Are you a sub-prime borrower? Chances are that you have had credit issues in the past. There are many reasons for you to make credit repair an immediate priority in your life. There are also many reasons that you might hesitate. Credit reports are not fun to read. Past credit issues are not fun to think about. But there is a lot at stake. Consider hiring a credit repair professional to help you through the process. You can regain control over your own life.

Sub-Prime Financing an Overview

Sub-prime mortgage financing has gotten a bit of a bad rap recently as home values have moderated and borrowers have been unable to escape the inevitable rate increase that is built into the vast majority of sub-prime mortgages. There has been a fair amount of financial hardship blamed on the sub-prime mortgage industry. But there is more to the sub-prime market than meets the eye.

The Benefits

Did you know that over 20 percent of all mortgages originated from 2004 through 2006 were sub-prime mortgages? The sub-prime mortgage industry was developed to accommodate the enormous number of Americans that, due largely to bad credit, could not qualify for traditional home financing. Home ownership is a legitimate and valuable financial goal. And sub-prime financing made it possible for an amazing number of Americans to own homes.

Reality Sets In

Are you facing an interest rate increase? It is true that the sub-prime market has largely evaporated. But there is still hope. Forget the mortgage market and turn your attention to yourself. It’s time to become very proactive about your own credit report. And it is absolutely essential that you act immediately. Please don’t neglect this advice. I am well aware that a large number of people with credit issues feel completely helpless. The thought of consulting a credit repair professional may seem pointless. Nothing could be farther from the truth.

Credit Repair Can Save Your Life

I have provided credit repair services to people for a very long time. I speak from experience. Almost without exception people are amazed at the impact that a competent credit repair professional can have on their credit scores, the content of their credit report, and on their ability to completely transform their financial life. When I say that credit repair can save your life I am totally serious. It can also save your house. It can save you tens of thousands of dollars. It can bring you confidence and the long lost knowledge that you have control over your own life.

It’s Your Life

I know that you do not want to be dependant on the availability of sub-prime financing. It is time to take action. The first step is to consult a credit repair professional. You might be surprised to hear that your past credit problems are probably not the sole, or for that matter, the largest factor in your low credit scores. There are a terrible number of errors ranging from subtle misreporting to obvious redundancy that plague consumers and damage their credit scores. The first step in an effective credit repair program is to identify every single one of these issues and eliminate them. But there is more.

Credit Score & Credit Content

Real credit repair requires an intimate knowledge of the impact that every item on your report can have on your credit score. A credit repair professional will make sure that everything that can be done to improve your scores is being done correctly. You cannot afford to ignore anything. The impact of a competent and complete credit repair effort is amazing. Innumerable people start credit repair programs with a skeptical attitude and end up as true believers.

You Have the Power

You have the power to transform your own life. Please don’t believe that because you have made late payments in the past that you are destined to live a life of financial gloom. If you take action to repair your credit you will discover a whole new world of possibilities. Just put one foot in front of the other. Seek the advice of a credit repair professional. When the time comes to refinance your mortgage you will discover that you have more choice than you ever thought. You can make it happen.

Article courtesy of Jim Kemish at Sky Blue Credit Repair. Additional articles by Jim may be seen at Credit Repair Blog.

Do you own a home? Do you have the security of a savings account? Can you afford to set aside a percentage of your take-home pay for investment? Everything that you do in life is connected to your credit report. There is nothing that can have as significant an impact on your life, and ultimately on your financial freedom. It’s worth taking a close look.

The Interest Rate Connection

Most people that embark on a program of credit repair have a single and valuable short term goal in mind. The most common goal is home ownership. In many cases consumers with credit issues simply can’t qualify for mortgage financing. These individuals would like to improve their credit scores enough to obtain mortgage approval. There are also a large number of people in credit repair programs that currently own homes but due to credit issues received expensive sub-prime financing. They would like to improve their credit scores enough to refinance into a better mortgage and reduce their payments.

Building Personal Wealth

Both of these goals are valid. Historically home ownership has been the foundation of almost all personal wealth. Home ownership is also likely to be the largest financial obligation that you will have in your life. And the quality of your credit will determine the size of the monthly payment associated with home ownership. The importance of this connection is enormous.

