The Seven Deadly Credit Repair Sins

On November 30, 2008, in Credit Repair, by admin
Jim Kemish asked:


Credit Repair Sin #1: Sticking Your Head in the Sand

Have you been through a period of financial stress? Is your credit a mess? It can be difficult to look at the damage, but ignoring your credit report is the number-one worse thing you can do. Did you know that late payments, charge-offs, and collections are almost guaranteed to generate errors that will depress your credit scores even further? It’s ironic that shortcomings in the credit reporting system create a bias against the very consumers who can afford it the least. Fortunately there is good news. It is never too late to stand up for your rights. Take a deep breath and start your credit repair effort today.

Credit Repair Sin #2: Canceling Your Cards

So you decided to start a credit repair program, cut up your credit cards, and make everything right. Right? Sorry. Wrong. As righteous as the plan sounds, there is a flaw. The FICO scoring model puts so much weight on open accounts that even as you remove erroneous items from your credit report your score will go nowhere; it may even fall. If you have open credit cards, don’t close them. Switch gears and get into management mode. Get the balances down, make your payments on time and watch your scores go up.

Credit Repair Sin #3: Failing to Rebuild

It’s common to emerge from a time of financial stress with no open accounts. Many people in this situation begin a credit repair effort and decide to postpone applying for new credit until their report looks better. Who wants to be denied? Why not just wait? Well, there is a reason. As mentioned above, without open accounts your credit repair effort is likely to do little for your credit scores, and you will be no closer to being lender-ready than you were before. You need to rebuild! Just get a couple of secured credit cards. You won’t be denied and you will be on your way to building truly usable credit.

Credit Repair Sin #4: Maxing Out Revolving Balances

You are doing everything right; you cleaned up your credit, you opened new accounts, and you are paying your bills on time. So, why isn’t your credit score cooperating? You may blame an old paid collection or some old public record for keeping your score in purgatory. But you are wrong! It’s just your darn credit card balances. The newest version of the FICO credit score model adjusts your score dramatically depending on the ratio between your balance and your credit limit. If you want to optimize your score keep the balance under 20% of the limit. Just try it and watch the credit repair magic happen!

Credit Repair Sin #5: Ignoring Collection Letters

Got a collection letter? It is tempting to throw it away. But throwing it away won’t make it go away. And if you throw it away you will have missed a golden opportunity to exercise a powerful legal right that exists for just 30 days from the time the collector sends the letter. For those 30 days the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act requires collectors to comply with your request to provide proof of their right to collect and an accounting from the original creditor proving the dollar amount is correct. If they cannot do this they must cease all collection efforts and not report the collection to the credit bureaus.

Credit Repair Sin #6: Not Knowing Your SOL

Statutes of limitation (SOL) limit the time a debt may be collected through the court system. The SOL is different for each state and may be found easily on the Internet. The SOL may be as little as two years for some debt types in some states. If a collector cannot get a judgment they cannot enforce collection. They can ask nicely, or they can threaten, but the threats have no substance. Did you know the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act gives you the right to send a letter to a collector asking them to cease all communication? This is a handy credit repair tool. After all who needs the stress? If you are harassed by a collector beyond the SOL you can send a Cease Communication Letter and they will go away.

Credit Repair Sin #7: Flying Solo

One of the big mistakes people make with credit repair is going it alone. Credit repair is a lot like fixing an automobile. If you need an oil change you can do it yourself and probably don’t need a repair manual or a mechanic. But if you really need a tune-up you better know what you are doing. You wouldn’t just pop the hood and start taking the engine apart. Would you? Credit repair can produce awesome results if done properly, so please do the right thing for yourself and buy a book or consult a credit repair professional.

Copyright © 2007 James W. Kemish. All Content. All Rights Reserved.



Thad

How fast can credit repair be done?

On November 29, 2008, in Credit Repair, by admin
LymeW asked:


I want to repair my credit quickly, like within 6-12 months have everything cleaned up and improved scores. Is this possible? How likely?
Thanks.

Elroy
Tagged with:
 
Cindy Heller asked:


When you are entangle in negative credit, it can get to you as you will not be able to get credit to purchase your dream home or car. Although there are countless agencies who promise to repair your negative credit and restore your financial health, not all deliver on the promises.

There are numerous credit repair agencies out to make a fast buck and dishonestly mislead people in parting their cash and getting into all sort of legal problems. Beware of companies out to defraud and only stick to ethical and credible credit repair agencies. One essential thing to note is that if you chose to abide by less than upright agency, then you are as guilty of misdemeanor as the credit repair organization. It is with this in mind that you only seek legal credit repair when you decided to repair your unhealthy credit.

As all legal credit repair come under the purview of Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), it is essential to be acquainted with it. The act gave you the right to challenge inaccuracies in your credit report and it also affirms that you can obtain a free copy of your credit report if you have reason to question to believe that the credit report is inaccurate or if you were deprived of loans.

