Credit Repair in the News

Credit repair is more important than ever. In a recent interview with MarketWatch, a Wall Street Journal website, the Consumer Operations manager for the MyFICO division of Fair Isaac spoke out about the importance of checking your credit reports. In the words of the article, “There may be some surprises waiting for you.”

A New Credit Repair Landscape

Creditors everywhere have tightened their guidelines. This new credit environment has made credit repair more important than ever before. And to make things even more difficult in these already challenging times, creditors have begun to reduce and close credit cards in order to limit their own risk exposure.

The Limit Reduction Problem

This action is doubly hard for consumers. First, these limit reductions are happening unexpectedly, even to those who have never made a late payment. And second, and even more damaging, is the snowball effect that follows. A major part of your credit score is based on the relationship between your current balance and your credit limit. When a creditor cuts your limit your balance-to-limit ratio increases and your credit score will fall, through no fault of your own.

The Snowball Effect

And the snowball starts rolling. Once the first creditor drops a limit and your scores fall, other creditors are likely to drop your limits as well. And the lower your scores the more prone you will be to this perfect storm of credit repair trouble. What to do?

Good Credit Repair Advice

The Consumer Operations Manager for MyFICO suggests that you do everything in your power to insure that your credit report is as clean as possible and your scores are optimized. And don’t make the mistake of thinking that paying your bills on time (as important as it is) is you need to do. Credit repair knowledge is power. Here is a summary of his credit repair tips, and our extrapolation.

Check Your Credit Reports

Look for changes in your account limits. And while you’re at it, check for errors. Errors come in many shapes. Derogatory information should cease reporting, generally, after seven years. You should know that the seven year reporting period clock starts on the date of the original default with the original creditor. The original default was the first reported late payment in the sequence that led to the charge off or collection status. Collectors cannot reset the clock with subsequent reporting. And while we are on the subject of collectors, you should know that if a collector no longer owns the debt, he is supposed to remove the account entirely from your credit report. When in doubt, challenge the item with the credit bureaus or hire a credit repair professional to manage the process for you.

Don’t Get Close to Your Credit Card Limits

A significant percentage of your credit score is based on your balance-to-limit ratio. Reduce your balances as much as possible. Less than 20% of your limit is the optimal balance. Many people are blindsided by precipitous drops in the scores when they max out a card, even when they have never been late on a payment.

Keep Accounts Active

Use your cards to keep them alive. Dormant cards are in danger of being closed by creditors and unless you have plenty of open accounts this could cause a drop in your scores and send you in search of credit repair solutions.

Pay Your Bills on Time



This seems like a no-brainer, but it is so important. Make sure you understand the impact your purchases will have on your budget. Try not to let yourself get spread too thin. A single late payment can have a big effect on your scores, and may even trigger adverse action, such as limit reduction, by your creditors.

Don’t Apply for New Credit Cards

We have warned against store cards for years, and MyFICO agrees. Store cards can be credit repair suicide as they often present a triple threat. First, you will have an inquiry. Second, you will have a new account which will weigh down your credit scores for several months. And last, and worst, is the fact that most store cards offer a credit limit only marginally over the amount of your purchase. Put these together and you get credit repair trouble.

Call for Credit Repair Help

If you are confused by all of the components of credit report and score management, or don’t have the time to handle the task on your own, don’t give up. Call a credit repair professional for help. A credit repair professional will manage the process for you and insure that everything possible is done to optimize your credit. Good luck! Copyright © 2008 James W. Kemish. All Content. All Rights Reserved.

Credit Repair Works

Credit repair works. And the results will have a dramatic impact on your financial life. Lenders everywhere have tightened their credit requirements. Every single point on your credit score matters. Credit blemishes can quickly translate into higher interest rates and even loan denials. You cannot afford to ignore the potential of credit repair. Do it yourself, or for a small investment you can hire a professional credit repair service to manage the process for you. Either way, now is the time to take action.

