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Posts Tagged ‘Credit History’

I Have a Judgment Against Me Because I Goofed and Now I Need to Remove It!

March 1st, 2010

You fell behind on your payments and your creditor decided to pursue a judgment against you. Even though you appeared at the hearing, your creditor was granted the judgment. Now, you don’t know what to do or where to turn to delete the judgment entry from your credit report.

What’s worse, you didn’t realize how much this would affect your credit score. The fact is, a judgment can remain on your credit history anywhere from 10-12 years and, if the debt is still unpaid at the end of this time period, your creditor may be able to renew the judgment. Even a paid judgment will remain on your credit report for seven years from the date paid!

Now it’s time to think about removing that pesky judgment from your credit report. To begin, it is important to understand that it is illegal to remove an accurate item from a credit report. Knowing this, there are two ways to remove a FALSE entry. You can remove a credit report entry by proving that the entry is false. You can also remove a credit report entry by disputing the entry and, if the entry is not verified by your creditor within 30 days, the entry must be removed by the credit reporting agency. The Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) allows consumers the right to dispute negative items, including judgments and public records.

If you decide that you would like to dispute a judgment entry on your credit report, it will be necessary to send a dispute letter to the credit reporting agencies that are reporting the judgment. Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion are the three major credit reporting agencies. With entries such as credit cards or car loans, the dispute would be forwarded to credit card companies, banks, credit unions, loan companies, car dealerships, etc.

Unlike car loans and credit cards, judgment and public record information is located in governmental buildings and maintained by county personnel. In light of this, a judgment dispute will be forwarded in most cases to the county courthouse in your county. As humans verify this type of information, as opposed to fancy software programs, it normally takes longer to verify this type of dispute and, in many cases, the verification is not able to be completed within the specified time frame of 30 days. When this happens, the credit reporting agency, by law, must remove the judgment entry from your credit report.

It is possible for you to move forward with credit repair on your own. However, if you do not have the time or if you just don’t enjoy wrangling with credit reporting agencies, you might consider speaking to a consumer rights attorney. The typical consumer rights attorney has tackled hundreds, and maybe even thousands, of similar cases.

Removing a judgement is possible. Discover the only legal way to remove any questionable credit report judgement at www.creditreportjudgement.com.

Matt Douglas Credit Finance , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Should I Be Worried About a Judgment?

February 7th, 2010

As you can imagine, when your debt is sent to collections, your credit score will be damaged. If from there your creditor seeks a judgment for payment, your credit score will plummet even further.

At the point you receive a Notice to Appear in court, you can be assured that your creditor is no longer willing to try to collect the debt. You are allotted 30 days to respond to the Notice. The case will be dismissed if you can prove that the debt is invalid.

If a creditor merely threatens to go to court, it may or may not be serious. In any event, you should view going to court as an absolute last resort.

If your credit report lists an “unpaid” judgment, it will remain on your credit report for 10-12 years. If the judgment remains unpaid at the end of this time, it can be renewed. A judgment which has been paid can remain on your credit report for up to 7 years from the date paid.

You should make an effort to contact your creditor to negotiate a settlement, provided the debt is valid, you would prefer this route to letting a judge decide your fate, and the debt is still within the statute of limitations (check your state’s statute of limitations laws). Be sure to check your state’s statute of limitations laws prior to doing this. The reason for this is that if your debt is outside of the statute of limitations, you no longer have a legal obligation to pay the debt and offering to pay may start the clock ticking again for payment purposes.

If you are ordered by the court to pay a debt and an official court order is issued, the impact on your credit score will be devastating. However, if you decide to contact your creditor and arrange for payment, you may be able to avoid this traumatic black mark.

Offering to negotiate a settlement is the best solution for all parties. Typically, creditors do not want to go to court and will accept a portion of the amount owed just to bring the matter to a close. If you do not have a lump sum to offer as payment, you can always attempt to negotiate a payment plan. If your creditor is not “in the mood” to consider any offers, you might think about calling the lawyer handling the case for your creditor.

If a judgment is dismissed, it will be reported on your credit report as “legally void.” This is considerably less harmful than a “paid” judgment. Paid judgments remain for seven years on your credit report from the time paid.

The best outcome would be to negotiate a full deletion of all negative information. If you are successful in negotiating this, make sure you get the agreement in writing and that you obtain the signatures of both parties. Keep in mind that once the court becomes involved, your chances of negotiating a settlement are next to none.

You might consider hiring a good consumer credit attorney. It may cost you a little bit, however, you may find that, by having an attorney handle the negotiations, you may save money as well as minimize the damage done to your credit score.