Free copy of the credit report can be obtained within a year from the three main credit bureaus. Do keep in mind that legal credit repair is the right solution to your credit woes and also keep your credit report free from mistakes and updated.

Trans Union, Equifax and Experian are the three major reporting bureaus and to make it easy, they do have a common website, annualcreditreport.com where you can obtain a free copy of the credit report. The initial step in legal credit repair is to get a copy and then check it for errors or outdated information.

If you encounter errors, FCRA lay down rules that you can challenge it at no cost to you and the three major reporting bureaus need to follow up within thirty days upon receiving it. Legal credit repair may take effort and patient but it is the necessary step to repair bad credit as restoring your credit standing will lead to ability to buy house, car, receiving loans and even getting employment.

Understanding the Fair Credit reporting Act is one thing but once most people do find themselves getting into financial mess, they will need to seek assistance but for a layperson to fully comprehend the intricacies of the credit industry is sometimes too much. You might need legal assistance and credit repair lawyers are in the best position to offer it. They know the nuances of the law and can provide solution to your credit troubles.

As people get into all sort of credit problem and some may be not of our own undoing, for instant getting into huge medical bills of loss of incomes. But we all know that it will create financial problem and dent your credit standing and credit repair lawyer is useful in this respect.

Credit repair lawyers can offer assistance to all sort of credit problem. Regardless of the type of credit troubles, be it charge-offs, delayed payment, Judgments or even bankruptcies, you are entitled to mount a legal case as stated by the Fair Credit Reporting Act.

You can seek professional from a credit repair lawyer and they will be able to assist you in removing negative information from your credit report. Some do offer to help you seek legal course in the court of law.

Credit reports bear substantial weight when you seek to borrow, getting insurance policy, trying to obtain a good interest rate for your loan, additional credit line or even getting jobs. If there are factual errors or oversight, it can affect you tremendously.

That is where the credit repair lawyer comes in as they will assist you in checking and locating such problems and removing it. Negative credit rating includes delayed payment, defaulting on loans, foreclosures and judgment and it will affect a person credit standing.

Credit repair lawyer is good in assisting one to get back to positive credit position when your credit problem has become too huge and overwhelmed you. The ways to seek trustworthy credit repair lawyer are through recommendations from friends or folks, credit counseling services and even the internet search engines.



Pansy
Tagged with:
 

How can I repair my credit?

On November 23, 2008, in Credit Repair, by admin
Ashley M asked:


I ruined my credit in college and as a result I have about $10,000 in debt. Most of the accounts are in collections, charge offs, or past due. The only thing positive on the report are my student loans and my car loan. I have heard of disputing the reports, but I also want to find a credit repair firm that will allow me to make payment arrangements. I want to improve my credit rating so that I can purchase a home in a few years, get approved for more credit cards and also get a new car.

Al
Tagged with:
 
Albert Alexander asked:


In today’s world of credit score based lending, credit repair can make a world of difference. Credit repair is simply a legal way to clean up and improve your credit file also known as your credit report. A successful credit repair process has an end result of bringing an individual’s financial history back to life. As much as it helps, it takes time, and should never be viewed as a quick fix.

Although credit repair may seem like a very tedious process it is actually a small price to pay for the benefits gained. This process has become a necessary part of today’s life as more and more people fall victim to bad credit. This “repair” re-establishes the individual’s creditworthiness in the eyes of potential lenders and/or existing creditors. Credit repair is not an easy process and is not something that happens over night.

Taking the time and effort to repair your credit requires patience and, many times, the help of an outside organization. Many have been through similar situations as you and the good news is that it is possible clean up your credit file and remove all the inaccurate information. However, truly fixing your previous financial issues can only be achieved through financial discipline and hard work.

Repairing your credit profile is one of the most important financial decisions you can make. It isn’t just a series of techniques and steps to take, it is your legal right to have questionable negative items removed from our credit files that all of us have as consumers. Regardless of how bad your credit is credit repair is a possibility but it requires changes in spending, saving and bill payment habits. Repairing a bad credit score will require you to have patience, focus and also a little luck.

So how does it all work? A detailed review of your credit file is one big piece of the credit repair puzzle. After careful review, any inaccuracies or incomplete information on a credit report should be reported to the consumer reporting agency (CRA) and the bank, credit card company, or other entity that provided the information to the agency. There may be a substantial amount of inaccuracies currently in your own credit file. Reporting agencies rarely verify or cross check information unless they have a specific reason, like a request from you, to do so.

Although sometimes it seems to be a difficult, time consuming endeavor it needs to be a priority in your personal finance life. Bad credit should not be a source of shame or embarrassment. In addition, it can have more affect on your life then you may realize. Besides the psychological effects it can have on some, bad credit becomes an issue, when you need to make any major purchase such as a home, car, furniture or major appliances. Repairing your credit helps consumers who are being denied or do not qualify for the best interest rates, because of negative information on their reports.