Home Ownership Costs and Benefits

Homeowners with sub-prime mortgage financing typically pay a premium of up to two percent on their mortgage rate. This interest premium on a typical $200,000 mortgage amounts to $333 per month, or $4,000 per year. In addition, sub prime borrowers are usually limited to some form of adjustable rate financing that often results in additional premium costs to them over time. There are many benefits to home ownership that may outweigh these extra costs. But there are also actions that you can take to eliminate the extra costs and the looming adjustable rate adjustments as soon as possible.

Credit Repair Works

Don’t underestimate the power of credit repair. You would do yourself a horrible disservice by ignoring the potential improvement in your credit report that can result from an informed review of the content of your credit and a systematic program of repair. Dealing with the credit bureaus can be challenging, but if you take some time you can learn how to do this yourself, or you can hire a reputable credit repair company.

Enormous Benefits

What is credit repair worth to you? The case above is pretty typical. An improvement in your credit score may very well save you in excess of $333 per month. What would this do for your life? If you were to deposit that $333 each month into a money-market account earning 5%, in ten years your account would have grown to $51,000. In twenty years this same account would have a balance of $136,000. Not a bad return on your credit repair efforts.

The Tip of the Iceberg

If instead of investing your monthly savings in a money-market account you were to apply that $333 each month to the principle balance on your new mortgage, assuming an interest rate of 6% you will pay off your mortgage in seventeen years instead of thirty. Would you enjoy being mortgage free? What if I were to tell you that your mortgage is just the tip of the iceberg? Do you want to know the real benefit of great credit? Consider every single thing that your credit will affect. Think about your auto loans, credit cards, personal loans, and equity lines. The math is staggering.

Take Action

It’s up to you. Make sure that your credit is every bit as good as it can possibly be. Don’t let anything stand in the way of taking action. You can undertake a program of credit repair on your own. Or you can check out a couple of good credit repair companies. Speak to them on the phone. Ask questions. They should have many years of experience in dealing with the credit bureaus and be experts in the field of credit scoring. There is so much to gain. Be proactive.

Article courtesy of Jim Kemish at Sky Blue Credit Repair. Additional articles by Jim may be seen at Credit Repair Blog.

Who are the credit bureaus?

Here at Sky Blue Credit we speak with people about their credit all day long. There is a common misconception that the credit bureaus are in some way connected to the government. It’s not true – they are nothing but big business. There is no government charter or anything of the sort. And yet there may be nothing that has such a profound influence on your financial life.

There are three credit bureaus that matter. They are Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion. Their business is to gather credit data about you and sell it to potential creditors to determine your credit worthiness.

There is a fourth bureau called Innovis that you may hear of occasionally. Innovis is a major compiler of credit data which is used for pre-screening those unsolicited credit card offers we all get in the mail. Mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac contributed to the rise of Innovis in 2001 by demanding that all of their mortgage servicers report borrowers’ pay histories to Innovis. I suspect that we will all hear more about Innovis in the future, but for the moment it has no direct impact on your life.

What is a credit score?

At the moment all three bureaus use a single scoring model called the FICO score. FICO is an acronym for the developer of the score, Fair Isaac and Co. The three bureaus have branded the FICO model for their own marketing so you may hear it called different names. Equifax calls it a BEACON score, TransUnion calls it an EMPIRICA score, and Experian (who seems to lack imagination) calls it the EXPERIAN/Fair Isaac Risk Model.

Why are your three scores different?

Your scores with each bureau are different because each bureau gathers information from a slightly different mix of creditors. If you were to look carefully at your three reports you will notice that some accounts are missing on each bureau. Timing also plays a roll. A recent change in your credit may be picked up sooner at one bureau than another.

What’s included in your score?

Everyone wants to know what they should do to improve their credit scores. The exact method for calculating your credit score is a secret. But Fair Isaac offers a fair amount of information about the essentials. There is a lot of information on your report. And not all categories of information carry the same weight in the score calculation.

Your payment history is the big ingredient. This category includes the obvious installment and revolving debt payments. It also includes public records and collections. The age of any derogatory item in this category diminishes its impact on your score. Fair Isaac indicates that his category makes up 35% of your score.

The balances you owe make up the next category. Different weights are given to revolving versus installment balances. The relationship between the balance and the credit limit on your revolving accounts is a big factor. And the relationship between the current balance and the original balance on installment loans is taken into consideration as well. Fair Isaac indicates that this category makes up 30% of your score.

The length of your credit history is a factor as well. New credit will have a negative impact on your score, and those accounts that you have kept alive and healthy for years have a good impact. This category makes up 15% of your score.

Your new credit and your recent credit inquiries are a factor. If you have new credit or have had your credit run recently you have increased your debt load, or you are about to. Either way you will lose a few points on this one. Fair Isaac weighs this at 10% of your score.

The type of your credit is the last ingredient and the final 10% of the calculation. This is a bit more mysterious. There is some ideal mix of mortgage, installment, retail store cards, revolving accounts, and consumer debt that Fair Isaac will reward. Fair Isaac won’t say exactly what the perfect mix is, but in our experience the key is to build and maintain a well managed balance of accounts, make your payments on time, and try to keep those revolving balances down.

Article courtesy of Jim Kemish at Sky Blue Credit Repair. Additional articles by Jim may be seen at Credit Repair Blog.

Are there entries on your credit report that do not belong to you? These may be the result of a file merger error on the part of the credit bureaus. Or they may be the result of a more nefarious case of identity theft. The Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) gives you very specific and powerful tools to correct cases of identity theft and to quickly block the erroneous information from appearing on your credit report and impacting your credit scores.

Section 611

Most disputes are governed by FCRA Section 611 procedures which rule that “if the completeness or accuracy of any item of information contained in a consumer’s file at a consumer reporting agency is disputed by the consumer and the consumer notifies the agency directly, or indirectly through a reseller, of such dispute, the agency shall, free of charge, conduct a reasonable reinvestigation to determine whether the disputed information is inaccurate and record the current status of the disputed information, or delete the item from the file, before the end of the 30-day period beginning on the date on which the agency receives the notice of the dispute.”

A Powerful Credit Repair Tool

Section 611 procedures are normally fine, but if you have a pending transaction that requires your credit report to be in top form and time is of the essence you should consider getting out the big guns. The FCRA remedy for identity theft is the most powerful and quick acting tool available. But before you utilize this powerful credit repair tool you need to determine that the erroneous information on your report is something more than a file merger problem.

Assess the Situation

Many of the erroneous entries that appear on consumer’s credit reports are due to annoying file merger problems resulting from deficiencies in the credit bureau’s data management systems. These are altogether too common and do not fall into the category of identity theft. If you examine your credit report and discover an account that does not belong to you it is essential to take action immediately. The first step is to call the creditor that is furnishing the data to the credit bureau and ask them if the account is truly under your name. In many cases victims of file mergers discover quickly that these mysterious accounts belong to someone with similar identifying characteristics, like a similar name. In this case your credit repair efforts will fall under Section 611 as indicated above. But if the creditor says that it is your account and verifies your name and address, and you know that this is an account that you never personally opened it is time to act.

The Dispute

An Identity Theft Dispute must include an Identity Theft Report which may be obtained from an authorized agency including, but not limited to, your local police department, the FTC, the States Attorney General Office, and The United States Post Office. In addition to the Identity Theft Report you must include clear proof of your identity, identification of each suspect account on your report, and a statement that the suspect information is not related to any transaction made by you. Don’t make the mistake of providing speculation about the disputed items. The credit bureaus only want the simple facts. Many credit repair efforts are foiled by too much information. Don’t muddy the water.

Immediate Results

Once you have properly submitted an Identify Theft Dispute to one of the credit bureaus they are required to take immediate action. The FCRA (Section 605B) mandates that a credit bureau block the reporting of any information that you have identified as having resulted from identity theft within four business days of the receipt of your dispute. The blocking of information means that it cannot be included on your credit report nor have any impact on your credit scores. To further accommodate your dispute the three credit bureaus, Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion must refer your dispute to each other. This eliminates the burden of dealing with your credit repair project in triplicate. Other rights related to identity theft include Fraud Alerts and Credit Freeze which may or may not be appropriate for your situation.

