Credit Repair and Achieving Financial Security

Credit Repair is About Financial Health

Credit repair, in the final analysis, is about your financial health. You may start a credit repair program with concerns about the accuracy of your credit report, but in the end the real benefit of healthy credit is money in your pocket. Credit repair translates into a lower cost of borrowing, and consequently more room in your budget for saving.

Accelerate the Process

Are you ready to leave your financial stress behind? You can do this. Regardless of the current condition of your credit, a proactive approach can transform your financial life, and sooner than you think. Don’t make the mistake of believing that you are destined to spend years in credit limbo waiting for time to heal the issues of the past. An intelligent approach to credit repair will accelerate the process dramatically.

Two Basic Credit Repair Steps

There are two basic steps involved in the credit repair process. Each is as important as the other and cannot be ignored. When it comes to credit repair this balanced approach is required. Done right the results are dramatic. Are you ready to change your life, clean up your credit reports, boost your credit scores and enjoy all of the benefits that come with great credit? Let’s get started.

Understanding the Errors

The first step in the credit repair process is a methodical clean up of your credit report. Does this sound too obvious? You will be surprised. Most people imagine that if they recognize an item on their credit report it is accurate. This is far from the case. If you really want credit repair success you have to get rid of your preconceptions. An enormous percentage of derogatory information on consumer’s credit reports is reported in error.

Spotting Compliance Issues

In many cases these errors are compliance issues. Compliance issues are, by definition, based on some real event, but should not be on your report as a matter of law. Examples include duplicate accounts, derogatory information reporting beyond the reporting period limit, and collections reported by collectors whom no longer own the debt (having sold it to another collector, or returned it to the original creditor). Credit repair is about the details. And every detail matters. If you are confused you should hire a reputable credit repair service to manage the cleanup process for you.

Credit Restoration Time

The second step in the credit repair process is the rebuilding of your credit. Here also there are important details many people miss. A misstep can mean the difference between success and failure. Your credit score is determined by both the positive and negative information on your credit report. It is not enough to eliminate the erroneous derogatory information on your report. If you don’t rebuild your credit your credit repair efforts will fail. But you must rebuild it in a certain way.

The Key to Your FICO Score

You may think that if you pay your bills on time you will have good credit scores. Sadly, this is not true at all. The FICO scoring model is not designed to grade you on past behavior. Many people are horrified after a lifetime of perfect payments to discover that their credit scores are awful. This can be shocker. The FICO scoring model is a predictive model designed to measure the risk of future default and puts weight on such factors as account balances, the age of accounts, and even the type of accounts you open. Your credit repair efforts will succeed or fail based on your ability to shape your credit according to this predictive model.

Revolving Debt as a Credit Repair Tool

I suggest that you focus initially on your revolving debt. Stay away from store cards and consumer debt, such as furniture store accounts. Build your credit with MasterCard, Visa, American Express, and Discover Cards. If you don’t have any credit and can’t get a regular credit card, get two secured cards as soon as possible, and keep your balances low. A single maxed our credit card can knock one hundred points from your credit score. For comprehensive advice on balancing your credit contact a credit repair professional.

It’s Up To You

Aside from these two essential steps in the credit repair process there may be other credit repair tools that can add significant value to your efforts. Many lenders offer rehabilitation programs that can bring your accounts current and even remove the derogatory history from your report. If you have active legitimate collections, knowledge of your state statute of limitation is essential and can put you in control. Used properly credit repair can transform your credit and change your financial outlook, but you have to take action. It’s up to you. Good luck!

Tags: Credit, Finance