Sep
2
stlou_girl_2000 asked:
Next wednesday we are closing on a house, tonight I came home and there was a message from some credit agency. In the message the woman stated that I need to call her tuesday so she can update my credit report for the purpose of the loan. What does that mean??? I know there were a few minor errors, like an address and 2 reports showing something was paid but the other one not. Is she really going to fix that in one day?
Marlene
Next wednesday we are closing on a house, tonight I came home and there was a message from some credit agency. In the message the woman stated that I need to call her tuesday so she can update my credit report for the purpose of the loan. What does that mean??? I know there were a few minor errors, like an address and 2 reports showing something was paid but the other one not. Is she really going to fix that in one day?
Marlene
Sep
1
asked:
You hear from all sorts of places about getting your free credit report, but you just have to sign up for a free trial. And there’s always that catch. I saw something yesterday on the TV about a free credit report being offered and the offer expires end this month? I can’t remember who it was.
You hear from all sorts of places about getting your free credit report, but you just have to sign up for a free trial. And there’s always that catch. I saw something yesterday on the TV about a free credit report being offered and the offer expires end this month? I can’t remember who it was.
Also, that offer aside, what is the legit place to get access to your once a year, free credit report? I don’t trust half of what I read….
Jay
Sep
1
Conleth Onu asked:
Is bad credit ruining your life? Have you been denied credit because of negative information on your credit report? Do you want to learn how to make a good credit report instantly? If you answered yes to the above questions, you’re in the right place.
Having a bad credit record will make your life difficult in many situations. Nothing can slow you down faster financially than negative information contained in a credit bureau file. Sometimes, the information is true, other times it is deceiving or even totally wrong. What can you do if you believe that you have been turned down for credit because of inaccurate or outdated information?
There are some steps that you can take, to get rid of blemishes on your report. Your first step should be to get your credit reports from the three major credit bureaus. You can get a free copy of your report one time a year, and you can also obtain one at no charge if you have been denied credit within the past 60 days.
Once you have obtained your report, examine it carefully. Make sure that all information is being reported correctly. If you find any incorrect information in your report, you can dispute it with the credit bureau.
Send a letter to the credit bureau explaining your dispute. When filing a dispute, tell the credit bureau what information you believe is incorrect and the reason why. Include any documentation that would help support your claim.
By law the credit bureaus are required to delete negative items from credit reports whenever a particular item reaches a certain age. Also, inaccuarate or unverifiable information must be deleted from credit files.
If there are accounts on your report that need to be settled, you can negotiate with the creditors. Be sure to have the creditor sign and date the settlement proposal and return it to you, before you pay them.
Once you have finished eliminating negatives from credit report, and have a clean clear credit report, it’s time to add positive information on your report.
A secured credit card can help you build good credit. It looks and works like any other major credit card. Secured Visa and Mastercard are issued against your depositing cash in a financial institution. That deposit serves as a collateral for the credit card. If you maintain a good account, your excellent credit rating will be recorded on your report.
Another effective way to add positive credit information to your credit file is to take out a small installment loan from a bank and pay it back promptly.
You can also build good credit by getting Department Store and Gas Company credit cards. By having your very own major credit card, you can qualify for instant credit at many department stores and gas stations.
Once you have established a good credit rating, you will be eligible for loans, credit cards, and other items of credit.
Grace
Is bad credit ruining your life? Have you been denied credit because of negative information on your credit report? Do you want to learn how to make a good credit report instantly? If you answered yes to the above questions, you’re in the right place.
Having a bad credit record will make your life difficult in many situations. Nothing can slow you down faster financially than negative information contained in a credit bureau file. Sometimes, the information is true, other times it is deceiving or even totally wrong. What can you do if you believe that you have been turned down for credit because of inaccurate or outdated information?