Although not known as a priority for some, credit repair is not just helpful for those who have bad financial history. Credit repair can even be performed on individuals that have moderate to good credit scores, simply to improve their score even more. Whether to help those recover from a negative financial past or to make additional improvements for those with good credit, it is a worthwhile investment.

Credit repair is a booming business now and, unfortunately, a lot of unscrupulous elements are thriving in the market. Scams and shady companies are catching millions of people around the world, and are bleeding those people for millions of dollars a year. Some credit repair clinics do this by challenging every item in a credit file be it negative, positive, or neutral with the hope of overwhelming the credit bureau into removing information without verifying it. Other companies often claim they guarantee to get you a credit card, regardless of your financial history.

If you decide to work on improving your scores, it is absolutely in your best interest to enlist the help of a legal professional. Bad credit repair is possible and can all be done legally, by legal professionals. Due diligence on your part is required as many law firms can charge as high as $2500 for a consultation and some debt counseling offices can charge as much as $800 just to start the process to erase poor credit. Other law firms that specialize in credit score repair have similar techniques at their disposal, which are also completely legal, but offer legal credit repair at substantially lower fees.



Joaquin
ohburr1 asked:


I am trying to find a good credit repair agency. I want one who states upfront what they do and does what they say. I have some credit issues and will like to get as much help as I can to clean them up over the next two to six months.

Irwin
Tagged with:
 
Sage asked:


I paid $300 to an attorney that works with a real estate firm specializing in credit repair, by disputing and of such nature. He hasn’t done anything, he is now unable to be reached? Took my money and left but still around. Can I bring legal action to him? (His company states that he’s doing it on his own). I need a good attorney to help me out, what kind of attorney could help me in this case? Please help me.

Connie
Tagged with:
 
Stuart Hunter asked:


Getting started with repairing your credit is one of the very best things you can do for your financial well being. At the hands of the credit system, you are being abused in the form of inaccurate reporting and an unfair credit scoring model. Through credit repair, you can do your part to make sure you get the credit score you deserve – a credit score that is truly indicative of your credit worthiness.

Choosing the right credit repair company to help you achieve your credit goals is pivotal. What follows are tips and things you should look for when choosing the best credit repair company for you.

1) Look for a credit repair company with experience

An experienced credit repair company will have taken the time to learn what tactics work best for each type of dispute. Having a large number of clients and a track record of removing many items means that a credit repair company has enough information to know what works and what does not.

2) Look for a credit repair company that has been in business for a while

Credit repair, like many other industries, has it’s fair share of scammers. Preying on desperate people who long for a better credit score, fraudulent “credit repair” companies promise amazing results but the only thing they manage to do is take off with your money.

Fortunately, these companies never last very long. They are either run out of town or shut down by the FTC or local law enforcement. What this means for you is that you can usually trust a credit repair company that has been in business for a number of years.

3) Check out the company’s BBB report

To start with, look for the BBB’s rating of the company and their explanation of this rating. For example, the BBB report for the credit repair company Credit Bureau Experts shows the company as having an unsatisfactory rating because of unsubstantiated advertising claims made on their site.

Also look at the number of unresolved complaints to see if the company has been responsive to their customer’s problems. Almost all companies will have some complaints, and the larger the company the more complaints it will have, but it is how they deal with these complaints that is important. Look for a company that addresses the concerns of its clients as opposed to a company like Credit Fix Now (see BBB report) who has an unsatisfactory rating with the BBB for not responding to to complaints.

4) Get the details on the company’s payment policy

A common tactic of fraudulent credit repair companies is to charge you a large fee upfront and then either disappear with your money or otherwise not perform the agreed upon work. Many of the companies have been known to charge several hundred or even thousands of dollars before they will do any credit repair work.

Even though the practice of charging large upfront fees is illegal, there are still a number of smaller credit repair companies that try to get away with it. For example, the companies Credit Clean and Today’s Credit Solutions are perfectly content to charge you one time fees of $1223 and $499.99 respectively for a year’s worth of credit repair service. Granted, these companies may offer money back warranties, but that will be of little use to you if the company goes out of business or otherwise disappears.

5) Watch out for companies that guarantee to raise your credit score

To help protect you against credit repair companies who make impossible claims, the Credit Repair Organizations Act also forbids any credit repair organization from making guarantees about the results of their service when it pertains the the effect it will have on your credit reports.

While searching for a credit repair company, take note of any claims to “increase your credit score by 100 points”, “lower your interest rates”, or “remove all negative items from your credit reports”. No company can legally make these claims and any company who implies they can should be avoided.



Max
Kimberly B asked:


I would like a reputible company, I am trying to repair my credit for a home loan.

Dillon
Tagged with:
 
sexysandor asked:


Trying to repair my credit,I do not want to pay someone to do this. What is the best way to do this, and where do I start?

Blanca
Tagged with: