Credit Repair is an Urgent Matter By Ian Webber At Isnare.com Ezine Articles

What Can Credit Repair Do for You?

What can credit repair do for you? The tightening in the credit markets over the last two years has raised the bar so high that millions of consumers are finding they no longer qualify for an auto loan, mortgage, or credit card. The recent focus on credit has also influenced employers and landlords. You can no longer afford to take your credit for granted. You must become pro-active about credit repair, starting today.

Getting the Ball Rolling

Start your credit repair project with a complete assessment of your situation. The starting point is your credit reports. There are three major credit bureaus, Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion. Each of the bureaus is an independent entity, and must be examined on its own. You may obtain your credit reports for free at AnnualCreditReport.com once every twelve months, and although the price is right, I would caution against using this free service to launch your credit repair project.

Starting With the Right Reports

First off, the website, which serves as a hub for the three credit bureaus and requires that you make your request in triplicate, is difficult to use. Many users report that, after a long struggle, they only manage to obtain two of the three reports. And second, when you finally get your reports you will find that they are each in a completely different format, and equally hard to decipher. Not a great way to start your credit repair effort.

Invest in Your Credit Repair Project

I suggest that you shop online for a tri-merged report. There are many available, and may even be purchased directly from any of the three bureau websites. These reports are typically well designed for easy reading and will be a help, rather than a hindrance, for your credit repair task. You can expect to spend about twenty dollars for this report, and if you shop carefully you should be able to get it without committing to a monthly service.

Proofread Your Reports

Once you have your three bureau report in hand it is time to proofread. As crucial as your credit is, it is imperative that you do not short change your credit repair potential by skimming your report. You must examine each and every line for potential errors. And if you find anything that is even slightly questionable, do yourself a favor and give yourself the benefit of the doubt. You should be aware that over half of all credit reports have errors serious to cause the victim to pay premium interest rates on loans. And not all of these errors are obvious derogatory items.

Every Little Thing Counts

Among the less obvious credit reporting errors that you should search for in your credit repair effort are underreported credit card limits. Your credit score is heavily influenced by the relationship between your revolving balances and your limits. If a creditor makes the error of underreporting a limit your credit score may take a significant hit. Just remember as you continue your credit repair task that every single point on your score can translate into real money in your pocket, so don’t neglect even the smallest issue.

More High Value Reporting Issues

Other reporting problems that might normally remain under the credit repair radar include duplicate accounts, paid accounts reporting with balances, closed accounts reporting as open, and accounts that are not yours. All of these events may seem completely harmless, especially if they are not reporting in a negative manner, and yet they may be costing you serious points. How many points depends on the overall content of your credit report, but it is common for errors like these to add up to over a hundred points. This is enough to get you denied for a loan, or to pay a significant premium. Your patient credit repair efforts will be well rewarded.

Sneaky Costly Collection Errors

One more category worth mentioning is collections. Collections may be the hardest items on your report to scrutinize. The information often seems vague and incomplete. Here is one thought you can bring to bear in your credit repair effort; if you see a debt reported by more than one collector, one of them should not be there. You should know that when a collector sells a debt to another collector they are supposed to withdraw their account from your credit report. Examine collections carefully. Your credit will thank you.

Take Action Today

In the final analysis, when it comes to your credit repair project, everything matters. Take your time and find every single suspect issue and dispute them with the credit bureaus. If you feel overwhelmed by the process you should consider hiring a reputable credit repair company to do the job on your behalf. Most legitimate credit repair services offer their services for a small monthly fee. Your credit is too important to ignore. Take action today, you will succeed.

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