There are some steps that you can take, to get rid of blemishes on your report. Your first step should be to get your credit reports from the three major credit bureaus. You can get a free copy of your report one time a year, and you can also obtain one at no charge if you have been denied credit within the past 60 days.
Once you have obtained your report, examine it carefully. Make sure that all information is being reported correctly. If you find any incorrect information in your report, you can dispute it with the credit bureau.
Send a letter to the credit bureau explaining your dispute. When filing a dispute, tell the credit bureau what information you believe is incorrect and the reason why. Include any documentation that would help support your claim.
By law the credit bureaus are required to delete negative items from credit reports whenever a particular item reaches a certain age. Also, inaccuarate or unverifiable information must be deleted from credit files.
If there are accounts on your report that need to be settled, you can negotiate with the creditors. Be sure to have the creditor sign and date the settlement proposal and return it to you, before you pay them.
Once you have finished eliminating negatives from credit report, and have a clean clear credit report, it’s time to add positive information on your report.
A secured credit card can help you build good credit. It looks and works like any other major credit card. Secured Visa and Mastercard are issued against your depositing cash in a financial institution. That deposit serves as a collateral for the credit card. If you maintain a good account, your excellent credit rating will be recorded on your report.
Another effective way to add positive credit information to your credit file is to take out a small installment loan from a bank and pay it back promptly.
You can also build good credit by getting Department Store and Gas Company credit cards. By having your very own major credit card, you can qualify for instant credit at many department stores and gas stations.
Once you have established a good credit rating, you will be eligible for loans, credit cards, and other items of credit.
Grace
Aug
31
A Sample Credit Report - Don’t Bother
Filed Under Finance | Leave a Comment
Justin Fox asked:
Searching for a sample credit report is something that a lot of people seem to do online. While a sample credit report might give you an idea of what to expect, getting one is largely a waste of time. Here’s why.
The credit reporting industry is largely regulated and the Fair Credit Reporting Act really protects the consumer.
So much so, that it is actually law that each of the consumer reporting companies, Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion, are required to provide you with a genuine, full and free credit report once per year, if you ask for it.
Instead of getting a sample credit report, you can get the real thing!
Of course, the trick then is knowing what to do with it. But that’s not so hard either.
Your genuine credit report simply lists all items collected by the consumer reporting company that affect your credit rating.
Once you get your credit report, you simply have to pick out the items on it that are either wrong or not totally right. Each of these items offers an opportunity to improve your overall credit score.
Write a letter to the relevant consumer reporting company listing each of the items from your report that you think are either inaccurate or misleading. If you have any, then it is a good idea to attack documentary proof of why you think each item needs to be revised.
After that, the company will look into your claims and if the report is changed they will send you a new one with the changes.
So why bother going with a sample credit report when you can get the real thing and make some real changes?
Of course if you are not really sure what to do with your report, which items to dispute or how to go about disputing those items, then you might like to consider the services of a credit reporting company to do it on your behalf. Often they will have a better rate of success as they know exactly what can be disputed and they will know the best process to ensure a positive outcome. Many of them work with a results guarantee too.
Such companies will monitor your credit report on your behalf and provide you with itemized lists of the improvements that they attain on your credit report.
The investment in a reputable and respected credit reporting company is often well worth getting cheaper and more credit based services in the long run.
Elaine
Searching for a sample credit report is something that a lot of people seem to do online. While a sample credit report might give you an idea of what to expect, getting one is largely a waste of time. Here’s why.
The credit reporting industry is largely regulated and the Fair Credit Reporting Act really protects the consumer.
So much so, that it is actually law that each of the consumer reporting companies, Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion, are required to provide you with a genuine, full and free credit report once per year, if you ask for it.
Instead of getting a sample credit report, you can get the real thing!
Of course, the trick then is knowing what to do with it. But that’s not so hard either.
Your genuine credit report simply lists all items collected by the consumer reporting company that affect your credit rating.
Once you get your credit report, you simply have to pick out the items on it that are either wrong or not totally right. Each of these items offers an opportunity to improve your overall credit score.
