Archive for July, 2009

3 Credit Repair Secrets Creditors Don’t Want You to Know

Freddie Johnson asked:




Believe it or not, there are actually quite a few credit repair secrets that your creditors and the credit reporting agencies do not want you to know about. When you start taking measures to repair your credit, it can cost both the creditors and the reporting agencies a great deal of money.

There are many different credit repair secrets that they do no want you to be familiar with, but the one we want to focus on here is the ability to dispute negative items on your credit report.

You can significantly improve your credit by disputing the negative items that you find on your credit report. Using a letter that is correctly formatted is the way to accomplish this, and when you do so it is always a good idea to keep a copy of the letter you send as well.

You may also want to send along a copy of your credit report so they can see where the problem is as well. The following are a few simple steps that will help you effectively dispute the negative items on your credit report.

Step #1 – Get a Copy of Your Credit Report – The first thing you need to do is to get a copy of your credit report. Once you have your report, make sure you look it over for any mistakes. For every separate listing that is on your report, check out the information to make sure that it is really yours.

At times you may find that a wrong listing will end up on your report, so if you take care of these first, it will probably help to get rid of the other negative items.

Step #2 – List the Items You Want to Dispute – After taking care of wrong listings, then you can start looking at the negative items on your report and make up a list of things that you want to dispute. You should put the most harmful items at the top of your list to be taken care of first.

Then it is time for you to start writing. Each separate item should be addressed in a separate letter, and you should be sure to send the letter to each of the credit reporting agencies. Remember, this is one of the many credit repair secrets because agencies do not want to be disputed, but doing so is legal and will help to repair your credit.

Step #3 – Personalize and Use Strong Language – One of the reasons that these credit repair secrets are so “hush hush” is because creditors and credit reporting agencies do not want to investigate or get rid of the negative items on your credit reports.

You are going to have to use strong language and a great letter to get through to them. Although they may give you some trouble and tell you that you are not allowed to dispute items, remember that what you are doing is legal and that they are required to investigate the problem. Let them know with your words that you mean business.

It will take a few weeks for everything to get underway, but after they credit reporting agency investigates, then a new credit report should be issued. Make sure that you check out your report to be sure that negative items have been taken away. This is one of the best kept credit repair secrets, but once you learn how to use it, you can effectively repair your credit report.

Charles
 

Credit Repair After Divorce – 7 Things You MUST Know to Survive

Jason Bowen asked:




Credit repair after divorce is essential if you want to be financially sound. What often happens to the divorced parties’ credit is nothing short of tragic. Here are the things you must know in order to survive your divorce without ruining your credit rating.
If you’re considering divorce or separation, pay special attention to the status of your credit accounts. If you maintain joint accounts during this time, it’s important to make regular payments so that you won’t have to go through credit repair after divorce. As long as there’s an outstanding balance on a joint account, you and your spouse are BOTH responsible for it. After your divorce, close all joint accounts or accounts in which your former spouse was an authorized user, or ask the creditor to convert these accounts to individual accounts. By law, a creditor cannot close a joint account because of a divorce, but can do so at the request of either spouse. A creditor, however, does not have to change joint accounts to individual accounts after a divorce. The creditor can require you to reapply for credit on an individual basis and then, based on your new application, extend or deny you credit. In the case of a mortgage or home equity loan, a lender is likely to require refinancing to remove a spouse from the obligation after divorce. If you own a home together or cannot close a joint account, you may ask the creditor if they can send you duplicate statements so that you can keep tabs on the debt your ex is now paying. Better yet, if you can access the account online, you can get up-to-the-minute payment and balance details. Make sure that the divorce decree specifies that account passwords cannot be changed without your knowledge. Otherwise, you will likely have to undergo credit repair after divorce. Every credit account you have must be addressed as part of the settlement negotiation. Don’t assume that certain accounts are exempt. If you are contemplating divorce or separation and want to retain your good credit, remind yourself that you must separate your emotions from the decision-making process. The most common regret of recent divorcees is “trusting” their ex to make the right decision. Resist the urge to throw up your hands and say, “All I want is out!” or you will be in worse shape when you begin credit repair after divorce. If you need credit repair as a result of divorce (or for any reason), then you have to get help. But you don’t have to pay an attorney thousands of dollars. You can solve all your credit problems with a simple self-directed credit repair program, as recommended by the Federal Trade Commission.
Don’t leave your credit in the hands of fate–or worse yet, divorce attorneys. Prepare yourself for the worst and then take action to repair credit problems that result from your divorce or otherwise.

Sara
 

Credit Repair Lawyers – 3 Scenarios Where They Can Help

Ian Henman asked:




Not everyone needs a credit repair lawyer to improve their credit score. This isn’t to discredit the job that these professionals do in the industry of credit repair, rather to make the point that you can repair your own credit depending on the items you need to dispute, challenge, and/or remove.

How ever there are those cases and individuals that are suffering from a very low credit score, and just haven’t been able to catch a break in their personal financial lives. These folks are the ones who should really consider the assistance of a credit repair lawyer, not just because they need the job done quick, but also because there issues need more attention then just a form dispute letter sent into the credit bureaus. If this sounds like you’re scenario, and any of the following items pertain to you consider seeking the assistance of a lawyer to help remove the items, and improve your credit score.

1.) Repossession: Repossessions are difficult to remove from a credit report. Not something that a letter is going to resolve. There are particulars about a repo that can allow a credit repair lawyer to challenge and have the item deleted from your credit report, but it involves know more about the actual legal aspect of a repossession then actual credit repair.

2.) Foreclosures: Similar to a repossession these can occur when someone comes on hard luck, of course through not fault of their own. The down side is once they’re on your credit report they’re supposed to hang around for approximately seven years. It is possible to have them removed before that, but of course again it’s going to require specific knowledge in regards to the item itself.

3.) Bankruptcies: Probably one of the most dreaded negatives that can show on your credit history. They also can stay around for what seems like forever. Of course there are companies that will finance people in bankruptcy, how ever the interest rates they charge would make your eyes pop out of your head. A lawyer can work with a bankruptcy, and help to have it changed, modified, and sometimes deleted. Where the average individual wouldn’t know where to start with an item like this.

The moral of all this, no matter how bad you might think your credit is you always have options. Consider a credit repair lawyer, and at the very least seek advice and counsel from one. While you may not hire someone to take on your case, at the very least, you may get a better view of how you can go about helping yourself through the tough times.

Paula