justininva

I don't think Chase blacklists. I have a Chase card currently (ex-Wamu) despite having another old Chase account discharged in my 2006 bankruptcy. No AA from Chase after they bought the Wamu portfolio.

Smaller CUs often have the best terms on secured cards. My first card post-BK was a $1000 secured card from one of my "community" credit unions here in central Virginia. No fees, low APR and not even an inquiry for the secured card. Later converted to $1000 unsecured which I still have today.

I am 4 years post BK and was denied for a $5000 Visa. Only reason given in the letter was the bankruptcy. I called today for recon and asked for a lower limit, but the loan officer said that PSECU has a firm 5-year post BK policy for all loans...even credit cards. One thing's for sure: On 11/1/11, the day after my discharge hits 5 years, I will reapply and ask for the 20K loan/PSL combo

BobWang, go for it! So $50 plus $100 minimum deposit for a share account...can you afford it being a starving actor and all?

How about PSECU? They pull EX exclusively and have approved some members with scores in the 600s.

Bump. Anyone know which CRA Actors FCU pulls? I just now filled out the paperwork to join...since I am eligible through my father, he had to sign a separate form sponsoring me for membership. Haven't applied for any CCs yet. This CU *might* be open to all, by being a member of one of the organizations listed on their web site: check http://actorsfcu.com/membership/who-can-join/

Thanks OP for letting us know about this way to join PSECU. Paid the $20 to join the park society and mailed in the signature form today. I've been looking for a CU that pulls EX only (my cleanest report, with only a few inquiries). Time for me to get a card with a decently high limit.

Sounds to me like "cross collaterization"--any funds on deposit can be used to pay a delinquent loan at the same financial institution. Most credit unions have this policy but I didn't know B of A did. Sorry to hear this has happened to you. Make sure you stop your direct deposit if you haven't already. And if you don't have a checking account at another bank, it'd be a good idea to sign up for one as soon as you get paid next. If B of A reports you to Chex Systems for a closed checking account or anything of the sort it might be difficult to get a checking account elsewhere for a while. Do you have any credit cards to tide you over for living expenses until you get paid again?

Why a car dealer or Fry's would ask you to prove your account balance seems pointless to me. Since checks aren't instant, you could go to the bank and clean out the account before the check clears if you really wanted to defraud the dealer bad enough. I have noticed my checks have only about a day of float time now, though, thanks to Check 21. The only checks I write are for my rent and church, and both come out of my CU account at 4 pm the day after I turn them in.

hege, what's SFB? Ok, after reading both of your replies maybe I'll just do the Kona plan for a year. Many of my inquires on EQ were from early 2009 when I was applying for cards and my previous car loan at various local CUs, so by 8/2011 that part of my report should be cleaner. I just don't want to keep wasting inquiries with nothing to show for it and apply for cards that might be a "reach" (even in a year Penfed probably won't want me yet). USAA Amex (I'm a full "military" member through my father) and one of the co-branded Barclays airline cards would be my top two choices in 2011.

Thanks to the OP! Just when I said in another thread I'm too cheap to check my scores... 668 with TU today.

I pulled all 3 of my reports today for the first time in a while and noticed that I have 31 hard inquiries on EQ. Only 6 on EX and 12 on TU, but still...that many inquiries can't look good to potential creditors. I've been a little too trigger-happy with apps in the past and need to cool it for a while. I am 4 years post BK7 and my average age of accounts is <2.5 years. 8 baddies still reporting from my BK that should fall off between 8/2011 and 2/2012. BK itself will fall off in 7/2016. I am satisfied with the cards I have now...2 CU Visas, Hooters with no AF, a few store cards, a toy Chase (ex-Wamu) and a Capital One with cash back rewards. Scores are probably in the high 600s now---just a guess as I'm too cheap to pull them at the moment and don't foresee the need for more credit in the next couple of years. Just bought a new Toyota with the 0% offer in March, and probably won't buy a house for 5-10 years since rents are cheap in my city and it'll take me a while to save for a down payment. So...no apps till August 2012. All of my current hard inquiries and all negative accounts will be off then, leaving the BK as my only derog. I've been mostly a lurker on CB for several years and I've seen others who have gotten very prime cards 5+ years post BK, with decent limits. If I don't apply for any new credit the only inquiries would be from apartments or utilities (if I move) or if I were to total my car and had to finance another one (not likely to happen, I hope!) My dream card in 2012 would be the Penfed Amex. Since Penfed is BK friendly but doesn't like new accounts or inquiries, I think I'll have a good shot then. EQ should be well into the 700s by then with the IIBs off my reports, low utilization, higher AAOA and no inquiries. We'll see what the future holds... Your thoughts? Any downside to laying low and not applying for anything for 2 years?

My lowest non-store card is the HSBC BBRZMC at $300. I have had this card since July '07, less than a year after my BK, and it's been stuck at the same limit even as my scores have gone up 100 points. I paid the $59 AF again this month to keep my average account age up, but I think it'll be time to say bye bye to Best Buy next year.

bump...anyone else have experience with BB&T or SunTrust cards? I'm especially curious whether either is BK friendly (at least for 5-10 year old BKs with no derogs post-BK, as many prime cards are)

Congrats on the approvals! I also got in way over my head in college (with Amex, B of A, Chase, Citi and Discover) and filed for bankruptcy in 2006 once a couple of creditors sued me. You're lucky you slipped under the radar screen for that many years and don't have any judgments. GEMB seems to be one of the more forgiving creditors. I have Amazon, Wal-Mart, JCPenney and PayPal accounts with them...I don't use them very much but do get consistent CLIs.