Both a foreclosure and a short sale will ruin your credit for many years. With a foreclosure, it's best to file a Chapter 7 bankruptcy to protect you from the lender. The lender has up to 10 years to come after you for the loan deficiency. For example, if you owed $200,00 on a mortgage, and it cost the lender $75,000 to re-sell your property, you could be liable for that $75,000 deficiency. On a short sale, the lender can still come after you, but the amount that is short can be issued to you on a 1099 as a "loan forgiveness" causing you to pay income tax on that money.