Write a letter to the relevant consumer reporting company listing each of the items from your report that you think are either inaccurate or misleading. If you have any, then it is a good idea to attack documentary proof of why you think each item needs to be revised.
After that, the company will look into your claims and if the report is changed they will send you a new one with the changes.
So why bother going with a sample credit report when you can get the real thing and make some real changes?
Of course if you are not really sure what to do with your report, which items to dispute or how to go about disputing those items, then you might like to consider the services of a credit reporting company to do it on your behalf. Often they will have a better rate of success as they know exactly what can be disputed and they will know the best process to ensure a positive outcome. Many of them work with a results guarantee too.
Such companies will monitor your credit report on your behalf and provide you with itemized lists of the improvements that they attain on your credit report.
The investment in a reputable and respected credit reporting company is often well worth getting cheaper and more credit based services in the long run.
Elaine
Aug
29
What matters more your credit score or the contents of your credit report?
Filed Under Credit | 4 Comments
Jennifer K asked:
If I have a good credit score but still have unpaid collection accounts on my credit report will lenders expect me to pay those before they would give me a mortgage? Or if my credit score is high does that mean they won’t really care about much else?
Lee
If I have a good credit score but still have unpaid collection accounts on my credit report will lenders expect me to pay those before they would give me a mortgage? Or if my credit score is high does that mean they won’t really care about much else?
Lee
Aug
27
Disputing Credit Report Information
Filed Under Finance | Leave a Comment
Jenny R Smith asked:
Information obtained from your credit report enables creditors to gauge the risk factor in lending money to you. Credit report usually provides information on your identity and on how regularly you pay your bills. Credit report is used as the deciding factor by creditors when you apply for credit facility.
Thus, it is vital that you maintain a good credit report consciously. Incorrect information on your report could be damaging in the long term and will affect your buying power drastically. It is therefore necessary to monitor and make sure your information with the credit reporting agencies is updated and accurate.
In case of any discrepancies in your information or rating, you can dispute the credit report information with the help of the Fair Credit Reporting Act or the FCRA.
Review Your Credit Report
The first step in verifying your credit report is to obtain a copy of one. According to Federal law, you are eligible to one copy of credit report from each of the agencies annually. After obtaining your credit report, go through it thoroughly to ensure that the information reported is correct or not. In case of incorrect information, you can dispute the same with the help of the Fair Credit Reporting Act or the FCRA.
File A Credit Report Dispute
Upon finding incorrect information in your credit report the first step should be to alert the credit bureau and the source of your information in writing. Doing this puts you on the path to dispute the wrong information.
The next step involves attaching proof supporting your claim. This includes statements or checks which have been canceled. Along with this it is a good idea to include your personal details like name, current postal address, and information on dispute and explanation on why the information is incorrect. To provide a clear picture, you could include a copy of the credit report highlighting the disputed information.
These documents have to be then dispatched through certified mail requesting for a return receipt. This will make sure you have proof your mail has been received by the credit bureau. It is very important to keep a copy of all the documents you send them.
The Credit Bureau Responds To Your Dispute
The credit bureau usually takes about thirty days to respond to your claim after checking all the necessary information and facts. Credit bureau sends the disputed facts to the information provider which in turn investigates the same and reports back to the bureau.
Upon completion of the investigation, the credit bureau provides you with the results. In case the dispute has been accepted and facts altered, the bureau provides you with a free copy of the changed report. Credit bureau can also be requested to send the correction to any other company which may have accessed your credit report in the past six months.
After all this, it is a good idea to check the other credit bureaus as well and set right the information.
Alfred
Information obtained from your credit report enables creditors to gauge the risk factor in lending money to you. Credit report usually provides information on your identity and on how regularly you pay your bills. Credit report is used as the deciding factor by creditors when you apply for credit facility.
