after debt settlement

Eventually, things do fall off of your credit report. I'm not an expert, but I THINK they stay on there for 7.5 years from the date of first delinquency. However, that doesn't necessarily mean that you won't be granted any credit for 7.5 years. Bankruptcy stays on your credit report for 10 years, and I've read posts on this board of people saying that they got car loans within a couple of years after filing BK. The interest rate is usually higher if you have poor credit.

You can also get a secured credit card to help rebuild your credit. Basically, the way it works is that you put an amount of money in a secure account with the creditor, then they issue you a credit card with a limit of the amount that you have on deposit. You would need to shop carefully, since many of them have high fees. Also, you would want to be sure that whichever card you get reports monthly to the three credit bureaus. And, of course, you would want to be sure that you pay the card off monthly so that you don't get caught in the debt trap again.

Good luck!