Contact a Credit Repair Professional

If you feel in doubt about the process and want clarification contact a credit repair professional. Most reputable credit repair companies will offer a free consultation and take the time to clarify any concerns that you may have. If you would rather hire someone instead of doing it yourself, a competent credit repair professional can perform the work for you in an efficient and careful manner.

Article courtesy of Jim Kemish at Sky Blue Credit Repair. Additional articles by Jim may be seen at Credit Repair Blog.

Beware of Store Cards

Department stores love to push their credit cards by offering a discount on your purchase if you sign up on the spot. This can be a good deal. But it is handy to know that store cards create triple trouble on your credit report. First, your score will be reduced because of the inquiry. Second, your score will be reduced because of the new account that will soon appear on your report. And third, store cards tend to give a low credit line, often just above your purchase amount. This can be terribly damaging as the FICO credit scoring model puts a lot of weight on the relationship between your balance and your high credit limit.

Watch That High Limit

We speak to people all day long about their credit reports. One of the bits of advice that we like to offer our customers is to pretend they only have half the limit on their credit card that they really have. It takes some discipline to do this but it can make a big difference on your credit score. As soon as your balance exceeds fifty percent of your available limit your credit score will start to suffer. If your credit balances are currently close to your credit limits you might consider calling the credit card companies and asking them to increase your limit. You will be amazed at how fast this can make your score go up!

The Auto Shopping Credit Trap

I can’t tell you the number of times that we have looked at a credit report and seen multiple auto credit inquiries. When we ask our customer they inform us that they only went to two different dealers. Auto dealers will often shop for the best interest rate for you. If they shop with three auto finance companies you will have three credit inquiries. These multiple inquiries can have a significant impact on your score. This is not the auto dealers fault. After all, they are acting your best interest, but it is best to be aware of the possibilities. If you are shopping for a car I would suggest not providing your Social Security number until you are settled on the car you want.

No More Mr. (or Mrs.) Nice Guy (or Gal)

Just about every day in the credit repair business we come across someone that was nice enough to co-sign for someone on a car loan. I’m sorry to say this, but chances are that if they need you to co-sign they will not make their payments on time. And this will kill your credit scores. I know that this is a tough call. It is hard to say “no”. If this situation arises in your life I suggest an alternative approach. Go ahead and co-sign. But when the payment book arrives ask them to give it to you. Have them pay you instead of the auto finance company. You will make the payments on time. And maybe they will feel some extra obligation to make their payments to you on time as opposed to some anonymous auto finance company.

Don’t get complacent

Check your credit from time to time. In December of 2003 Congress passed the Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act (FACT Act) which, among other things gives you the right to get a free credit report from each bureau one time per year. This law was passed to protect you from the credit reporting errors that occur far too frequently. Don’t imagine that because you are doing everything right that the credit bureaus are reporting everything correctly. Get your reports and proof read them carefully. It’s your right.

No explanations needed

Are there errors on your report? Whatever you do please don’t write an explanation for the credit bureaus to include on your credit report. No creditor wants to see your story. Sorry! But it’s true. If there is something wrong on your credit report you should dispute it! If you don’t feel up to the challenge of dealing with the credit bureaus hire a reputable credit repair company. They have the experience and knowledge to get the job done for you. A good credit repair company should be affordable and efficient. You should never have to commit for a predetermined period of time. Before you hire someone pick up the phone and talk to them. Make sure you are comfortable. It’s your money

Article courtesy of Jim Kemish at Sky Blue Credit Repair. Additional articles by Jim may be seen at Credit Repair Blog.

The Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), and the Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act (FACTA) amendment to the FCRA of 2003, is the federal legislation that governs the credit reporting industry. Statutes of limitation for reporting time limits are provided by this legislation. Knowing how these time limits work is essential to any effective credit repair effort.

In Plain English

Let’s try to put some of this jargon into plain English. The term “statute of limitation” in the case of your credit reports, simply refers to the maximum amount of time that a derogatory item can continue to be reported. When the statute of limitation passes for any negative item on your credit report, that item should vanish. There are an amazing number of violations of these time limits that may appear on your report. Some violations are intentional as in the case of many of the collection accounts that we see, and others are due to a simple failure of the highly complex credit reporting system. A careful credit repair effort can eliminate these violations.