The Great Liberation

Free yourself from the illusion of authority. Many people make the mistake of giving too much credibility to the content of their credit reports. The power of the credit bureaus can be intimidating; we might believe our eyes against our better judgment. The credit bureaus play an important role in our world, but they are not without flaw. Over half of all credit reports include errors that are significant enough for the victims to pay premium interest rates, and, in many cases, to face loan denial. The credit bureaus maintain files on over 200 million Americans. That means that over 100 million Americans are victims of credit reporting errors.

The Credit Repair Plot Thickens



There is an unfortunate and unjust credit reporting anomaly that is virtually guaranteed to handicap those who can afford it the least. If you have had legitimate credit problems in the past you are more than twice as likely to be a victim of reporting errors as someone who has not had issues. There are two primary reasons for this; when you default on a debt the creditor is apt to move your account into another reporting category increasing the likelihood of duplicates and errors, and secondly, if an account is sent to a collector the lax reporting conformity of the collection industry can harm your credit needlessly for years to come.

And There is More

An informed examination of your credit report by a credit repair professional may turn up errors in many categories. Some of these errors are pure compliance violations that you are not likely to spot without training. If you are going to manage your own credit repair project make sure to do your homework before getting started. Educate yourself about reporting period limits for all categories of credit, make sure you understand the operation of statute of limitations, and peruse the Fair Credit Reporting Act and the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act. The little details can make the difference between success and failure.

The Credit Repair Solution



Understanding your rights and the compliance requirements of the credit bureaus will give you the legal leverage you need for your credit repair effort to succeed. Your credit bureau disputes are the cornerstone of your credit repair project, but there is more. True credit repair success should be measured by the improvement in your FICO credit scores. You must carry out your credit bureau disputes with an understanding of the impact every change in your credit report will have on your FICO scores. When you put it all together you will be thrilled with the results.

Help is Near

You are not alone. Many people don’t have the time to manage their credit repair project as carefully as necessary. If you feel that you can’t give it the attention it deserves, hire a credit repair professional. A professional will insure that every issue is identified, and will address your problems in an informed and careful manner designed to produce the best results. In addition, truly effective credit repair services will assist you in rebuilding and reshaping your credit to meet future lenders guidelines so that you will be left with genuinely useable credit. Whichever route you take, I urge you to act now. It’s your credit, and it matters.

Copyright © 2009 James W. Kemish. All Content. All Rights Reserved.

Credit Repair is a very debated topic on the net right now as to whether it’s legal, effective, ethical and an avenue worth pursuing for individuals with negative, inaccurate or unverifiable information on their credit reports. No matter where you search, you will find varying opinions in regard the legitimacy of the credit repair industry, from the FTC and Attorney General, to debt consolidation companies and law firms practicing credit repair companies.

First off to answer the question “is credit repair and its practitioners legal,” the answer is yes! There is a specific body of legislation, the Credit Repair Organizations Act (CROA) that outlines how credit repair companies may legally operate. This Federal regulation is proof that the industry as a whole is legal and not a scam. I think the negative overtones are more likely a case of a few hundred bad apples taking advantage of people.

The second most debated topic in many of the popular credit forums is whether or not one should even use a credit repair company, or give it a go themselves? The art of credit repair or credit restoration is not necessarily a difficult one to grasp and despite what a lot of the credit repair companies and lawyers would like you to believe, there is no “magical, proprietary dispute letter.” Remember, the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) was set up so that consumers could fix errors on their credit reports on their own. It was not set up so consumers could fix errors If they had the magic letter. It really is almost as simple as saying…

“Hey this is not my account, please verify the information and remove from my report”

So why would you consider hiring a company to improve your credit score if it is so easy? The art of credit repair is not perfectly written letter, but more of knowing the little tricks credit bureaus and collection agents use to avoid eliminating the debt.

As much bad press credit repair agencies have received, bureaus and collection agencies are no angels either. They try and trick you, they don’t always follow procedure and we’ve seen numerous cases of them breaking promises consumers have made with them when negotiating debt.

Credit report repair agencies should be well versed and know what to expect and exactly how to negotiate through all the little tricks that the average consumer wouldn’t. If you are lucky enough to be working with an ethical company that does its job and at a good price, it can work wonders for your credit score.

