Chapter 7 and Chapter 13 each have their own seasoning clock — and it's shorter than most people assume. Here's exactly how long you need to wait, by program.
From discharge date, with re-established credit.
Of satisfactory payout, plus Trustee written permission.
Shorter waits available, with a reduced max LTV if recent.
Available only with documented extraordinary circumstances.
Your bankruptcy was fully discharged and you've been rebuilding credit since.
You're still making court-ordered payments and want to know when you can buy.
Non-QM or VA extraordinary-circumstance paths may get you there faster.
FHA has the shortest, most forgiving seasoning timelines of any major agency program.
| Bankruptcy type | FHA wait time |
|---|---|
| Chapter 7 | 2 years from discharge date — must show re-established good credit since |
| Chapter 13 | 1 year of satisfactory payout, plus written permission from the Bankruptcy Trustee to take on new mortgage debt |
Non-QM programs are built specifically to shorten these waits — often with a down-payment tradeoff.
| Bankruptcy type | Typical Non-QM rule |
|---|---|
| Chapter 7 or 13 | 12–24 months from discharge/dismissal; if under 24 months, max LTV is reduced (often 75-80%) |
| "Fresh Start" programs | Seasoning as short as 1 day out, but require 30%+ down and significantly higher rates |
VA is highly forgiving on bankruptcy timelines, especially with documented extraordinary circumstances.
| Bankruptcy type | VA rule |
|---|---|
| Chapter 7 | 2 years (24 months) from discharge; can shorten to 12–23 months only with documented extraordinary circumstances (e.g., death of primary wage earner, natural disaster) |
| Chapter 13 | Eligible after 1 year (12 months) of clean, on-time plan payments, with written Bankruptcy Trustee approval and a manual underwrite |
Conventional loans carry the longest bankruptcy seasoning of the four programs — the tradeoff for lower long-term mortgage insurance costs.
| Bankruptcy type | Conventional wait time |
|---|---|
| Chapter 7 | 4 years from the discharge date |
| Chapter 13 | 2 years from the discharge date (4 years if the case was dismissed instead of discharged) |
USDA's 3-year bankruptcy wait sits between FHA/VA's 2 years and Conventional's 4 years.
| Bankruptcy type | USDA rule |
|---|---|
| Chapter 7 | 3 years from discharge/dismissal; case-by-case consideration between 12-36 months only with documented extenuating circumstances beyond your control |
| Chapter 13 | Eligible after 12 consecutive on-time plan payments, plus written permission from the bankruptcy trustee |
SONYMA matches FHA's 2-year Chapter 7 wait, but caps manual-underwrite DTI tighter than most.
| Bankruptcy type | SONYMA rule |
|---|---|
| Chapter 7 | 2 years minimum from discharge date, before the new loan's case number assignment |
| Under 2 years | Triggers an AUS "Refer," requiring manual underwrite — DTI strictly capped at 43.00% |
Jumbo's bankruptcy seasoning is the longest of any program — Non-QM is the fallback if you can't wait.
| Bankruptcy type | Jumbo rule |
|---|---|
| Chapter 7 or 13 | 4 to 7 years from discharge date to application date on standard prime Jumbo |
| NAF Portfolio (Non-QM) alternative | Chapter 7 or 11 allowed after just 2 years from discharge — or 12 months with heavily documented extenuating circumstances |
Land loans require a flat 3-year discharge wait, with no shortcut for extenuating circumstances.
| Bankruptcy type | Land Loan rule |
|---|---|
| Chapter 7, 11, or 13 | Ineligible unless fully discharged at least 3 years prior to application — no case-by-case exceptions |
| Multiple bankruptcies | Two or more filings makes you ineligible unless you've established at least 2 years of clean, re-established credit |
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