This is a popular topic with our New York and New Jersey bankruptcy clients. The answer to this questions, is as always . . . it depends. Technically, the ideal thing to do is discharge all your debt. However, a Chapter 7 will lower your credit and make it difficult to get new credit fast.
If you have a credit card and had a zero balance on it for the past 6 months or more than you may be able to keep that card since you only have to report liabilities – however, if a card had a high balance and you paid it off in anticipation of the bankruptcy, then this is illegal, and either that payment will not be discharged or the whole bankruptcy will be denied.
There is also another option, you can always reaffirm the debt and agree with a certain credit card company that you will keep paying the monthly payments. However, this option is not guaranteed and you will usually end up with a higher interest on the card.
You can always apply for a secured card after the bankruptcy which will build your credit and make obtaining new cards in the future, easier.上述问题在我们的咨询中十分普遍。对于该问题的回答，要以情况而死那个。理论上而言，最理想的情形是免除您您所有的债务。但是第七章的破产申请会降低您的信用，使您很难再获得新的信用记录。
如果您持有信用卡，卡内的余额在过去的六个月内或更久的时间内为零，您可以保留该卡，因为只需报告债务。但是，如果您的卡有很多的余额而且您在考虑破产期间很快将其付清，该行为是违法的，并且上述清偿不会被免除或者整个破产申请会被拒绝。
您还有另一种选择，及您可以确认债务，同信用卡公司达成协议，同意每个月继续还款。但是这种方案未必能万无一失，并且您在卡上的利率会更高。
在申请破产后，您总是可以申请担保的信用卡，重新建立自己的信用记录，在将来更轻松的获得新卡。