The people we spoke with that do favor using an agency to fix their credit, do so because typically it’s only 30.00 to 50.00 per month and they just don’t feel like dealing with the headaches, nor do they want to be their own guinea pigs.

If you do make the decision you would rather leave it to the pros, what steps should you take to make sure you’re hiring the right company? At the time of writing this there is very little governing the industry outside of CROA and it is a craps shoot for the most part.

However, there is hope on the horizon. Currently a non-profit organization is being formed called the National Credit Repair Association (NCRA) This industry organization brings overdue legitimacy and integrity to the credit repair field, and represents all certified credit repair organizations. The idea is that accredited credit repair firms are overseen to ensure they embody top standards and ethics, and adhere to all applicable state and federal laws in their practices. In other words, the “BBB” of the Credit Repair Industry.

We highly recommend that you utilize this service when fully launched as it will force legitimate companies to sign up much like they would the BBB and it will also weed out the unscrupulous credit repair companies who do not wish to adhere to standards. The credit repair industry is a legal and much needed industry, but much like any “new fad” it’s going to take time to get regulated, weed out the scum and let the professionals rise to the top.

In closing, credit repair is something that most Americans will probably have to deal with at some point in their lives. It can be done by you with a little homework, accurate record keeping and patience, or you can hire a firm just as long as you’ve done your homework, insist the company is a member of The NCRA and make sure they are not breaking laws when dealing with your personal credit scores.

Change Your Life



The words echo though the canyons of the Internet, “there is no credit repair quick fix”. This could not be farther from the truth. If you make the mistake of believing this you will have done yourself grave financial harm. Credit repair can, in fact, clean up the errors on your credit report and dramatically improve your credit scores in a very short amount of time. And in the current credit market environment this can mean a life changing difference in the interest rate you will get on a mortgage, or a car loan, and even in your ability to obtain financing when you need it. So how does it work?

The Mystery of Credit Repair



There was a time when a timely payment history meant that you had great credit. Would you be aghast to discover that this is no longer true? In fact, it is so far from the truth that it is quite possible to make every payment on time for years on end and still have a dismal credit score. And herein lays the mystery of credit repair. The days of common sense credit are all in the past. Credit score optimization now requires a virtual roadmap. How did this come about?

The End of Common Sense Credit

The era of common sense credit begin its demise in the mid 1950s, when two then unknown researchers at Stanford University first conceived of a predictive model of credit behavior. Their concept was that it would be possible for prospective lenders to make lending decisions based only on a numeric representation of the credit worthiness of a loan applicant. The two researchers were engineer Bill Fair and mathematician Earl Isaac. The company they founded to develop their visionary algorithm was Fair Isaac Corp. and the world changing number they invented is called the FICO score.

It’s a Predictive Model



The FICO score is commonly perceived by consumers as a report card score, a grade reflecting the quality of their financial responsibility. This is not quite correct. The FICO score is designed to predict, specifically, the future credit behavior of a consumer. And future credit behavior is not at all the same as a predictable continuum of past payment history. There is so much more involved; and it is in these details that a credit repair professional is able to guide you through the maze of obstacles to the goal of credit score optimization.

My FICO.com

If you visit the excellent Fair Isaac website you will find a wealth of credit repair guidance coupled with some worthwhile explanations of the mechanics of the FICO credit score formula. I recommend a thorough reading of the website for anyone considering starting a credit repair effort. You will find that the scoring model puts different weight on five discrete categories of data; 35 percent of your score is based on payment history, 30 percent on amounts owed, 15 percent on length of credit history, 10 percent on new credit, and 10 percent on the types of credit used. This is somewhat helpful, but there is much unsaid. Here are a couple of highlights that may assist your credit repair project.

Managing Your Credit Repair



If you are starting a credit repair effort you should vow to avoid late payments at all costs. But there is so much more involved. Your credit score is influenced by both the negative and positive information on your credit report. It is clear that you should clean up the erroneous derogatory information, but as importantly, you must feed positive information to the credit bureaus each month. It is essential that you have at least two open revolving accounts. But be careful, because if you get the wrong type of revolving accounts, or manage them improperly (and I don’t mean making late payments), your credit scores can plummet.

