Archive for June, 2010

Why Consumers Ought to Check Their Credit Reports

Jessica Graham asked:




When a person desperately needs a loan, the fine line that determines individuals’ approval and denial is his credit rating. A credit rating is a score given by credit bureaus in accordance to the financial performance. For the last few years, when they have been good debtors, a positive score is received. But whenever late re payments and skipping on fees happen, negative scores are the result. All financial activities are recorded in everyone’s credit history.

Upon application at banks and lenders, these institutions dissect all credit ratings. And according to their standards, a person’s score will determine his viability as a credit risk. If a person’s score is 700 to 850 then it is definitely a winner. Without any fuss, they get approval of whether a car loan, personal loan or credit cards. But most importantly, they get to have a lower interest rate and more lenient repayment terms.

A score of 620 to 699 will get a loan but for sub-prime insurance premiums and higher interest rates. But for a score of 500 to 619, qualifying for a loan is a blurry chance. If it ever gets approved, it is usually on loans for bad credit. This means security pledge before an approval. Usually it requires valuable properties such as vehicles, real estate and so forth. It is also on a much higher interest rate and stricter payment terms.

This is the reality of credit scoring. If people are not careful enough, they will lose their chance for financial assistance. The best thing to do is for them to be aware of their chances. They should never apply for a loan blindly. To keep them updated on their credit score, they must get a copy of it yearly.

Every year, credit authorities hand out a free copy of an individual’s credit report. It has an updated report of their FICO or credit score as well. There are websites that provide a free copy of a credit report. Sites such as Truecredit.com and Equifax.com are examples.

Credit reports are important tools that can help people manage their credit rating. In this copy, they can keep track of all the payments they have made. If there is an error, they can correct it accordingly. This error might have greatly contributed to their negative score. If this is corrected, their score will be up some notches. Then they could have a better chance for loans.

Evelyn
 

After Bankruptcy Credit Repair

Guy Ray asked:




One may be tempted to sit back and do nothing about an after bankruptcy credit repair because the argument is that the bankruptcy stays on one’s file anyway for ten years. What’s the point then of carrying out an after bankruptcy credit repair?

That kind of nonchalant or indifferent attitude may even get you in deeper trouble. Usually, someone who is proactive and cares about his financial rating is going to do something to his advantage right on day 1.

Why?

To re-establish credibility of course. To mend whatever is broken, and to maintain good relations with your bankers, creditors and anyone who is in the most subtle position to influence how your financial picture will look like from now on. An after bankruptcy credit repair is therefore intelligent planning on your part. And the sooner you do it, the better it is for your credit score. It may be a slow, excruciating process, but with time, people will realize you mean business and are doing everything to get back on your feet. After all bankruptcy is no longer the rare disease it once was. Your next door neighbor could have filed for bankruptcy and your gym coach may have done the same thing.

After bankruptcy credit repair: something beyond your capability?

Since bankruptcy is considered somewhat of a drastic move in the money scheme of things, and a bit of a complicated issue involving a set of dynamics different from a straightforward credit repair matter, you may consider a lawyer-assisted credit repair. He may be able to guide you on what steps you can take when the bankruptcy is put on your record and resides there for the next 7-10 years. Or his partner may know of a credit lead repair that many people still do not know about.

Before you rush over to your lawyer’s office, however, you may wish to make a pit stop at the credit bureau and see if you could obtain a copy of your latest credit report. You are allowed one free credit report per year – that’s the law – and if you note some discrepancies, you may want to discuss these with your lawyer.

After bankruptcy credit repair is like waking up the next morning after a hideous nightmare. But the idea is to keep moving, facing front, not back. Start by making timely payments on all debt, temper your credit card use, and consolidate all debt. Speak to your creditors – yes – even after you’ve filed for bankruptcy. Who knows, once they see that you’re diligently doing after bankruptcy credit repair, they might be more predisposed to removing negative information from your file.

The above are just a few of the ways that prove you’re making an effort for after bankruptcy credit repair.

Kathryn
 

Credit Bureaus and Agencies not reporting correctly?

Krista asked:


So I enrolled in an identity theft protection program at my bank because it was free for the first month. I wanted to get my credit reports and scores.

I noticed that, among other things, some of the items on my credit reports are missing information like the dates or account numbers, etc. The troubling part is that many of them have not been reported for a long time. So the item will be on my credit, but will have not been reported or updated for months or even years.

My understanding was that the companies and creditors had to report accurate, up-to-date information monthly to the Credit Bureaus.

So why is nothing happening when they items haven’t been reported for so long?

Don’t the Credit Bureaus keep up on these things?

How does all that work?

And how do I correct it if, say I pay something off, but it hasn’t reported in 2 years, how would I get it to report correctly?

Thanks, and PLEASE don’t post spam stuff here. It’s getting very annoying to find that the only answers I have are all spam.

Lucy

 

Free Triple Score – Protecting Your Credit Check Report Rating From Identity Theft

Marc Marseille asked:




Identity theft is one of the fastest growing crimes in America. The effects of identity theft can be a very hurtful experience that mostly occurs during the important moments of your life. Many victims of identity theft do not even realize that someone or in some cases several people have been violating them by getting access to their personal credit bureau report. Protecting your credit bureau report can easily be achieved by getting a copy of your free triple score from all three credit bureaus.

Your free triple score report will provide you with all the information you have reporting with all three credit bureaus: Experian, Equifax, and Trans Union. Once you have received your credit bureau report, it is crucial that you do a thorough investigation to make sure that all your information is reporting correctly. If you find that you have been a victim of identity fraud, the best thing to do in that situation is to seek professional legal help through a reputable credit attorney.

It is unfortunate if you find yourself dealing with the situation of having your identity stolen, but there several steps you can take to prevent identity theft before it happens. The first step is to arm yourself with identity protection. Many credit card companies offer identity protection through a small monthly fee on your credit card, but if you have several credit cards, you may want to consider getting a more universal identity protection policy. Getting a universal identity protection policy includes using a company that works hand in hand with the 3 credit bureaus to create a lock on your credit bureau report.

Once you’ve create a lock on your credit report, no one can make any purchases using your information without having to verify some very vital information. To secure yourself even further, it is important to shred all important personal information before disposing of them. Information that should be shredded is bank statements, credit card statements, and anything that shows your Social Security Number.

Another precaution you can take is to never give your Social Security Number over the internet through an unsecured server. One way to find out if the website you are viewing is insecure is by looking at your browser window. All secure internet websites start with https: and not just http:. To make it even safer to surf the internet, you should get virus protection, spyware and a reliable internet explorer like Firefox.

My last recommendation to protection your free triple score report sounds simple enough, but a lot of people fall victim to it everyday; you should never give your Social Security Number over the telephone to a company you do not trust. Unless you have a long lasting relationship with a certain company, it is better to deal in person. If you must give sensitive information over the phone such as banking, try to establish a relationship with one particular individual in that department before you do so.

Annie
 

If I already have a copy of my credit report from credit bureaus where do I get their contact info?

Jim J asked:


I need to disupute incorrect info on my credit report but the toll free # listed want me to buy another credit report. How can I not purchase another report and file a dispute?

Herbert