An Interesting Point

In a moment we will review statutes of limitation for the most common types of derogatory information. But you might find it interesting to know that the Federal Trade Commission permits the credit bureaus to delete information at any time at their discretion. There is no requirement that the bureaus wait until the passing of a statute of limitation date to stop reporting.

Collections and Charge Offs

Collections and charge offs must cease reporting seven years plus 180 days from the initial delinquency that led to the collection status or to the charge off. The initial delinquency is the date of the first 30 day late status that led to the collection or charge off. This period of time cannot be reset by any subsequent payment or for any other reason. The clock starts with the original creditor. Collectors such as assignees, attorneys, or collection agencies must abide by the same original statue of limitation expiration date. Neither the original creditor nor collectors can extend these reporting limits. Any attempt to do so is illegal. Unfortunately this law is often ignored. Effective credit repair efforts require a very exacting examination of these dates.

Bankruptcy

Chapter 7 bankruptcies can report for 10 years from the discharge date. Chapter 13 bankruptcies can report for 7 years from the filing date. But be aware that if the Chapter 13 is not completed the reporting limit is extended to 10 years. I mentioned above that the credit bureaus are allowed to delete information from your report prior to the expiration of statute of limitation. Any credit repair effort should take this flexibility into consideration. Bankruptcy is a case where we highly recommend requesting removal. If you are five or more years past discharge your request may be honored.

Tax Liens

Paid tax liens can report for 7 years from the date of payment. Unpaid tax liens can report for as long as they are in effect. Please be aware that most unpaid tax liens are released by the IRS after 10 years. The IRS will usually provide a lien release upon request after the 10 year limit has past. When you provide the release to the credit bureaus they will cease reporting. There are cases that allow the IRS to re-file. Please speak to your CPA or tax attorney for clarification before contacting the IRS!

Judgments

Generally, unpaid judgments will cease reporting 7 years after the filing date. However, unpaid judgments are a case where state statute of limitation will overrule federal statute. Your state may allow unpaid judgments to report for longer than 7 years. State statutes of limitation are easily found on the internet. Paid judgments may be reported for 7 years from the filing date. No state statutes may overrule federal limits for paid judgments.

Gone but Not Gone

Derogatory information that falls off of your credit report due to an expiration of the statutory time limit does not get deleted. This obsolescent information should not continue to appear on your credit report, but it is not gone. If you apply for a loan for over $150,000, life insurance with a death benefit over $150,000, or a job that pays over $75,000, your potential lender, insurer, or employer has the right to view your prior history. This fact adds some additional support to the case for credit report vigilance. If you are attempting credit repair and have erroneous info on your report it is best to dispute it now. Waiting for the statue of limitation to pass may not produce the clean result that you want. Disputed items that get deleted are literally removed from your credit report.

Article courtesy of Jim Kemish at Sky Blue Credit Repair. Additional articles by Jim may be seen at Credit Repair Blog.

An Overview of Re-Aging

Credit card issuers have the ability to bring your account current and wipe out your entire record of late payments using a procedure called “re-aging”. Re-aging, if managed properly, can be a fantastic credit repair tool. The re-aging guidelines were set by the Federal Financial Institutions Examination Council (FFIEC) in June of 2000 for the purpose of helping “borrowers overcome temporary financial difficulties, such as loss of job, medical emergency, or change in family circumstances like loss of a family member”.

The Policy Background

The FFIEC is a formal interagency body empowered by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, and others, to prescribe principles and standards in the supervision of financial institutions. The re-aging guidelines are observed by all credit card issuers with the understanding that they can take a more “conservative” stance at their discretion. Credit Unions did not opt to adopt this policy, but if you have a credit card with a credit union it does not hurt to ask if they have a re-aging policy.

Some Plain English

It sounds great so far! But how does it work? Re-aging is defined as “returning a delinquent, open-end account to current status without collecting the total amount of principle, interest, and fees that are contractually due”. And it means what it says. If you meet certain, very reasonable, guidelines your credit card issuer will wipe out your bad credit. What are those guidelines?