Thus, it is vital that you maintain a good credit report consciously. Incorrect information on your report could be damaging in the long term and will affect your buying power drastically. It is therefore necessary to monitor and make sure your information with the credit reporting agencies is updated and accurate.
In case of any discrepancies in your information or rating, you can dispute the credit report information with the help of the Fair Credit Reporting Act or the FCRA.
Review Your Credit Report
The first step in verifying your credit report is to obtain a copy of one. According to Federal law, you are eligible to one copy of credit report from each of the agencies annually. After obtaining your credit report, go through it thoroughly to ensure that the information reported is correct or not. In case of incorrect information, you can dispute the same with the help of the Fair Credit Reporting Act or the FCRA.
File A Credit Report Dispute
Upon finding incorrect information in your credit report the first step should be to alert the credit bureau and the source of your information in writing. Doing this puts you on the path to dispute the wrong information.
The next step involves attaching proof supporting your claim. This includes statements or checks which have been canceled. Along with this it is a good idea to include your personal details like name, current postal address, and information on dispute and explanation on why the information is incorrect. To provide a clear picture, you could include a copy of the credit report highlighting the disputed information.
These documents have to be then dispatched through certified mail requesting for a return receipt. This will make sure you have proof your mail has been received by the credit bureau. It is very important to keep a copy of all the documents you send them.
The Credit Bureau Responds To Your Dispute
The credit bureau usually takes about thirty days to respond to your claim after checking all the necessary information and facts. Credit bureau sends the disputed facts to the information provider which in turn investigates the same and reports back to the bureau.
Upon completion of the investigation, the credit bureau provides you with the results. In case the dispute has been accepted and facts altered, the bureau provides you with a free copy of the changed report. Credit bureau can also be requested to send the correction to any other company which may have accessed your credit report in the past six months.
After all this, it is a good idea to check the other credit bureaus as well and set right the information.
Alfred
Aug
23
Derogatory Credit Information in Your Credit Report and How to Handle it
Filed Under Finance | Leave a Comment
Bob Pering asked:
The derogatory credit information section in your credit report lists all the items that negatively affect your credit rating. It is this section that is given the most attention by creditors and lending agencies.
The most damaging types of credit information are bankruptcies and foreclosures. These items can be reported on your credit report for up to 10 years.
The second most damaging types of credit information are accounts that have gone to collections. Any account sent to collections affects your overall credit score in the worst way.
A collection account can stay on your report for seven years from the date of last activity In actual practice, collection accounts are often sold to another agency at the end of the seven year cycle, which creates another activity, which means the seven year reporting cycle starts all over again.
Other derogatory information in your credit report includes accounts that show a slow payment history and/or past due accounts. Unpaid student loans, judgments, and unpaid medical bills also show up here.
How to Handle Derogatory Credit Information
Derogatory information can be disputed when it is inaccurate. If, for example, you can prove you made a payment on time, when it has been reported otherwise, you should be able to have the error corrected.
Disputing errors is done by sending copies of your documentation to the credit bureau via certified mail. Once the agency receives the dispute, they must contact the lender for verification of accuracy. If the lender does not respond to the dispute within 30 days, the credit bureau must assume your dispute was accurate and remove the disputed item from your credit report.
A way to handle derogatory credit information in your credit reports when the lender will not remove it is to send a written explanation of the circumstances regarding the item. You are allowed by law to submit a 100 word explanation of the problem to the credit bureau, which then becomes a part of your credit report.
The derogatory credit information section in your credit report lists all the items that negatively affect your credit rating. It is this section that is given the most attention by creditors and lending agencies.
Roy
The derogatory credit information section in your credit report lists all the items that negatively affect your credit rating. It is this section that is given the most attention by creditors and lending agencies.
The most damaging types of credit information are bankruptcies and foreclosures. These items can be reported on your credit report for up to 10 years.
The second most damaging types of credit information are accounts that have gone to collections. Any account sent to collections affects your overall credit score in the worst way.
