The credit report dispute process may be easier than you think. For one thing, it is a very inexpensive proposition; you can get copies of your credit reports for free, once a year. Taking advantage of this free process is something you have to do so you are not unpleasantly surprised during a major purchase attempt.
There are three major credit reporting agencies that creditors are accountable to: Experian, Equifax and TransUnion. If you go to annualcreditreport.com, you can order free copies from all three right on one site. You’ll need all three because not every creditor reports to the same agencies, so while you might look good on one report, you might have problems on another.
Dispute letters to creditors are all part of the process of getting your good credit name back if you’ve gotten into a little trouble over the years. It all starts with copies of your credit reports, which you can then check for errors. These errors can be disputed with credit reporting agencies (TransUnion, Experian and Equifax) with a dispute letter (although Experian prefers you conduct the dispute process online). Errors on your credit report might include such items as charges that are over seven years of age. The law requires that these items be removed after that period of time; bankruptcies however, take ten years to come off.
If you are hoping to make a major purchase or secure a loan for something big like a house, then you know how important it is that you clean up your credit. These days, even if you are trying to get a small line of credit or land a new job, it is important that you have a clean credit report. Some prospective employers may request permission to run your credit, and if you refuse, know that you won’t get the job.
Your good credit can be used to determine your eligibility for everything from a loan to getting a new job. The credit report itself contains information such as your current and previous addresses, if you pay your bills in a timely manner, and even whether you have ever been sued or arrested, or filed for bankruptcy. That information is then gathered by three major reporting agencies, Experian, Equifax and TransUnion, and sold to potential employers, banks and financial institutions, who use it to determine whether or not to give you a loan or rent you a home. The Fair Credit Reporting Act seeks accuracy and privacy when it comes to information and credit, and you should frequently review your credit report to check for inaccuracies.
In these trying financial times, it is often asked: “How do I improve my credit score?” The answer is simple AND complicated. Your credit score is a crucial number, used by finance companies and banks to determine (along with other information) whether or not you are a good credit risk. A poor credit score is an indicator that you might not pay back your loan on time or at all, and they are not necessarily in the business of giving money away for nothing.
So many people worry about credit cards on a daily basis—and with good reason. What if they don’t pay their bills on time, what if the interest goes up, what if….
It’s that time again; the phone is ringing again about that credit card you can’t pay, and you are stressing out. So, what do you know about credit scores and charge off debts? Is it the end of the world if you have a charge off?
Credit reports can be a tricky nightmare, but if you pay your bills on time and do everything just right, your credit report can be an absolute gold mine. However, some people enter into circumstances that create more of a nightmare than a gold mine, and they end up with charge offs. Do you know how long charge off will stay on your credit report after they have been posted?
Having bad credit does not mean you will be automatically turned down for credit or a loan! There are ways to get past your bad credit history and turn it around so that you not only can get a loan, you can get favorable interest rates as well. It all starts with you applying for reports from the three major reporting agencies, TransUnion, Experian and Equifax. Once a year, and each time you might be turned down for credit, you are entitled to a copy of your credit report for free.
Self Help Credit Repair