Nuts and Bolts

There are a few basic rules. The account has to have existed for at least 9 months, you have to offer to make three on-time payments or an equivalent lump sum payment before the re-aging will be finalized, you cannot re-age an account more than one time in any 12 month period and no more than 2 times in any 5 year period. Working on credit repair? Please note that there is no limit on the number of accounts that you can re-age. But I suggest you complete one effort first to get comfortable.

Your Part of the Deal

Just so you understand, this process is designed for cardholders that have a renewed willingness and ability to make payments in a timely manner. Like any credit repair effort there is no point if you fall behind again. It is also designed for cardholders that have experienced a financial hardship. Remember the list of hardships that constitute acceptable causes of past financial problems: loss of job, medical emergency, and change in family circumstances like loss of a family member. There may be other equally acceptable events. But since the re-aging process is taken seriously you should not expect that your request be honored if you say that you just didn’t want to pay your bills!

Getting Started

Are you ready to get started? Call the credit card issuer and ask them to explain their re-aging policy. Some issuers use the term, “curing”. If the person on the phone does not know what you are talking about you should ask for a supervisor. You will want to organize your thoughts in advance. Remember that you need to communicate the reasons for your past delinquency and your renewed willingness and ability to pay on time from now on.

The Deal

Re-aging deals can differ from one issuer to the next. You will want to make sure that all derogatory information will be deleted from your account. It is also a good idea to get the details in writing. Anyone who has made a credit repair effort knows that verbal agreements with creditors have a pretty poor record of success. If they won’t put it in writing, at least take careful notes including the name and direct phone number of the person that you are speaking with.

A Caution

Removing derogatory information from your credit is a great thing. It is the goal of every credit repair effort. But it is important to keep your FICO score in mind as well. If the issuer resets the opening date on your account when they remove your derogatory information you may lose points, depending on the number and age of other accounts on your report. Ask the issuers specifically if they will reset the open date. Some do and some don’t. If they will, you’ll want to consider the impact on your scores. FICO loves old accounts. If you have plenty of accounts with many years of history there is no problem. But if your credit is young and limited resetting an older account could be a set back, at least temporarily.

Article courtesy of Jim Kemish at Sky Blue Credit Repair. Additional articles by Jim may be seen at Credit Repair Blog.

Home ownership has always been considered an integral part of the American Dream. Over the last fifty years those that were able to realize this dream have experienced a great financial benefit. Home ownership, in fact, has contributed more to the wealth of the individual than any other investment. But there is another side to home ownership; it is also the most significant financial obligation that most people will ever undertake. If managed properly home ownership can be a source of great pleasure. If mismanaged, the results can be devastating.

Better Rate More Choice

I have helped people repair and restore their credit reports since 1989. The most common concern amongst our customers has always been the impact that their credit report will have on the mortgage application process. The relationship between your credit and your mortgage is simple; the better your credit, the lower your interest rate and the more choice you will have among mortgage programs.

The Potential of Credit Repair

If you have had credit issues in the past it is essential to your financial life that you have a very clear understanding of how credit repair can help get you back on solid financial ground again. To understand the potential of credit repair there is a myth that needs to be dispelled. This myth is that you are the only one who can repair your own credit. This is a line that was originally promulgated by the credit bureaus and is now parroted by others.

Can You Do it Yourself?

The motivation of the credit bureaus to sell the do-it-yourself campaign was obvious to those of us in the credit repair business. The credit bureaus are well aware of the fact that the vast majority of individuals that undertake the effort to repair their own credit do not have the time or tenacity to understand the system. And without a proper understanding most people will quit out of frustration, or give up believing that they have done everything that can be done. Either way, the credit bureaus will save time and money.

The Role of the Credit Repair Professional

All professions provide the benefit of a mastery of their own field. Although it is certainly true that you could repair your own credit, it is equally true that you could make your own clothes or repair your own car. The economy thrives on the diversity of expertise that is offered in the marketplace. Those that do not have the time or energy to do the extensive research needed to do a job properly can hire someone else to do the work for them. A credit repair professional offers the benefit of his experience in dealing with the three credit bureaus, creditors, and collection agencies. He should also have an in depth understanding of everything that can have an impact on your credit score.