A collection account can stay on your report for seven years from the date of last activity In actual practice, collection accounts are often sold to another agency at the end of the seven year cycle, which creates another activity, which means the seven year reporting cycle starts all over again.
Other derogatory information in your credit report includes accounts that show a slow payment history and/or past due accounts. Unpaid student loans, judgments, and unpaid medical bills also show up here.
How to Handle Derogatory Credit Information
Derogatory information can be disputed when it is inaccurate. If, for example, you can prove you made a payment on time, when it has been reported otherwise, you should be able to have the error corrected.
Disputing errors is done by sending copies of your documentation to the credit bureau via certified mail. Once the agency receives the dispute, they must contact the lender for verification of accuracy. If the lender does not respond to the dispute within 30 days, the credit bureau must assume your dispute was accurate and remove the disputed item from your credit report.
A way to handle derogatory credit information in your credit reports when the lender will not remove it is to send a written explanation of the circumstances regarding the item. You are allowed by law to submit a 100 word explanation of the problem to the credit bureau, which then becomes a part of your credit report.
The derogatory credit information section in your credit report lists all the items that negatively affect your credit rating. It is this section that is given the most attention by creditors and lending agencies.
Roy
Aug
23
Barby Berlin asked:
Do you want to take advantage of the slow housing market to get a great price on your first or a bigger home? Are you trying to buy a new car - maybe one that gets better gas mileage than your SUV? Do you want to go back to school and need to borrow money? All of these sorts of things, and lots of others, often make people look into ways to clean up their credit report. And for good reason, too. The better your credit score is, the easier it is to get a loan, the less interest you will have to pay, and the overall better terms you will be able to get.
If you want to clean up your credit report, do you know how to go about doing it? Of course, the best and easiest way to have a great credit history is to pay all your bills on time, keep some outstanding debt, but only a little, and make all payments on time right from the very start. Not everyone has the life circumstances to be able to do that, however; that does not mean, though, that there is just no way to make your credit score shine.
If you want to clean up your credit report, you should take some time to look into the ways that credit scores are determined by the three major groups who provide them, and once you do that, you should look at your own personal financial situation and take the appropriate actions.
Would you be better off to close that account you only use in extreme emergencies? Would it be better to take a second job for a short time to increase your cash in hand? Should you use the money in your savings account to pay off your outstanding credit card debt? These are all the types of questions that you should get answered before you start to do things in an effort to clean up your credit report.
Karl
Do you want to take advantage of the slow housing market to get a great price on your first or a bigger home? Are you trying to buy a new car - maybe one that gets better gas mileage than your SUV? Do you want to go back to school and need to borrow money? All of these sorts of things, and lots of others, often make people look into ways to clean up their credit report. And for good reason, too. The better your credit score is, the easier it is to get a loan, the less interest you will have to pay, and the overall better terms you will be able to get.
If you want to clean up your credit report, do you know how to go about doing it? Of course, the best and easiest way to have a great credit history is to pay all your bills on time, keep some outstanding debt, but only a little, and make all payments on time right from the very start. Not everyone has the life circumstances to be able to do that, however; that does not mean, though, that there is just no way to make your credit score shine.
If you want to clean up your credit report, you should take some time to look into the ways that credit scores are determined by the three major groups who provide them, and once you do that, you should look at your own personal financial situation and take the appropriate actions.
Would you be better off to close that account you only use in extreme emergencies? Would it be better to take a second job for a short time to increase your cash in hand? Should you use the money in your savings account to pay off your outstanding credit card debt? These are all the types of questions that you should get answered before you start to do things in an effort to clean up your credit report.
Karl
Aug
21
Any way to acquire a free credit report from each of the major credit bureaus?
Filed Under Other - Winter Sports | 1 Comment
ricarda asked:
I heard on CNN Headline News that you can obtain one free credit report per year from each of the 4 major credit bureaus.
