Fannie Mae also requires five years after more than one bankruptcy filing in the past seven years (three with extenuating circumstances). Freddie Mac's rules for manually underwritten loans are similar: 48 months after a Chapter 7 discharge or dismissal, and 24 months after a Chapter 13 discharge or 48 after a dismissal (Freddie Mac Guide 5202.5).
Waiting the required time is only the agency's first test. Lenders also look for re-established credit. On FHA, HUD wants to see that you've re-established good credit or chosen not to take on new debt, and that the cause isn't likely to happen again. Fannie Mae requires traditional credit after the event. Then any program rules and the underwriter's review still apply. We don't add our own waiting periods on top of the agency rules.
This page explains how mortgage waiting periods work. It isn't advice about your bankruptcy. Every case is different, so for questions about your Chapter 13 plan, getting court or trustee permission, or anything else about your case, please talk with a bankruptcy attorney. I'm happy to handle the mortgage side and work with your attorney on timing.
This example is made up to show how the dates work.
Marcus in Fort Worth filed Chapter 7 in March 2024 and got his discharge in July 2024. For FHA, two years from discharge is July 2026, so as of today he's past the standard wait, if his case number is assigned after that date and his credit since then is clean. For a conventional loan, four years from discharge is July 2028, unless he could document extenuating circumstances. Same person, same bankruptcy, very different timelines. Underwriting would still review his full file.
Send me your discharge date and I'll tell you the earliest realistic month for each loan type. Book a call
Links checked Oct 19, 2026.
About the author: McKade Lively, NMLS 2704474, American Pacific Mortgage Corporation dba True North Home Loans, NMLS 1850.
Equal Housing Opportunity.
Last reviewed: Oct 2026