While bankruptcy serves to prevent creditors from collecting on debts owed, it does not erase negative information, such as history of late or missed payments, from your credit report. That information will stay on your report typically for 10-11 years, depending on the information being reported. In addition, filing for bankruptcy itself will appear on your credit report and will negatively affect your credit score. A Chapter 7 Bankruptcy filing will generally stay on your report for ten years and a Chapter 13 bankruptcy will appear for seven years from the time repayment is complete.

Attorney Misty Muter works with individuals and families to consolidate debt and seek other solutions that will not negatively impact an individual's credit rating. In addition, Attorney Muter counsels individuals who have poor credit scores on ways to build credit and improve credit ratings by, for example, making voluntary repayments.