I heard on CNN Headline News that you can obtain one free credit report per year from each of the 4 major credit bureaus.
Does anyone know the names of each credit bureau, the number to call (or address) and what you need to do to get a copy of your credit report?
Lois
Aug
19
Ann Richter asked:
When a bankruptcy appears on your credit report, you feel as if you have to get used to being denied credit or a loan because of it. You have been told that this information will stay on your credit report for a maximum of seven years, too. For a while now, you have been interested in doing some type of credit repair. But, you have heard from friends that doing anything like this after a bankruptcy is difficult to do. You’d like to remove the bankruptcy from your credit report so that you can have a clean credit record, but you just aren’t sure how to go about how to do this.
You know that it’s not just the gas companies and department stores that are checking your credit when you apply for an account with them. When you applied for a new job last month, you were turned down because of your credit record. You’ve been told that the insurance company you use will be checking into your credit file when the time comes for you to renew your car insurance. Once they see that bankruptcy on your record, you are afraid that you will be hit with a huge rate increase.
It’s Not Always Your Fault
It’s enough to make you feel like a failure, and you’re not alone. Almost everyone who has been forced to file for bankruptcy feels this way, too. For some reason, people in the United States seem to look down on those who have bankruptcy on their record, and this just is not fair. You had no control over those medical treatments you had to go through after your car accident. You could not help that you missed so much work that you got way behind on your bills. And, neither could many other Americans suffering from the same problems as you.
You can’t even get a job anymore without having to answer questions about whether or not you have ever filed for bankruptcy. It’s listed right there on the job application, and you are required to fill out that section, too. What’s a person to do? People have told you that it isn’t possible to remove such a stigma as bankruptcy from your report.
Did you know that it is the law that you can dispute an item on your credit report that is wrong or listed in error? The credit bureau has to prove that the information contained in your file is true. You need to be the one who makes sure that the information in your credit file is accurate and up to date. Since a bankruptcy stays on your credit file for so many years, you should start trying to up your credit score so your credit can be restored as soon as is possible under the circumstances.
Clinton
When a bankruptcy appears on your credit report, you feel as if you have to get used to being denied credit or a loan because of it. You have been told that this information will stay on your credit report for a maximum of seven years, too. For a while now, you have been interested in doing some type of credit repair. But, you have heard from friends that doing anything like this after a bankruptcy is difficult to do. You’d like to remove the bankruptcy from your credit report so that you can have a clean credit record, but you just aren’t sure how to go about how to do this.
You know that it’s not just the gas companies and department stores that are checking your credit when you apply for an account with them. When you applied for a new job last month, you were turned down because of your credit record. You’ve been told that the insurance company you use will be checking into your credit file when the time comes for you to renew your car insurance. Once they see that bankruptcy on your record, you are afraid that you will be hit with a huge rate increase.
It’s Not Always Your Fault
It’s enough to make you feel like a failure, and you’re not alone. Almost everyone who has been forced to file for bankruptcy feels this way, too. For some reason, people in the United States seem to look down on those who have bankruptcy on their record, and this just is not fair. You had no control over those medical treatments you had to go through after your car accident. You could not help that you missed so much work that you got way behind on your bills. And, neither could many other Americans suffering from the same problems as you.
You can’t even get a job anymore without having to answer questions about whether or not you have ever filed for bankruptcy. It’s listed right there on the job application, and you are required to fill out that section, too. What’s a person to do? People have told you that it isn’t possible to remove such a stigma as bankruptcy from your report.
Did you know that it is the law that you can dispute an item on your credit report that is wrong or listed in error? The credit bureau has to prove that the information contained in your file is true. You need to be the one who makes sure that the information in your credit file is accurate and up to date. Since a bankruptcy stays on your credit file for so many years, you should start trying to up your credit score so your credit can be restored as soon as is possible under the circumstances.
Clinton