Good Credit Bad Credit

There is good revolving credit and there is bad revolving credit. Your credit repair success depends on understanding this. All consumer credit, such as store cards and furniture store loans are bad. You cannot optimize your credit scores with this type of debt. You need mainstream credit cards; MasterCard, Visa, American Express, and Discover are winners. If you can’t get approved for regular unsecured credit cards, get secured cards. They are easy to get and they make for great credit repair tools, if you manage them right! Here’s how.

Watch Your Balance!



We noted above that FICO puts 30 percent weight on amounts owed. They also put 15 percent weight on age of accounts. What they don’t tell you is that the amount owned on new accounts carries almost double the weight of an older seasoned account. This makes for both a great credit repair opportunity and a potential credit repair land mine. If you max out a new card you can lose up to 150 points on your score, but keep that balance down, ideally under 20 percent of the available credit line, and watch your scores take off. Good luck with your credit repair!

Copyright © 2008 Ian Webber. All Content. All Rights Reserved.

We do at certain times, irrespective of how we try to settle our debts, found ourselves deeper into credit problem. Debt seems to be never ending and it rather easy to accumulate. It could appear to come out of nowhere if we are not careful with our budget and in no time we will be mired in financial worries.

Credit is part of the necessities of life even though it can be double edged sword. Without credit, only a few people can have the funds to pay for a house, vehicle or those big items in life. As long as we stick to servicing the loans, everything will be fine until debts mount up because we fail to manage our finance. The end result is negative credit rating giving rise to difficulty in obtaining other form of credit to fund your lifestyles.

One thing we can take from all these is that there is solution to your credit problem. Whatever negative issues that appears in our credit report can be overcome, therefore it is useful to review your credit report and always maintain updated and accurate report.

When it comes to the problem of credit repair, you can either do it by yourself or hire professional assistance. Although countless number of companies provides solution to your credit trouble, there is nothing you can’t do it by yourself. You have to keep in mind that only inaccuracies can be removed from your credit report.

Credit bureaus are bound by federal law to carry only truthful information and if dispute letter is filed, they have to have supporting documents to counter it. Certain ways can help to get you to healthy credit rating if self credit repair is the route you prefer.

Initially, you have to obtain a recent copy of your credit report from the three credit bureaus and check it for any errors or outdated information. Upon locating any mistakes, you have to file a dispute letter with supporting proof. You may be doing self credit repair but the credit bureaus are required to act on it and the supporting evidence and dispute letter are sound, they have to eliminate the erroneous issues.

As there is nothing except a little time and effort on your part to does self credit repair but at certain time, if time is of the essence, you can engage credit repair agency but you must be wary of anyone asking for upfront payment. Self credit repair require discipline and certain tutorials and software may offer faster solution rather than figuring it out by you.

Credit repair software offer a step by step guide as it is a useful piece of tutorial. Many suggestions and helpful instructions are going to ease you in solving your credit problem. Besides hints, there are ways that let you know never to get into unhealthy credit again. Overcoming these difficult times are what the credit repair software can provide.

Asides from that, relevant hints to overcome your credit problem are very much what credit repair software can do. The ways and operation of a credit card companies will be taught and to steer clear of credit problem. The issue of loans, lenders and the operation of the credit repair software are the essential knowledge you can pick up.

There are planners and log in certain credit repair software to help you to chart the amount you owe and how to pay it back. Upon installation of the software, you can be reminded of things that you need to pay and the time to do it. Credit repair software can be obtained at all software stores and the activation and operation are usually straight forward.

The tutorial in the credit repair software is a guide to restore your credit standing as a positive rating can do wonder when you apply for loans and even employment. Therefore keeping your credit record healthy is essential. Tutorial are usually easy to operate as there step by step guidance to walk you through.

The tutorials will provide all the necessary steps that self credit repair have to go through, for instant obtaining a credit report from the three main bureaus and reviewing for accuracies and outdated information. Upon review, it will offer guides to remove errors and to restore your credit standing. With a little effort and patience, a good credit repair tutorial can be very helpful.

