Archive for the ‘credit education’ Category
Saturday, July 26th, 2008
No, I don’t mean you need to teach them grammar, math and geography. You can leave those subjects up to the school system and hopefully they’ll learn what they need to know with just a little help from you at homework time.
I’m talking about a subject that will have far more impact on their lives than knowing the capital of Montana, or the proper conjugation of a verb. I’m talking about money management. This is a subject schools should, but don’t address.
Start when your kids are old enough to start asking for a quarter to put in a candy machine. Show them how to budget and save for special toys, and teach them that we all have to make choices, because you can’t spend the same dollar twice.
When they’re a little older, teach them about bank accounts. Get them a savings account and let them make the deposits and watch the balance grow. And while you’re at it, explain to them how that nest egg will benefit them later. But don’t stop there – teach them about checking accounts and the necessity to keep careful accounting.
Show them how money melts away as a result of an overdraft. Once, while working in a grocery store, I met a young woman who hadn’t learned this lesson. At that time, the bank was charging about $20 for each overdraft, and this girl wrote three NSF (non-sufficient funds) checks at our store in just two days. The sad part was, none of those checks was for over $10. So while she thought she was spending about $25, she created an $85 obligation at the bank.
By high school kids should be learning about credit reports and credit scores. Hopefully yours looks good and you won’t be ashamed to show it to them. But if it’s bad you can use the opportunity to show them how that is affecting your life in negative ways.
The first step is to get your free credit report. Then make sure you understand how to read it before you start explaining it to the kids. Show them how every loan and every credit card shows up there as a part of your financial history – and how all those things are combined to give you a credit score. Let them know that while your finances used to be a private matter, now your credit score can be accessed by almost anyone.
Above all, remember to make this education an ongoing process. Help them make sound money management a part of their daily lives so that when they get out on their own, all doors of opportunity will be open to them.
About the Author: Mike Clover is the owner of http://www.creditscorequick.com/. CreditScoreQuick.com is the one of the most unique on-line resources for free credit score report, fico score, free credit check, identity theft protection, secured credit cards, student credit cards , credit cards, mortgage loans, auto loans, insurance, debt consolidation ,and a BlOG with a wealth of personal credit information. The information within this website is written by professionals that know about credit, and what determines ones credit worthiness
Posted in credit education | 1 Comment »
Thursday, July 24th, 2008
Q:
Hi Mike,
I disputed my credit report through your site. I had some collections on my credit report that are over 7 years old. My question is how long does it normally take to remove the collection that is incorrect? This collection on my credit report is 9 years old, and is still reporting with Equifax credit bureau. This is very aggravating to me and I feel like the credit bureaus don’t stay on top of this stuff like they should. I just want it removed; I believe it is dragging down my credit score.
Shawn Matters
A:
Hi Shawn,
This is a common issue with the credit bureaus. Yes, if there is a collection reporting on your credit report it is dragging down your credit score. Typically after you dispute the inaccuracy, the credit bureaus will remove it in about 30 days. Make sure you only dispute it once, because if you dispute it twice the credit bureaus will put you back in the 30 day window again from the date of dispute. So in essence it could take 60 days to resolve by disputing it twice.
Mike Clover
CreditScoreQuick.com
Posted in collections, credit education | Comments Off
Thursday, July 24th, 2008
As part of a continuing credit education program, CreditScoreQuick.com offers consumers tips on how to minimize credit risk and repair credit history in their online blog.
(PRWEB) July 24, 2008 — CreditScoreQuick.com, created by a professional lender, recently introduced a series of articles dedicated to helping consumers learn how to repair their credit histories and lower credit risk, absolutely free of charge, through an online blog at CreditScoreQuick.com/blogger.htm. Recent topics in the blog include:
* Rental and foreclosure collections and what it means in today’s housing market.
* How consumers can determine their credit score at no cost and what it means for their financial planning.
* How to avoid, or recover from, financial identity theft.
Before the recent housing crunch and increasing foreclosure rates, many consumers were unconcerned about their negative credit history, and banks were eager to get loans approved for customers. In order to receive quick loan approval, customers with negative credit histories were ripe for credit repair company’s assistance. According to CreditScoreQuick.com owner, Mike Clover, “During the real estate boom, credit repair companies were beating down my door for clients that needed credit restoration. We tried all kinds of companies who stated that they could help our clients out.”
Over time, Clover realized these companies were not doing anything except taking clients money. The fees these so-called credit repair companies charged consumers averaged $1,000 or more. “Being lenders during this extremely busy time, we did not have the time to repair our client’s credit reports, so we outsourced it. After exhausting just about every credit repair company in town, we decided to start directly helping clients repair their credit through our new company, CreditScoreQuick.com,” says Clover.
