Has bad credit made your life miserable? Credit score problems are increasingly common in this bad economy. Luckily, there are ways to improve it, and you can start right now by having a look at these credit restoration tips.
Planning is the first step to repairing your credit. If you want to change then you have to work hard and stick with it. Only the necessities can be purchased from here on in. Ask yourself how necessary each purchase is, and how affordable it is too. If you can’t answer “yes” to each of the questions above, you need to reconsider the purchase.
Interest Rates
You can dispute inflated interest rates if you are being charged more than you should be. Creditors trying to charge more from you than what they originally loaned you plus a reasonable amount of interest are usually willing to negotiate. Although, in reality, you did agree in advance to pay any interest charges incurred. If you plan on suing your creditors, you may be capable of having the interest rates viewed as being too high.
When trying to rehabilitate your credit, it is important to work with each credit card company you are indebted to. If you do this you’ll find that your debt doesn’t increase and your credit is improved. Contact your credit card company and request to change your scheduled due date or interest rate.
Don’t do anything illegal. There are less than honest entities that will show you how to make a brand new credit file. Needless to say, this is against the law and you are likely to get caught. You could go to jail if you have a lot of legal issues.
Requesting that your credit card limits be lowered can benefit you. It will pay off in lowering the risk of excessive borrowing and reflecting good financial decision making on your behalf.
Credit Report
Make sure you review all of the negative marks against you on your credit report. If you find errors in any of the information, you might be able to request the entire negative record be removed from your credit report.
If getting a new line of credit is vital to your credit score repair efforts, look into joining a credit union. They have opportunities that other banks can’t match since they are local, and don’t have to follow some of the same regulations.
If you notice credit reporting errors, always file a dispute. Send an official letter to companies that have wrongfully lowered your score, and include documentation that shows the mistake. Send any correspondence by recorded mail to ensure proof of receipt by the agency.
Many times you and your creditor can work together to come up with a prepayment plan. If so, be sure you get a written agreement stating the terms. This will give you important documentation in case of an ownership change or if the creditor tries to back out of the agreement. If you manage to pay off your debt, make sure you receive proper documentation as proof to send to credit reporting agencies.
Try not to file for bankruptcy. It can adversely affect your credit for up to 10 years. It may sound like a good idea at the time to rid yourself of all your debt, but it will affect you later on. Once you have filed for bankruptcy, it may become very difficult to secure a loan or open a new credit account.
Timely payments will keep your credit status in good standing. Late payments are reported to all credit report companies and will greatly decrease your chances of being eligible for a loan.
If a poor credit rating has left you feeling discouraged, turn your situation around by applying the guidelines you have just read. Stop your credit score from spiraling downward, and look for ways to get back on track.