The serenity that you can obtain from a healthy credit make all the effort and time spend on credit repair software and tutorial worthwhile and self credit repair will be less tedious with that assistance.

Credit Repair and Your Bright Future



Credit repair can change your life. As daunting as it may seem at the outset, it does not have to be a frightful process accompanied by fear and angst. You can make your credit repair project fun. If you are just starting your credit repair effort congratulations are in order. You are taking the first step towards a hopeful and brighter future. What could be more positive? You have every reason to be happy. I know that the events which led to your current credit problems are still represented on your credit report, but in embarking on the credit repair path you have determined to face them head on. Trust me when I say that once you have decided on this course of action you will find positive and constructive ways of managing these issues.

Credit Repair and Your Financial Life



Your credit repair success depends on the stability of your financial life. If you don’t have a budget yet, now is the time! And don’t worry. Make a game of it. Budgeting is an exploration of the facts of your financial life. This is definitely a case where knowledge is power. The more you know about your own finances, the more control you will be able to exercise; your credit repair progress will be insured. Here are some great budget tips. Clean off your desk or kitchen table and get a clean pad of paper and a pen. Write down every single thing that you spend money on, from the basics to the luxuries. If you take an annual vacation, write it down. If you go out to dinner once a week write it down.

Make Your Life Affordable

Once you have completed your list convert your expenses into a monthly number; expenses like your annual vacation can be divided by twelve. This final number represents your current monthly obligation. Annual expenses may only come up one time a year, but if you cannot save for it on a monthly basis you are heading for financial stress. Buying on credit has its place, but in the long run it is not sustainable. Eventually you will reach a tipping point and you will risk a credit repair setback. Your budget should be based on real current affordability.

Balancing Your Budget

So, what if you reach the end of your calculation and you realize that you cannot afford your monthly expenses? Now is the time for action. You must protect your credit repair efforts. Organize your life, eliminate the unnecessary expenses, and cut back on expenses if necessary. Does this sound austere? Keep in mind that living within your means will result in all of the benefits you want from credit repair, like inner peace, an absence of financial stress, great credit, and even the ability to start saving for the future. And when it comes to great credit, remember that as your credit repair project matures you will be able to refinance your car, mortgage, etc. at lower rates; this in turn will ease your budget constraints, and put a big smile on your face!

Managing Collectors on Your Terms

Have the events of the past left you with outstanding collections? Here are some great credit repair tips for managing this situation that will put you in control; and there is nothing better than getting control over a situation that once felt threatening. A collector is not allowed to report a collection on your credit report unless they have mailed you a collection notice. When you receive a collection notice you have a very special legal right called debt validation. Your may use this credit repair tool for only 30 days from the day you receive the collection letter. Within this period of time you may demand of the collector proof that they have the legal right to collect as well as an accurate accounting of the amount they say you owe. If they cannot provide the documentation you request they must cease all collection efforts.

Using Your Credit Repair Rights



From this point forward do not pay a collector just because they ask you. Would you give money to a stranger that knocks on your door? Collectors buy and sell debt so often that if you fail to do this you genuinely risk the possibility that you will give money to someone that does not have the right to collect. If this happens it is almost inevitable that another collector will surface at some point in the future demanding payment for the very same debt. Take advantage of your legal rights and demand proof.

Call in the Troops



Not having fun yet? Need credit repair help? Call in the troops. There is no reason that you can’t get the results you need without suffering. If you feel overwhelmed by the task, call a credit repair professional. They should be able to bring a little joy back into your life by quickly making sense out of your situation and helping you set out on the path to great credit repair success! Enjoy the journey!

Copyright © 2008 Ian Webber. All Content. All Rights Reserved.

Credit repair is one of those topics that most people are not familiar with and many of those that think they are, do not have a correct understanding of what credit repair really is. To help provide an introduction to the concept, provided below are answers to three common questions people have about credit repair.

Is Credit Repair Legal?

Absolutely! All a creditor has to do is report a negative item to a credit bureau for it to be added on your credit reports. They do not have to prove that you did anything wrong and the credit bureaus are not going to contact you to get your side of the story.

