Three years ago when I was at the start of my credit repair journey, I obsessively tracked my FICO credit score using free apps like Credit Karma. I’d been on a hardship payment plan for my credit cards for over a year, and was eager to see my consistency pay off. I needed to apply […]
credit reports
Secured Credit Cards Can Increase Credit Scores
In a previous article I shared how you can boost your credit score up to 90 points in 90 days by becoming an authorized user. While this method is hands down the fastest way to raise your score, it’s not the only underrated credit-boosting hack. Secured credit cards are another way to significantly raise your […]
A Super Fast Way to Boost Your Credit Score
Paying down your credit cards and letting your credit mature are guaranteed to raise your credit score. But the boosting benefits can feel painfully slow. Five years ago, my credit score hung at 550 and my apartment lease renewal loomed around the corner. I would stay up late plugging scenario after scenario into a FICO […]
How To Deal With Resurgent Capital and LVNV Funding
Both Resurgent Capital Services and LVNV Funding are part of the Sherman Financial Group based in South Carolina. I have been helping people resolve debt with this debt buyer and collection agency for many years. If you are dealing with this company, as far as debt buyers go, it could be worse! LVNV Funding and […]
Double Jeopardy on Your Credit Reports
If you are looking at your credit reports, and seeing a duplicate account appear on the same report, you could be a victim of what I refer to as double jeopardy. This can skew your debt to income ratio, and cause other domino affects. It can also make it look like you have more unpaid […]
What to do if Your GreenSky Loan Becomes a Problem
GreensSky loans are primarily unsecured, and made for home improvements. The loan amounts can reach above fifty thousand dollars. How much your monthly payment is will depend on the amount of your loan, and the interest rate applied. The larger the loan, the harder it can be to keep current with the payments. When financial […]
Coping with Freedom Plus Loans When You Cannot Keep Up Payments
Freedom Plus loans can range from about ten to forty thousand dollars. The interest rates can vary depending on your qualifications when you get approved for the loan. This can make for hefty monthly payments, and can also mean some of us are one unexpected expense away from not being able to make our Freedom […]
Discover a Higher FICO Score: Secured Credit Cards
I wrote a previous post on how to rebuild your credit score, mentioning the fact that I had signed up for a Discover secured card to get the ball rolling. In this post, I will walk you through what a secured credit card is, the pros and cons of getting one, and how to best […]
What to Do if You’re a Victim of Identity Theft
Has an identity theft struck one of your accounts? Try not to panic! But it is important to act fast to minimize the damage. Here’s what you need to do to get your credit and your finances back on track. Place a fraud alert on each of your credit reports. Phone one of the three, […]
Rebuild Credit in 5 Important Steps
I need to rebuild credit for myself, and am doing so right now, so I thought I would walk you through some of the steps I’m taking to meet my new credit goals. Please understand that there is no “quick fix” for your credit. Your credit report is created based on your use of borrowed […]