Can you apply for a credit card before Chapter 7 discharge?
Rachel Davis
Updated on February 01, 2026
Your Bankruptcy Has to Be Discharged Before You Can Apply A Chapter 7 bankruptcy takes approximately four to six months after the initial filing to be completed and your debts discharged. After that, you can apply for a credit card.
Can you use credit cards during bankruptcy?
If you have credit cards when you file bankruptcy, then any card on which you owe money will be listed among your debts. Most credit card companies will allow you to keep the card if you reaffirm the balance and enter into a new agreement.
Can I get the same credit card after chapter 7?
You generally can’t get a new credit card before Ch. 7 discharge, or without the trustee’s approval in a Ch. 13 case. Even many secured credit cards, which offer nearly guaranteed approval, will reject anyone with a recent bankruptcy on their record, let alone one that’s ongoing.
When to stop using credit cards to file bankruptcy?
Because of these rules, the safest course of action is to stop using credit cards as soon as you have decided to file for bankruptcy, and certainly to avoid luxury charges or cash advances that exceed the limits set out above in the few months before you file. Learn more about other debts that aren’t dischargeable in bankruptcy.
Do you have to pay back credit card charges before bankruptcy?
You might have to pay back charges made before filing for bankruptcy. If you use your credit cards shortly before filing for bankruptcy, your credit card company might have grounds to argue that the recently incurred charges shouldn’t be eliminated by your bankruptcy discharge.
Can a credit card company object to discharge in bankruptcy?
Learn more in Why a Creditor May File an Objection to Discharge in Bankruptcy. If you use your credit card to purchase expensive luxury items shortly before filing for bankruptcy, you can expect the credit card company to contest the discharge of the debt in bankruptcy court.
Can a credit card company file for Chapter 7 bankruptcy?
Because if you make enough money to do so, you probably won’t qualify for Chapter 7 bankruptcy. If you have a lot of disposable income, the court will likely make you pay some or all of your credit card debt through a Chapter 13 repayment plan.