By disputing the items in your credit reports, you are asking the credit bureaus to perform an investigation to determine if the negative items on your credit reports are being reported correctly. If they are not, then they must be revised or removed.

In a perfect world, credit repair would not be necessary, but because of the obvious flaws in the credit reporting system, the Fair Credit Reporting Act was enacted to protect your rights against unfair credit reporting. Because of this act, you have the right to dispute any items in your credit reports that you feel are not completely accurate.

How Do Inaccurate Items End Up On My Credit Reports?

There are a number of reasons why inaccurate items could end up on your credit reports. For example, a simple human error such as typing in your Social Security number instead of someone else’s could result in their bad credit showing up on your credit reports. Also, mistyped dollar amounts, items reported more than once, incorrect dates, and other errors could results in errors on your credit reports.

Another common reason for credit errors is mistaken identity. It is very common for your credit reports to show negative items from someone else with your same name. This could happen if you have a fairly common name or in some cases, in the case of a son who is named after their father. It has happened many times that someone gets denied for credit only to find out that a bankruptcy or some other serious negative item has been erroneously added to their credit reports because someone else with the same name was not responsible with their finances.

Finally, identity theft is a major source of credit reporting errors. Someone steals your personal information and destroys your credit all in your name.

Can I Save Money and Repair My Credit Myself?

Yes, you have every right to repair your credit yourself. As is mentioned in numerous credit repair articles, anything a credit repair company can do, you can do yourself.

Of course, this is true of almost any service. Just as you have the right to repair your own credit, you also have the right to change your own oil, cut your own hair, or even represent yourself in a court of law. But as is also the case of these services, many people find that is is easier, cheaper, and more effective to hire a professional.

When considering whether or not to repair your credit yourself, also consider what your time is worth. Depending on the severity of your credit problems and the cooperation level of your creditors, effectively repairing your credit reports could involve learning about and analyzing your credit reports, researching the Fair Credit Reporting Act, research the Fair Credit Billing Act, researching the Fair Debt Collection Practices act, writing and sending dispute letters to the credit bureaus, writing and sending dispute letters to your individual creditors, and properly responding to all of these entities.

Many people find that it is simply easier to get help with credit repair than to do it themselves. In fact, a sizable percentage of people who end up using a credit repair company to help them with their credit reports do so after already trying to repair their credit themselves.

Questionable Credit Repair Practices

A small sub-set of the credit repair industry has been operating in a gray area of the law by selling authorized user accounts to consumers. Many credit repair customers have been willing to pay significant amounts of money for these accounts, and the credit score benefit that comes with them. According to the Fair Isaac July 31, 2008 press release, those days are officially over.

A Brief History

The FICO credit scoring model considers, among other things, the payment history of your credit cards as an indicator of your credit worthiness. Until now, FICO also applied the payment history of authorized user accounts in their calculation of the score of the authorized user – an interesting point as these accounts reflect the credit worthiness of the primary card holder, rather than the authorized user.

The Birth of Credit Repair Card Sales

A number of credit repair companies picked up on this loophole and began to sell authorized card memberships to people wanting a quick score boost. Soon lenders caught on and decided to fight back; justifiably so, as these accounts artificially skewed the credit scores of borrowers, making good credit decisions unreliable.

The End is in Sight

Fair Isaac Corp. has now taken steps to preserve the integrity of the FICO score by eliminating the score benefit of authorized user accounts sold by so-called credit repair companies that chose to operate in this questionable market. If you have considered buying authorized user accounts from one of these credit repair operations to get a quick bump in your credit score, forget it.

The End of the Credit Repair Gray Market

The new, updated, FICO 08 release includes a fancy sorting algorithm which reportedly will allow legitimate authorized card holders, such as spouses, to continue to receive the score benefit, while effectively blocking cards that were sold in the credit repair gray market. Spouses are clearly safe, and based on the language of the July 31, 2008 press release, so, we believe, are child accounts.

How Does the Magic Work?

If I had to guess, I’d say that Fair Isaac tests for a relationship between the primary card holder and the member user. I’d also guess that they are testing for the number of member users per primary account. In other words, primary accounts that have more than one or two authorized users will be blocked for sure. This in itself would eliminate the majority of the gray market accounts because most of these accounts were sold multiple times.