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Mark Newman Credit Finance , , , , , , , , , ,

Is It Important To Check My Credit Report?

January 4th, 2010

As busy as people are today, it is not surprising that they do not even contemplate what may or may not be reported on their credit report. Because of this, many consumers are in the dark when it comes to knowing anything about their credit score.

In the event you do not know, the details of a person’s financial standing are outlined on his or her credit report. Items reported on your credit history include your diligence in paying your bills on time and your credit borrowing history, such as the purchase of a new car or home or applying for a credit card. Items such as the approval or denial of a credit card are even reported on your credit report.

A company will request a copy of your credit report if you apply for credit. Once the company has your credit report in hand, it will review your credit rating to determine if it feels you are a good credit risk or a bad credit risk. If it feels you are a good credit risk, you will most likely be approved for the credit. If it feels that you are a bad credit risk, you will probably be denied.

For this reason, it is vitally important that consumers know and understand what is detailed on their credit history. Just guessing at what is on your credit report is not wise. It is important to KNOW! Not KNOWing may cost you that vehicle you just fell in love with!

Obtaining a copy of your credit history is really quite simple. There are companies all over the internet who offer free copies of credit reports. Another way is to contact the three major credit reporting companies, also known as credit reporting bureaus - Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion - to request a copy of your credit report. Each of these companies is legally required to provide you with a copy of your credit history each year, upon your request.

Once you receive your credit reports, allow yourself a few minutes to sit down and review each of them. The purpose of this review is to make sure that your spending practices are reported accurately. You will want to make sure that your payment history is correctly stated, old and present addresses are accurate, etc. You will also want to make sure that any old debts which were overdue but, subsequently, paid, are reflected as such. (For overdue debts which eventually were paid, you might consider contacting the lender or collection agency to see if they will remove the debt from your credit report in its entirety.)

Inaccurate or false information which you find on your credit report can be revised or deleted. Writing a letter to the credit reporting bureau stating the purpose of the letter shoudl result in the inaccurate or false information being corrected, provided you can substantiate your claim and include with your letter any confirming documentation.

A clean credit report is often under-rated by consumers. Many times, people forget they had a doctor’s appointment six months ago and that $40 bill is now showing as unpaid and overdue! Reviewing your credit report as outlined above will alert you to these types of issues and allow you the opportunity to take care of any oversights or discrepancies prior to applying for credit and being rejected.

At the very worst time, the importance of a clean credit report will dawn on you, maybe when you apply for a home loan. If you allow false or inaccurate entries to remain on your credit history, you should be prepared for high annual percentage rates (APRs). Don’t sit by and allow this to become your fate! Always KNOW what is contained on your credit report!

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Matt Douglas Credit Finance , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Can I Remove Negative Entries From My Credit Report?

December 31st, 2009

Whenever you do anything detrimental to your credit history, such as default on a loan or credit card or have late payments, a negative entry will be reported on your credit history. When a consumer removes negative entries from his credit report, “credit repair” has taken place.

If you tack on several missed payments and loan defaults, you can expect to be severely affected when applying for credit products, such as credit cards and vehicle loans. It is almost a sure bet that the credit product that you are approved for will include a high annual percentage rate (APR) as well as additional monthly and annual add-on fees and charges.

If this is the dilemma in which you find yourself, don’t despair! There are a multitude of online companies which, for a fee, will work to rebuild your credit. However, if you don’t want to pay the fee associated with these companies, you can venture into credit repair yourself.

You must first obtain a copy of your credit report, which may be done by contacting the three major credit reporting agencies - Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion - and requesting a copy of your credit report. These three credit reporting bureaus are legally bound to provide one free copy of your credit report every twelve months. You can call (877) 322-8228 to obtain your free copy of your credit report. Alternately, you can request a copy of your credit report from the many online companies which offer this service.

Once you receive your credit report, you should take a few moments to review the information contained on the credit report for any inaccurate or false information. This review should include ALL information on the credit report, not just the financial information. Be sure that your full legal name is shown and that your date of birth, past addresses, and your employment information is accurate.

A dispute letter should be written to the credit reporting agency if you find any false or inaccurate information. Your dispute letter should explain the reason you are writing and you should include any supporting documentation you may have. Retain copies of all correspondence and documentation to and from the credit reporting agency.

The credit bureau has 30 days to verify the credit report entry which is in dispute. If the credit bureau cannot obtain verification within 30 days, it must remove the entry from your credit history. The credit bureau will respond back to you with any actions it has taken with regard to your credit report entries. If the credit reporting agency decides not to revise or remove an item you feel needs to be revised or removed, you should contact the credit reporting agency and request that they let you know how and why they arrived at this decision. This is called requesting a “method of verification.”

