Is your credit report so bad that it keeps you up at night? These great tips will get you on the right track to repair your credit and not have to worry anymore about what the future holds.
An imperfect credit rating can make financing a home even more difficult than normal. If you do have poor credit, try to get a FHA loan because there is a guarantee that it will be given to you. FHA loans are a good option regardless of your down payment amount or funds available for closing costs.
Credit Cards
If you have credit cards with balances that are greater than fifty percent of the maximum, you should pay those down as quickly as possible. It’s best to keep all of your credit cards below the fifty percent mark! When balances are over 50%, your credit rating goes down significantly, so try to either spread out your debt or, ideally, pay off your credit cards.
By maintaining a good credit score, you can decrease your interest rate. A lower interest rate means lower monthly payments, and less time paying off your debt. It’s important to look for a strong credit offer with competitive rates; it will make paying off your debt and keeping a strong credit score much easier.
If you don’t want to pay too much at a time, you can avoid paying higher interest rates than you started with. Some companies that charge high interest rates are running the risk of having those rates challenged by consumers. However, when you signed up for the line of credit you also agreed to pay the interest. If you’re going to try taking your creditors to court, make sure you can prove the interest rates they charged were excessively high.
If a company promises that they can remove all negative marks from a credit report, they are lying. Negative entries that are otherwise accurate will stay on your credit report for a minimum of seven years. You should know that mistakes and anything incorrect can be removed from your credit report.
Credit Counselor
Make sure you research a credit counselor before you visit them. Some counselors truly want to help you, while others are untrustworthy and have other motives. Some are simply fraudulent and are out to get your money. Consumers should always check to see if a credit counselor is not a scam before deciding to use them.
Do not do things which could cause you to go to jail. There are many different places that claim they can help you get a new credit profile. Needless to say, this is against the law and you are likely to get caught. Legal ramifications can cost a lot, and you may go to jail.
Too many credit cards is a common cause of financial strain, so close all of your accounts aside from one. Transfer your balances to this one card, with the lowest interest, if this is possible. This way you can work on paying one credit card balance off, instead of a bunch of smaller ones.
Examine your credit card charges monthly to ensure they are correct. You don’t want them reporting these to the credit reporting companies, so you’ll need to contact them immediately if there are.
If you work out a payment plan with a creditor, you should make sure to get the plan in writing. This provides you with documentation that an agreement is in place in case the company changes hands or the creditor tries to change the terms of the agreement. Once you make the final payment, get a statement that verifies that the debt has been satisfied and send it to the various credit reporting agencies.
Do everything possible to avoid bankruptcy. This will show up on your credit for around 10 years. It can be tempting to just go ahead and file bankruptcy to get out from under the debt, but the detrimental effects can be long lasting. Most lenders will be hesitant to work with you in the future when a bankruptcy shows on your credit report.
Credit Card Balances
If you need to repair your credit score, you should pay your credit card balances as fast as possible. You should first work on paying down the credit cards with the highest balance or interest rates. Beginning to pay your credit card balances off will show creditors that you are making a valiant effort and are credit worthy.
This will make sure that you maintain a good credit status. Every time you make a late payment, it is logged in your credit report which can hinder your ability to take out a loan.
Go through all the statements you receive. Make sure you aren’t paying for purchases you didn’t make. You bear the responsibility for looking after your own best interests, and you are the only person who will know if your statement is accurate.
To increase your credit score lower the amount owed on revolving accounts. You can raise your score by lowering your balances. The Fair Isaac Corporation, FICO system tracks how much of your available credit you are using in 20 percent increments.
Credit Score Improvement
If you want to repair your credit, take the time to find a reputable repair agency. There are a lot of credit score improvement agencies that you will want to avoid. There are numerous people that have been the victims of credit score improvement scams. If you do some online research, you can find out what people really think about the various credit repair agencies. This will help tremendously in choosing a safe and effective company.
With the advice given here, you can finally banish your credit report from your nightmares. You can fix your credit and no longer have it hanging over your head constantly. If you can apply all these tips, you will have a great credit score.