Improving Your Credit Scores

Would you like to purchase a home or refinance to a lower interest rate? The mortgage that you are able to obtain will be entirely dependant on the content of your credit report. As a credit repair professional I speak to people daily who have been told that they either cannot qualify for a mortgage due to their credit, or only qualify for a very expensive sub-prime mortgage. In our examination of their credit reports we often discover that there are a significant number of errors that are depressing their credit scores dramatically.

Putting Your Credit to Work for You

Much of the misreported information that appears on credit reports goes unrecognized. Items such as duplicate accounts, understated high credit limits, and misstated account opening dates are often ignored because they are not derogatory per se. These items along with the obvious erroneous derogatory information can all be cleaned up. And the results can make the difference between an affordable mortgage and a stressful monthly payment.

Choose Carefully

The American Dream is achievable and it depends on your credit. If you have the time and inclination to learn credit repair yourself you should make the effort. If you do not feel up to the task you should hire someone to get the job done for you. And, in making the decision you should remember the potential impact that your credit can have on your life. You work hard for your money. Make sure that your credit works just as hard for you.

Article courtesy of Jim Kemish at Sky Blue Credit Repair. Additional articles by Jim may be seen at Credit Repair Blog.

Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA)

The FDCPA is the consumer protection act designed to prohibit abusive practices by debt collectors. The FDCPA specifically defines a collector as any person that collects debts owed to others, and may include attorneys that collect debts on a regular basis. Note that the language indicates “debts owed to others”, and therefore excludes original creditors from its scope.

Getting Started

When a debt collector initiates a collection effort they must send you a written notice indicating: 1) How much you owe, 2) The name of the creditor to whom the debt is owed, 3) Notice that unless you, within thirty days after receipt of the notice, dispute the validity of the debt or any portion thereof, the debt will be assumed valid by the debt collector, 4) That if you dispute the debt in full or in part within thirty days, the debt collector will obtain verification of the debt and mail it to the consumer, and 5) Upon written request within thirty days, the debt collector will provide you with the name and address of the original creditor, if different from the current creditor.

Exercising Your Rights

Your rights under the FDCPA, as indicated above, allow you to dispute the validity of the debt in full or in part within 30 days of receiving written notice. Your legal rights, as in all credit repair efforts, are the tools that you will use to establish the facts. An extra benefit of disputing the validity of the debt is that the collector must cease all communication until they have furnished the documentation that you have requested. In many cases, especially with older debts where documentation could be hard to obtain, you may never hear from the collector again.

Bringing an Attorney into the Picture

If you have an attorney, the debt collector must contact the attorney instead of you. This is a good way to put an end to abusive collection calls. The collector will undoubtedly be on best behavior when communicating with an attorney and a good deal of grief may be avoided. In many cases unscrupulous collectors sense weakness in the consumer and take advantage, often acting illegally to extort payment. We highly recommend hiring an attorney for anyone that feels out of their depth and uncomfortable when speaking with a pushy collector.

Cease Communication Letter

If you would like the debt collector to stop contacting you altogether you can send a letter asking them to stop. Once they receive your letter, they are allowed to contact you only one additional time for the purpose of telling you that they intend to take a certain specific action. This strategy is often recommended by credit repair companies, but be aware that in some cases, especially with recent or large collections, your letter may push the collector into taking legal action to recover, such as filing a lawsuit.

Statue of Limitations

Statutes of limitations (SoL) for collecting debt are typically far less than the SoL for reporting on your credit report. Debts may be collectable through the courts for as little as three years. If a debt is beyond the SoL the collector may attempt to pursuade you to pay, but as he cannot enforce the collection, his efforts have no “teeth”. Communicate your knowledge of the SoL to the collector. As an aside, should a collector attempt to collect a post-SoL debt by filing a lawsuit, you must appear and raise the SoL defense to have the lawsuit dismissed. It is also crucial to understand that the SoL clock starts with the original creditor. For most states the clock starts on the day you made your last payment on the account. This date can not be reset by the passing from creditor to collector, or from one collector to another. But beware that in some states partial payment can reset the SoL clock. Check your state statutes of limitation, easily found on the internet, or speak with a credit repair expert before assuming anything.