It is beneficial to follow this process in order to improve your credit, even though it may be time-consuming. By doing this, you will improve your credit score and improving your credit score will, in turn, lead to better opportunities for more desirable financial products.

How to Stop NCO Financial Collection Agency and Fix Bad Credit in 24 Hours.

Matt Douglas Credit Finance , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Negotiating a Debt With a Collection Agency

December 19th, 2009

Understanding how to settle a debt with a collection agency is very important. Understanding this process can save you a lot of money and help you to repair your credit to boot.

We know that in these tough times of economic instability, it is becoming increasingly hard to keep up with all your financial obligations. If this is the case with you and you are beginning to fall behind on your payments, call the creditor immediately and attempt to work out a payment plan.

Failing to work with the creditor or being unable to arrange a payment plan, will result in your account being suspended or closed. If this is done, not only will your credit score plummet, but the debt will most likely be turned over to a collection agency. At this point, understanding the finer points of negotiation is necessary, not desired, NECESSARY.

The purchase of your debt by the collection agency probably cost it a few cents on the dollar. It is common for collection agencies to purchase debt for as little as 8 cents to 12 cents for each dollar purchased. I am sure you can see the connection here, but let me give you a couple of examples: your $600 debt could be purchased for as little as $48 or your debt of $4,800 might be bought for just $384.

In spite of this, settling for a small amount will not be the collection agency’s idea. Getting as much as they can from you is, after all, how they make money. In order to scare you into agreeing to pay the full amount and quickly, they may even threaten a legal suit.

However, legal action represents money, time, and effort on the part of the collection agency and, in light of this, it will normally not follow through with this threat. After purchasing your debt for cents on the dollar, your debt may, in fact, amount to very little to them. You should not, however, ignore any of the collection agency’s attempts to contact you. Your goal, as with the collection agency, is to settle this debt and get it behind you.

If you have the funds to offer a lump sum payment, make an offer to the collection agency. Twenty-five percent (25%) of the original amount owed is a good starting point for settlement of the debt in full. Then, wait and see if the collection agency counters your offer. This process may go back and forth a few times but, eventually, you may come to an agreement. Be sure to keep copies of all correspondence to and from the collection agency. Also, make sure that any agreement you come to is in writing.

If you don’t have the money to offer a lump sum payment, try to arrange a payment plan with the collection agency. If the collection agency can see that you are making an attempt to pay, it is likely that they will not take the matter to court.

Whether you decide to offer a lump sum payment or to make payments, make sure that the agreement includes that the “debt will be deleted in its entirety” from your credit record. Otherwise, the debt may stay on your credit report for seven years, thereby negatively impacting your credit rating for years to come.

To summarize, approach the collection agency confidently and make an offer. Do not allow bullying to sway you, stand firm. However, you must keep in mind that you do owe this debt and collection agencies earn their bread and butter by collecting debt. In light of this, try to be fair when negotiating, but obtain the best rate possible. Additionally, do not ignore any communication you may receive from a collection agency. If you follow the recommendations in this article, you may be able to clear up that outstanding debt.

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Matt Douglas Credit Finance , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

How To Avoid Getting Bad Credit

December 15th, 2009

Introduction: In this day and age we all rely on loans for a lot of things. However, there is still a huge possibility for us to get bad credit. Yes, bad credit isn’t just caused by irresponsibility or laziness on your part - there are different circumstances in life that can cause you to become a victim of bad credit. Here are some ways to avoid them.

Things You’ll Need: Proper planning, some self control, budgeting skills, debit or prepaidcards

Step 1. The first thing that you should do is to make a budget plan. Your plan should contain all that is necessary when it comes to finances. Stick to your proposed budget every month, and don’t spend more money than what you absolutely need. Channel all your extra money to paying your loans or into your savings.

Step 2. Avoid credit cards as much as possible. In these times, people can’t seem to live without their plastic cards. But they’re one of the main reasons as to why people are ridden with debt. They find something they like - so they charge it to their credit cards without thinking twice only to find out that they can’t pay for what they bought when their credit card statements arrive.

Instead of getting credit cards, why not apply for a prepaid or debit card. This way, you still don’t need to bring cash, but you can spend only what you have. Think about it, you don’t even need to deal with credit card statements each month. Just make sure that you have separate accounts for your debit account and savings account, lest you may be tempted to spend all your money.

