The drive to pursue credit repair comes naturally to most people, because better credit scores mean access to more things and saves lots of money. Attempting to repair credit can look like a long, arduous journey. However, there are some tips that can make the trek a much easier travel than might be imagined.
If you notice a mistake in your credit report, you can make the corrections yourself. You will need to contact the major credit-reporting agencies and ask for assistance. This is pretty straight forward and there is no fee to do this. There are also publications that offer credit history self-help, as well.
An important tip to consider when working to repair your credit is to try to do it yourself without the assistance of a company. This is important because you will have a higher sense of satisfaction, your money will be allocated as you determine, and you eliminate the risk of being scammed.
If you are looking into a credit counselor, be sure to find out information about them before you choose to use them. There are some counselors that are real, while others are basically scammers. Other options are clearly scams. Wise consumers always verify that credit counselors are legitimate before dealing with them.
An important tip to consider when working to repair your credit is to try to sign up for automatic bill pay. This is important to consider because the money will automatically be taken out of your account and you will never be late, as long as the money is in there. Many times, it is simply forgetfulness that causes accounts to be paid late.
Do not dodge the calls from collections agencies. You have thirty days to make payment from the receipt of the collections notice before it shows up on your credit report. Quite often, they will allow you to break up the payment into a few monthly payments and it will not show on your credit report.
When you dispute bad reports with the credit bureaus, always focus on specific charges you want lifted. Complaining about your credit score in general is a bad idea. There is little that the bureaus can do about your credit status as a whole, and they will not appreciate your demands to the contrary.
If you are trying to repair or increase your credit score, then pay attention to all of your credit cards. Many lenders are unexpectedly lowering the limits on many of their cards. A lowered limit will result in a sudden jump in the percentage of your credit that you are using, which will have a significant negative effect on your credit score.
If you are working to repair your credit and have discovered errors on your credit report, you need to work to ensure they are corrected immediately. Be sure to make all requests in writing, maintain a correspondence file, and document all phone calls, emails or other communication. You may need the documentation to serve as proof to the legal system in the event you have trouble getting erroneous information removed.
If you are in the midst of repairing your credit and find that you are having difficulty paying bills on time due to financial stress, call the financial institution and see what options there may be for you. You may qualify for an economic hardship deferment of a loan or for reduced payments. You never know unless you ask!
Don't use all of the credit available to you. Credit agencies use a debt to available credit ratio when calculating FICO scores. When debt is at a high percentage, the credit score is lowered. Keeping available credit on every account that you have will not only help your score, but will also give you some options should there be a costly emergency.
Don't accumulate any new debts. This way you can focus on paying off debts that you already owe. When you acquire new debts, it can make paying off other ones harder. If you must use a credit card for a purchase, make sure to pay it off in full to avoid interest fees.
If you are behind on some bills, catch up as soon as you can. The longer that you pay your bills on time, the higher your credit score will be. Don't beat yourself up if you are way behind right now, just budget your money so that you can have a time frame of when you will be caught up.
Consolidate many of your highest interest rate credit cards into one large balance with a lower interest rate. You could do this by transferring all of your balances onto your lowest interest rate credit cards. However, make sure that you do not go over the maximum balance of your lowest interest rate cards, or you may actually do damage to your credit.
Avoid new debt! When you're in the process of repairing your credit, the last thing you want to do is add more debt to your load. You will have an easier time repaying old debts, if you don't accumulate new debts - you will have to pay too!
Be cautious when considering a credit repair program or organization. Many for profit companies promise to clean up your credit in exchange for a paid fee yet are unable to deliver on their promise. Research appropriate methods of credit repair you can do yourself or work through an approved credit counseling bureau to improve your credit effectively.
After filing bankruptcy you may look for help with credit repair, but if you have a company call YOU, be wary! Some scam companies will troll bankruptcy filings, which are public record, and call unsuspecting people and rip them off. YOU should contact any credit repair company you wish to work with AFTER doing your research.
As mentioned earlier in this article, the pursuit of credit repair is a process that can take a long time. However, if you apply the advice given in this article, the journey can start now with effects that manifest in coming days. Follow these tips for a simple and solid start to restoring your credit score today.
Orignal From: How To Clean Up Your Credit Report
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