Bad Behavior

The FDCPA prohibits a wide range of specific inappropriate behavior by collectors. Prohibited practices include contacting you before 8 a.m. or after 9 p.m., calling you at work if you tell them that your employer does not approve, use of threats, obscene language, repeated calls designed to scare you into making payment, implying affiliation with the government, or implying that you have could be arrested for not paying a debt. In the credit repair business we are regularly asked about specific collection practices. Many of the stories we hear detail outrageous and illegal behavior…

Pick up the Phone

If you feel that a collector is behaving in an improper or illegal manner, the ultimate resource for answers is the FTC. If you find yourself on the telephone with a collector in such a situation it is entirely appropriate for you take careful notes: Ask their name (the FDCPA prohibits the use of false names), ask them to repeat anything that you are uncomfortable with, and then call the FTC. They welcome phone calls. The toll-free number is (877) FTC-HELP. That’s easy!

Article courtesy of Jim Kemish at Sky Blue Credit Repair. Additional articles by Jim may be seen at Credit Repair Blog.

You have the power to shape your own future. Where do you want to go? What do you want to achieve? What would you like your life to look like one year from now? Or five years from now? If you really decide on success there is nothing that can stop you from achieving your goals.

Write Down Your Goals

One of the most powerful secrets of success is a clear written statement of your personal goals. Writing down your goals will solidify them in your mind. As your goals become part of your daily awareness you will naturally begin to make productive decisions that will lead you towards success. This is the power of the sub-conscious. Take some time everyday to consider the direction that you want your life to take and you will find yourself moving in that direction. When considering your personal goals you should think about every aspect of your life; financial, business, health and fitness, and personal relationships. You will be amazed at the results. The more specific you can be in picturing your goals, the more information you give your sub-conscious to work with.

The Power of Good Credit

Your credit report can have a profound effect on your financial freedom. Whatever your personal goals are, chances are good that your credit report will determine the availability and quality of the financing that can contribute to your success. Don’t worry about credit issues of the past. Start from where you are. I guarantee that with the right effort you can have the type of credit that you deserve. Credit repair may be the perfect first step in preparing yourself for a successful future.

Your Credit is a Tool

It is natural as you move towards your goals in life that you feel the need to make yourself as effective and efficient as possible. Your credit report should be as good as it can possibly be. Your credit is a tool that can give you the access and respect that you need in order to achieve your dreams. If you make an informed and focused credit repair effort there will be nothing that can stop you from having the kind of credit report that you want.

The Secret of Credit Repair

Credit repair, to be truly successful, requires a complete understanding of everything that contributes towards your credit scores. It also requires a patient and thorough look at every single bit of data on each of your reports. The most effective credit repair professionals will treat every line on your report with equal attention. You would do yourself a grave disservice by looking only at the derogatory items.

The Power of Specialization

It is true that you can do your own credit repair. It is also true that you can make your own clothes. I have been helping people with credit repair since 1989. I think that the analogy is reasonable. It takes a lot of experience to make a decent looking outfit. I’m sure that if I were to attempt to make my own clothes that the result would be pretty sad looking. Besides, I have other things to do with my time. Did you know that our entire economy is built on the benefits of specialization? Personally, I care enough about my appearance to let an expert make my clothes for me. How important is your credit to you? Do you want to learn the entire credit repair trade from the ground up? What is the best use of your time?

A New Energy

Credit repair can be an important ingredient in moving your life to the next level. You will experience a new found confidence that comes from knowing that your life is in order and you are moving in the right direction. That feeling of empowerment will contribute greatly to your ability to achieve all of your goals. There is nothing like the energy that you will experience when you know that you are moving in the right direction.

Keep Up the Momentum

Review your goals everyday. Don’t let a day go by without considering the direction that you have chosen for your life. Think about what you really want and you will discover that all of the tools and ideas that you need for success will come to you. Pay attention to those inspired ideas and take action on them. Soon you will discover that everything that you have visualized for yourself has materialized. Are you ready? Take that first step right now and nothing can stop you.

Article courtesy of Jim Kemish at Sky Blue Credit Repair. Additional articles by Jim may be seen at Credit Repair Blog.