Make Your Credit Repair Plans

Fair Isaac’s new approach to the authorized user account problem is very even-handed and should provide comfort to spouse and child card holders, as they should be able to continue to enjoy the score benefit of their accounts. But if you are making a credit repair effort and have purchased authorized user cards and are counting on them to maintain your score, it’s time to make other plans.

Finding the Right Solution

Ethical credit repair is also the most effective. Truly successful credit repair is about a genuine reshaping of your credit. You might have been able to artificially increase your credit score by purchasing an authorized card membership, but this was never an effective long term solution.

Credit Repair Done Right

If you are in a credit repair program and want to improve your credit scores, there is an effective and reliable way to do so. Build your own credit! If your credit scores are below the level that will allow you to get unsecured credit cards, get secured cards. Secured cards are cost effective, the accounts are yours, and before long you will be enjoying improved credit scores. That’s the right approach to credit repair.

Copyright © 2008 James W. Kemish. All Content. All Rights Reserved.

Setting Priorities

What do you want from life? You can achieve your goals. Success is within your reach. There are just two requirements. First, you must be clear about your goals. Second, you must work towards your goals – everyday. Clarity is essential. If you really want something, your actions must be consistent with your goals. If you want a promotion at work, for example, you might choose to sign up for a night class that will help your career. If you want to get into top physical condition you could start an exercise routine today. Every choice you make today will determine the direction your life will take tomorrow.

Perfect Credit and Financial Freedom

Would you like to have perfect credit? Would you like to say goodbye to financial stress once and for all? I assure you that your goal is within reach, and it is closer than you think. To achieve perfect credit you must be clear about what you want, and you must be willing to work towards your goal – starting now. Clarity of intent means that you are willing to put your goal above other desires. In all endeavors temptations will appear to challenge your resolve; it’s a law of nature, there are always opposing forces. But if you consciously renew your focus every day you will prevail. The first step towards perfect credit is an understanding of the intricacies credit repair. There is more than meets the eye.

The Need for Credit Repair

Credit repair is the essential first step towards perfect credit. Credit repair is incredibly powerful and effective if done right. Many people ignore their credit report after a period of credit damaging financial stress. This is understandable; it can be very uncomfortable to examine derogatory information on your credit report. But there is nothing more important. And as hard as it might be to get started on a credit repair effort, the relief that you will feel once you have taken the first step is fantastic.

The Truth About Credit Repair

Over half of all credit reports contain errors that are serious enough to cause consumers to pay premium interest rates on their loans, or even to be denied for financing. These errors are the result of deficiencies in the checks and balances built into the credit reporting system. You may be surprised to know that there is little that can be done to rectify these deficiencies. There are three credit bureaus. Each bureau manages data files on over two hundred million Americans. Each data file is updated constantly by creditors, collectors, and public record service bureaus. Billions of updates are processed daily. The system is designed to be as efficient as possible given existing constraints, which happen to include self-defined financial limitations of the credit bureaus.

Insult to Injury

In addition to the overall error statistics which are supported by many different independent studies, including a Government Accounting Office “study of studies”, there is another unfortunate and less publicized fact which has made credit repair an essential defensive process for so many people; those with legitimate credit issues are considerably more likely to have errors on their reports than others. The reason is simple. Once an account falls behind or is charged off, it is out of the mainstream and is handled on an exception basis. And even worse, once an account goes to collection it often replicates itself as it is passed from collector to collector, even though it is not legal for a collector to continue to report once they no longer own the debt. It is unfortunate, but the system often generates credit reporting errors for those people who can afford them the least. But it is not all bad news. Once you understand your rights it is not difficult to clear up your credit report and put yourself on the path back to great credit.

