Money, over years

Credit takes three to five years. A mortgage is possible. And restitution outlasts supervision by a long way.

Credit

Rebuilding takes three to five years to do properly. A secured card paid off monthly is the standard start. After a year or so you can usually convert it or qualify for a regular card.

Don't chase anything advertised as credit repair.

Pull all three reports and read them

Two things commonly happened while you were gone. Accounts went to collections, and sometimes somebody used your identity.

That second one is more common for incarcerated people than most realize.

A mortgage

It's mostly about time, income, and credit score, not the conviction. FHA loans don't have a blanket bar for most convictions. Lenders care about the last two years of income and payment history.

People do buy houses after federal cases.

Restitution outlasts supervision

The judgment stays enforceable for twenty years from entry or from your release, whichever is later, under 18 U.S.C. 3613.

While you're on paper, payments are usually a condition. After that, collection moves to the U.S. Attorney's financial litigation unit. They can put liens on property and take your tax refunds through the Treasury Offset Program.

Ask, don't fall behind

Keep paying, keep records, and if your income drops enough to matter, ask to have the schedule looked at instead of just falling behind.

A long record of steady payment is what any later argument rests on, including an early termination motion. The first-year mechanics of the same debt are in Money and restitution.

Somebody else is two years out and stuck on the same thing. Pass it on.