There are many reasons why you may have a poor credit history. Credit cards could have been your primary means of support while you were gaining an education, a passion for shopping may have gotten the best of you or the decline in the economy might have left you jobless for a time. Fortunately, you can take some actions to get your credit score climbing in the right direction.
For some it may hard to finance their home due to having less than ideal credit. If possible, apply for an FHA loan; these loans are backed by the United States government. You may even qualify for an FHA loan if you don’t have enough money for a down payment or the closing costs.
If your credit history has put you in the position where you are not able to obtain a regular credit card, you should try to get a secured credit card to begin rebuilding your credit. The account is funded in advance, which provides the lender with a level of insurance against unpaid debts. This is why secured cards are often easier to get. If you utilize a credit card responsibly, it can aid in the repair of your credit rating.
Credit Card
Look at the credit card accounts you have with a balance over 50% of the credit limit. Pay those off until they fall under this number. Credit card balances are among the factors taken into account when determining your credit score. Maintaining balances over 50% will lower your rating. You can attain lower your balances by using balance transfers to move debt from accounts with higher balances to those with lower balances, or by simply paying off some of your higher balances.
If you don’t want to pay too much at a time, you can avoid paying higher interest rates than you started with. There are legal limits set in place to control the amount of interest a creditor is allowed to charge you, plus your original debt is all the credit card company paid when you made the purchase. However, you did sign an agreement to pay the interest. If you go ahead and sue your creditors, ask that they consider the high rate of interest.
When you’re looking to fix your credit, be cautious of credit repair companies. They may tell you they can remove negative information, but if it’s correct, it can not be removed. Bad marks on your report will not go away for seven years. It is possible, however, to remove errant information.
Consumers should carefully research credit counseling agencies before choosing one with which to work. While there are lots of counselors with your best interest at heart, there are others who just want your money. There are a lot of people out there that are trying to take advantage of those who are down on their luck. If you’re smart, you’ll make sure the credit counselor is not a phony first.
Before you decide to go through with a debt settlement, you should be sure you know how it will affect your credit. Some methods are less damaging than others; research them all before making an agreement with your creditor. Creditors just want their money and really aren’t interested on how it will affect your score.
Credit Reports
Make sure to check all three of your credit reports, and pay extra attention to the negative reports when you are working on repairing bad credit. Errors are not infrequent in credit reports. If you can prove the credit bureau is in the wrong, they should correct the reported error or remove it entirely.
Dispute any errors that are on your credit report so they are removed. Draft a letter to reporting agencies disputing negative entries and also submit any available documentation. Also include a request for a return receipt to make sure the agency gets it.
A first step in fixing your credit is to close all credit card accounts that are unnecessary. Aim to only have one account. Transferring multiple balances to one single card is a way to gain control of your finances. This allows you to pay off one credit card bill rather than many smaller ones.
Repairing a poor credit score can seem like a daunting task, but improving your score is possible with guidance and knowledge. With the advice you were given in the above article, you can get to work on improving your credit score today.
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