When you file a dispute for inaccurate tradelines on a credit report, for removal, it is affectionately known as “credit repair”, and although I’m no expert, I still feel more qualified to do it than most credit repair companies, who tend to be underhanded in their approach and charge a pretty penny. DIY credit repair? […]
credit reports
First Progress Secured Credit Card from Synovus
Earlier in the week I engaged in a string of comment replies with a reader who had paid some old collection accounts and is working on rebuilding his credit and improving his FICO score. We exchanged some comments about getting approved for a First Progress secured credit card as a tool to start rebuilding his […]
How will contacting a collection agency restart credit reporting or time limits to sue?
Dear Michael: “My daughter has medical bills from 2008 when an emergency situation arose and she was not covered under insurance. She recently checked her credit report and contacted the collection sites to see if they were really hers. If you contact the collection agency, does this restart the ‘7.5’ years on your credit report? […]
Why Cleaning Up Your Credit Reports Improves Mortgage Options
Home buyers who take the necessary steps to improve their credit scores prior to house hunting save significantly over the life of their loans, compared to buyers who wait to fix their scores until they’re ready to buy. Low credit scores negatively affect home buyers by reducing their available loan options and increasing their financial […]
Debt Relief and Your Credit Score
If you are looking into debt relief programs and landed on this page, chances are you’re reading because you want to know the impact to your credit report and credit score if you use credit counseling, debt settlement, or bankruptcy as a way to resolve debt. You may have already realized that needing one of […]
Date of Last Activity is Important For Credit Repair and Settlements
Date of last activity (DOLA), or date of last payment (DOLP), appears on your credit report for virtually every trade line that appears. Fixed loans like a car or mortgage payment are reflected on your credit report, as are credit cards that you have. This date of last activity is significant beyond how it “looks” […]
Best Debt Solution Options – An Overview
Because the options available to eliminate problem credit card debt are limited, I often find it more productive to use a process of elimination to help determine what would be the best debt solution. Most readers will find they can narrow down the list of debt relief options to one, or perhaps two, using the […]
Stress about overwhelming debt, or fear?
I generally begin any debt relief consultation I do with people who reach out to my company in search of help with credit card debt with this question: “What has you reaching out to a perfect stranger? What is going on with you financially”? Then, I shut up and listen. I am sometimes the first person […]
Inaccurate Information on Your Credit Report can Cost You
The credit report topic has been covered well on our web site, but mostly as it applies to people who need some form of debt relief due to a financial hardship. While that is an important topic and a concern for more and more people as a result of our tough economy – what about […]
Credit Card Debts and Charge Off – What it Means to You
The term charge off describes an accounting function followed by your lenders. When speaking of revolving consumer credit card accounts, a charge off occurs when the credit issuer either chooses to, or must, recognize an unpaid loan balance as a loss. Losses are bad news for lenders. The bad news gets reported and can affect […]