Step 3. In case you really need a credit card, get something with a low limit, and pick a bank that offers the lowest interest rates.

Step 4. Avoid getting loans other than your mortgage (or car loan), and don’t loan money for unecessary things. Loan companies have big interest rates, especially when you get a fast loan. They may seem great at first but they’ll cause you more problems than you think. Better save your money each month until you have enough to buy what you want.

Step 5: Don’t put a halt on your credit payments just yet during emergencies. Of course there will be instances where emergencies arise, you maybe ill or anything that may cause you to stop working for a while. Let your creditors know about your situation and talk to them about the possible things you can do about your remaining debts.

Tips:

It is very important to be prompt in all your monthly bills. If you have extra money, pay more than the minimum required payment for your loans. List down everything on your budget, and keep track of all the things that you spend.

Warnings: A credit check can lower your credit rating, so don’t sign up for anything that requires you a credit check.

We can help you find a good life! Check out some of our other advice on everything!

Deegan Love Credit Finance , , , , , , , ,

Can I Build Positive Credit?

December 15th, 2009

In order to raise your credit score, you need to know how to build positive credit. Building positive credit will mean that you will be eligible for low interest credit products which will save you money.

Some people believe that building positive credit means charging exorbitant amounts to their credit cards and then paying those credit cards off each month. This is not necessarily true and, in some cases, can hurt your credit standing. For example, credit providers look at how much of your available credit has been used. If you apply for credit and, when the credit provider reviews your credit report, it shows that your credit cards are almost at their limit, this will make you look like a bad credit risk.

Also, you don’t want to give the impression that you are spending over and beyond your means. Even though this may not be the reality of your situation, it may still appear that way. You may want to rethink the “charge everything and pay it all off at the end of the month” strategy.

Adversely, it is not always wise to have massive amounts of available credit either. The best strategy might be to use 10% to 20% of your available credit. This will show credit providers that you can refrain from running your credit cards up and can budget your money to get your bills paid.

You should try to have at least one credit card. If you suffer from poor credit, there are credit card providers that issue credit cards to people who have poor credit. Once you obtain your credit card, be sure to maintain the 10% to 20% guideline discussed above. By doing this, you should not amass huge amounts of monthly interest. Lastly, it is important to make sure that any credit cards you obtain or already have report to TransUnion, Equifax, and Experian, the three major credit reporting agencies.

Pay at least the minimum amount due each and every month and be diligent in never being late. If you follow these two rules, your credit score should begin to increase.

If you would prefer not to apply for a credit card or would prefer to use another way to build positive credit, you could apply for a small low-interest personal loan. Again, make the payment on time each month and pay at least the minimum due. The fact is, any credit product can help to build positive credit if it is used appropriately and responsibly.

How to Stop NCO Financial Collection Agency and Fix Bad Credit in 24 Hours.

categories: build credit,repair credit,build positive credit,credit repair,credit building,credit score,credit history,credit report,credit reporting agency,credit reporting agencies,credit,debt

Matt Douglas Credit Finance , , , , , , , , , , , ,

A Loan Application Using a Co Signer to Improve Your Credit

November 24th, 2009

A co-signer is normally a person you know, as in a member of your family or close acquaintance that is prepared to share the responsibility for repaying a loan if you are unable to make the payments. Usually parents co-sign for their children that has no credit history yet or a bad credit score. When starting out in adult life this can be a good method to begin establishing your credit history. On the other hand, the good credit of the co-signer may help someone with bad credit to get their loan accepted that they would be turned down for otherwise.

Zero Credit Rating

As we come of age, we all have a credit score of zero. Having no credit score is almost as bad as having a low one. This is because there is no record of your credibility, which is not convenient if you are applying for a loan to buy a house, college education, or an auto.

Starting Your Credit Rating

One way to start your credit rating early on in life, even if you are living with your parents, is to get your parents to put your name on a utility bill. Whether you pay the bill yourself or your parents pay, so long as the bill is paid in full and on time, it will have a positive effect on your credit history. This will make it easier to move into the adult world of making a large purchase, like a first home, when you have a positive credit rating.

When You Have Bad Credit

When you have not paid your debts on time and your credit score slips down, and you need a loan, you may have to rely on a co-singer to assist you when applying for credit. If you are way in over your head in debt and have a bad credit score it will be quite difficult to get approved for a loan. Under these circumstances a co-signer can assist you but they must have a good credit score. A co-signer also has to be willing to take over the outstanding payments that remain on the loan if you are unable to make payments for any reason.

