Your credit score report can be affect by more than your available credit history. We talk about how credit cards, mortgages, car loans, and any type of loan that reports to all 3 credit bureaus will affect your credit score. We don’t always talk about utility companies and how they can have a negative impact on your credit report. Here are utility companies I like to consider non-creditors. In other words these companies don’t give you a line credit, they just provide a service.

One of the pre-filing requirements involves obtaining a certificate of successful completion of credit counseling with a government approved counseling agency. The counseling can take place up to six months prior to filing. If time is of the essence in filing for bankruptcy protection and you have not completed the counseling sessions, this can cause delays and problems so don’t wait until the last minute.