Calling a Credit Repair Professional

Effective credit repair requires a working knowledge of the laws that govern the credit bureaus. You cannot get the results you need by simply disputing obvious derogatory items. Most credit reporting errors are compliance errors and may be overlooked by someone that is not trained. It is also important to know how the FICO scoring model operates; many people start a credit repair effort only to discover that their credit scores are falling month after month. Everything on your report has an impact on your credit scores. Success in credit repair will come from a careful balance of actions. If you are going to attempt your own credit repair take the time to read a good book on the subject before you start. If you are a busy person and prefer to turn the job over someone else, you should hire a competent credit repair professional. They will insure that everything possible is done to clean up your credit, optimize your credit scores, and help you reach your goal of perfect credit. Good luck!

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

The Growing Importance of Your Credit Score

Credit repair revolves around credit score improvement, and for good cause. You are probably aware that a low credit score can keep you from getting the credit you want. But did you know that lenders set interest rates based on credit scores? Late in 2007, Fannie Mae and Freddy Mac, the federally charted mortgage giants, modified their pricing to be more sensitive to credit scores than ever before. Even borrowers with excellent credit will now have their rate adjusted based on incremental score differences.

Every Point Counts

Mortgage lenders are not alone in their recent pricing policy changes. Auto finance companies, long known for tiered pricing, have also sharpened their pencils and are more score sensitive than ever. If you are applying for a loan you should be aware that every point on your credit score could affect your interest rate. Fortunately there is a way to control your credit scores and hasten your credit repair goals.

Credit Cards the Credit Repair Powerhouse

Effective credit repair is all encompassing. But there is a special category of debt that offers more control over your scores than you ever imagined – if you know what to do. Credit cards have a special place in the FICO scoring model, and therefore in your credit repair effort as well. Fair Isaac and Company, the creator of the FICO scoring model, interprets the way you use your credit card as a primary indicator of the risk a lender will assume when lending you money. And there is reasonable logic involved.

Credit Cards as a Barometer of Risk

Fair Isaac and Company is in the business of measuring the risk of lending money. Their method is to assign numeric value to every behavior they can identify within your credit file. These values are measured by a complex algorithm, or formula, which they license to the credit bureaus. The credit bureaus apply this formula to the information they collect about you and come up with a single number; your credit score.

Credit Card Behavior

Fair Isaac gives your credit cards special importance because your balances can change monthly and contain several indicators of potential risk. The indicators measured by Fair Isaac include your payment record, your balance relative to your high credit limit, and the age of the card. In addition, the importance of each indicator varies based on the value of the other categories. Let’s see why.

Credit Repair Rule Number One – On Time Payments

Many people involved in a credit repair effort open new credit cards to rebuild their credit. If managed correctly this can be a powerful score booster. But there is a dark side as well. If you miss a payment Fair Isaac will cut your score dramatically as a way of alerting lenders that you are a high risk. It’s simple. Your new credit card was seen by Fair Isaac as a test of your ability to manage new debt. And you failed. Credit repair rule number one, make your payments on time.

High Balances Equal Credit Repair Trouble

So, you got a new credit card, ran the balance up to the limit, and now you wonder why your credit repair efforts are not working. You can afford the payments, and you’re making them on time. What’s the problem? Unfortunately, all Fair Isaac can see is unproven debt and a person who may have no restraint. So you get categorized with a statistical majority who get in over their heads and soon default. As a result Fair Isaac will knock your credit score down to warn potential lenders to steer clear. Do you want to keep your scores up? Please keep your balances down.

The Age of Your Credit Cards

Once you have proven to Fair Isaac that you can manage the firepower in your wallet you will be rewarded with increased latitude. Your score will still suffer if you make a late payment, and you will be penalized if you let your balance approach the limit, but not as much. In addition, you will be rewarded with a higher score as Fair Isaac becomes more confident in your staying power. When it comes to credit repair, time is your friend.

Reaching Your Credit Repair Goals

Do you want to optimize your credit score? Make your payments on time and watch those balances. The latest release of the FICO score model recognizes five balance-to-limit ratios: 20%, 40%, 60%, 80%, and 100%. The first two tiers, 20% and 40%, will increase your scores, 60% is neutral, 80% is bad, and 100% is terrible. There is also a special deadly over 100% category, which you can expect to obliterate your score. If your credit cards are under one year old your behavior is especially important. If you exercise caution, your scores will soar, and you will reach your credit repair goals.

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