If you have bad credit, it is up to the lender to deny or approve you based on the facts of your credit report. As long as you know someone who has good credit and enough belief in your capacity to repay the loan that you are looking for, you might have a good possibility to get the loan and begin raising your credit score. As a result, a co-signer is a good method to begin or re-build good credit for yourself. Just take care that you can make the payments on time or you will loose favor with your co-signer.

William Wilkie writes about many personal finance topics, like how to Get Rid of Credit Card Debt and how to Get Out of Debt Fast.

William Wilkie Credit Finance , , , , , , ,

How To Fight Your Poor Credit Rating

July 13th, 2009

If you’ve been suffering from credit card debt - and your credit score isn’t making things any better for you - then it’s important to know that you’re not the only one out there. It’s no secret that more consumers are feeling the harsh pinch of the recession.

Between increasing job losses, salary cuts and the rising price of oil, your money is probably going towards other necessities before you can even think about taking a chunk out of that credit card debt!. On the other hand, while feeling as though your budget is being squeezed is no fun, during these uncertain times it’s ideal to work on your credit score as much as possible.

But how can you fight the overwhelming battle against bad credit, especially when it feels like you barely have enough money to cover your necessities? Simple: follow the example of what millions of others have discovered already, and watch your credit score skyrocket!

Enroll In Automatic Debit. If you haven’t done this already, then you’re really cheating yourself out of a great way to ensure that you always pay your bills on time. Automatic debit takes your credit card payments out of your bank account with no muss or fuss, so you’ll always pay your bills on time without worrying about overdue payments. And since your credit score is mainly composed of your payment history (35% of it, to be exact), this is a great way to get one of the fundamentals of a good credit score underway with little effort!

Don’t Avoid Credit Cards. It may seem like a contradictory thing to do, but when battling against credit card debt, don’t shun all plastic. In fact, keep at least one card with an open credit line around, as a large part of your credit score is determined by your debt to credit line ratio (30%). If your cards are maxed out, rework your monthly household budget to find extra money that you can put towards your cards at the end of the month. You’ll be surprised at how much extra cash you can throw at those annoying balances, which will set you up for a victory against that toxic credit card debt.

Get A Prepaid Credit Card. Can’t get a handle on your spending? It’s important to have a credit card to boost your score; however, this will do nothing for you if you can’t get a handle on your finances in the first place! Savvy consumers know that when it comes to credit cards, they need a prepaid card that works wonders towards improving credit scores. Prepaid credit cards are viewed as ordinary cards by the credit bureau, so they’ll work hard towards improving your credit score; additionally, you’ll never be at risk of overextending your prepaid card, since you can only spend the balance that’s on there. Expect to put up a deposit to get a prepaid card, as this money will be used in case you max out your limit. It’s a great way to improve your credit score while learning about financial responsibility!

About the Author:

William White Credit Finance , , , , , , ,

New Millennium Bank Credit Card - Review

July 12th, 2009

Many of us have made mistakes with our finances. The New Millennium Bank secured credit card gives you a method to start fixing your credit history.

Do you know what a secured card is?

Many people don’t. First you must open a new savings account with the bank. Then the amount of your deposit is equal to the limit on your new card. In contrast, with unsecured you are not required to carry a balance to be held at the bank.

No credit check is performed. This will prove to be great news for those who otherwise not qualify because of blemishes on your reports.

Because the bank is protected from loss, anybody who applies is guaranteed to be approved providing the minimum amount of money is deposited. They require that you have a savings account at the bank with a minimum of $300 and the maximum available balance of $5,000.

Because all activity is reported to all three credit bureaus, those with damaged score have an easy way to create some new positive marks.

Often times you have pay higher interest rates and fees in order to have access to credit. This charges a $59 annual fee. Additionally, there is a $69 processing fee and a $12.95 charge for each co applicant.

There is also a $0.50 cent monthly minimum finance charge which means along with the annual fee, a finance charge is paid every month regardless of the balance. The interest rate is 19.5%.

If you have charges that surpass your limit, a $20 fee is accessed. In addition, if the bank receives a late payment, a late fee of $20 is also accessed.

Unfortunately with sub prime lending there are fees and high interest. Some say that is the cost of the past financial mistakes.

This will give you an opportunity to create some positive listings on your report. This has been shown to be an effective way to repair a low score.

In addition if you keep your monthly balance at 25% of your limit of lower your utilization ratio will improve. This ratio compares the amount of debt you have versus the amount of available credit. It is a very important number and is used to determine if someone is in over their head financially or not.

About the Author:

Laura Stenson Credit Finance , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,