future. There should never be a charge or fee for consolidating student loans. As well, a lender should not need to check your credit because Federal student loans are guaranteed by the U.S. government.

Next, you will need to fill out an application. Remember to gather all information on existing loans prior to filling out your application. Also, you will need to supply personal references. Before you sign your name on the application, make sure that you clearly understand the terms of the new loan. Ask about incentives and discounts that can help reduce your payment. Many lenders have downloadable forms and online calculators to determine the amount you will pay with your new loan.

Once you have submitted your completed application, the lender will send each of your loan holders a Loan Verification Certificate (LVC) to verify the amount owed on each of your Federal student loans. You can expect that your existing lenders will take up to 30 days to return the LVCs. Once these certificates are processed, the interest rate will be calculated and a disclosure statement is prepared. Checks will be issued to your lenders to pay off your loans, and your new consolidated loan will be issued.

This entire process can take between 30 to 180 days to complete, and if information is missing from your application, it can take even longer. Most lenders have customer service representatives who will gladly keep you updated on the status of your loan application. Remember to continue to pay on your existing loans while your application is being processed. You will be financially responsible for these loans until the new lender has paid off them in full.

Finally, keep in mind that interest rates on student loans are adjusted annually every July 1st. This year, rates will be increasing 2.1 percent. You can be assured of the lower rate if you submit a completed application early. Don’t wait until the end of June to start the process.

While consolidating student loans can be a time consuming task, with a little advanced preparation and research you can complete your application with minimal effort. And, once your new loan is processed, you will most certainly be thrilled with your lower payments.