“We knew what needed to be done to help out individuals and families who were facing financial trouble so we started posting how to repair your credit articles on our Web site blog,” continues Clover. “Since we had first-hand experience in how to really fix credit reports, we decided to post our first hand experience on the web for free.”
When it comes to learning about credit and making sound financial decisions, may consumers find themselves buried in confusing information that doesn’t make sense, or even contradicts information from other sources. “We found that most people had fallen prey to credit repair scams because they were desperate for help,” Clover says. “Credit repair is just better money management education, and education on what affects your credit worthiness.”
According to CreditScoreQuick.com, no one can completely remove a debt they owe from their credit report. Many people have heard the “100 percent removal” sales pitch from credit repair companies so many times, that they truly believe it. But then they find out it is just a sales pitch designed to get them to register and spend anywhere from $1,000 to $2,000.
The results have been documented all over the Web announcing credit repair companies facing investigation and possible fines by the FTC and the Better Business Bureaus for not delivering what they promised.
So CreditScoreQuick.com took the liberty to show people what it takes to repair their credit report themselves. As part of their ongoing credit repair education series, CreditScoreQuick.com has begun posting better credit management education articles in a series of daily blogs. “Our top priority is to show the American people how important it is to mange your credit so you don’t get in financial trouble. If you have found yourself in trouble with your credit, you can repair your credit report through our site absolutely free, with no strings attached,” states Clover.
For additional information on repairing credit, e-mail CreditScoreQuick.com and they will respond to questions within 24 hours with a post on their company blog. CreditScoreQuick.com offers a full range of credit tools for consumers who wish to lower their credit risk including personal loan and mortgage applications, free credit reports, credit monitoring and identity theft protection.
Posted in credit education, credit repair agency | Comments Off
Tuesday, July 22nd, 2008
You know that the best plan is to protect your credit and keep your credit score high from the start of your financial life, but perhaps it’s too late for that. Perhaps your credit is already in sad shape, and you’re trying to come up with a good plan to repair it.
You can do it yourself, but you may be thinking that it will be faster and easier if you let an expert do it – an expert such as a Credit Repair Company. You may be right, simply because they know the process. But before you choose one, you should realize that not all such companies are honest. So talk to a few and ask questions before you choose.
The first red flag that should send you running the other direction is a promise to remove all negative information from your credit file. This cannot be done, and anyone who promises to do it is telling an outright lie.
What they, or you, actually can do is remove any inaccurate information found on your credit report. The first step, of course, is to get a copy of that credit report and read it thoroughly. Then each credit reporting company must be contacted with a formal request to re investigate and correct the mistakes.
Another red flag is a request for money up front. The Credit Repair Organizations Act says that Credit Repair Organizations are not allowed to ask you for any money until everything they promised has been done. In other words, they only get paid for results, not promises.
Some unethical Credit Repair Companies will actually advise you not to contact the reporting agencies themselves. This is a scare tactic designed to push you into using their service, and is completely unethical.
Before you begin interviewing Credit Repair Companies, familiarize yourself with the Credit Repair Organizations Act. Until you do, here’s a brief rundown on what those companies must do:
· Provide you with payment terms for their services
· Inform you of all fees and a final total amount due
· Give you a detailed description in writing of everything they plan to do
· Give you a timeline in which the process will be completed
· Provide all guarantees in writing
· Provide their company name and address in the Contract.
· Provide you with a copy of the Consumer Credit file Rights Under State and Federal Law
· Wait 3 days after you have signed a contract before working on your credit – during which time you may cancel the contract, owing nothing.
Before you sign that contract, read it thoroughly and make sure you understand and agree to each of its provisions. Only then should you take the next step.
CreditScoreQuick.com
Posted in credit education, credit repair agency | Comments Off
Thursday, July 17th, 2008
 Lately credit repair companies around the country are getting hammered by the FTC and the Better Business Bureau. These companies are claiming that they can increase your credit score and remove collections from your credit report. The funny thing is they charge you up front before any services are rendered. The FTC states that credit repair companies are not suppose to collect money from you until the services have been rendered. This is not what is going on, along with the promises they make to remove stuff that you owe. So the question is what exactly does a credit repair company do? In this article I will discuss the facts and get through all the smoking mirrors that credit repair companies sell.
Can you remove collections?
The answer is you can only remove collections that are not yours by proof and collections that have been on your credit report for more than 7 years. No one can remove a collection on your credit report that you owe, unless it’s been over 7 years. Some collections report longer, but the standard is 7 years.
Can credit repair companies increase your credit score?
Credit repair companies can help you increase your credit score by requesting you do get a secured credit card. Most credit repair companies will require you to do this if you don’t have any good credit reporting. It was not the credit repair company that increased your credit score; it was the new secured credit card that starting reporting on your credit.
Can credit repair companies remove bankruptcies, judgments, and tax liens?
Credit repair companies cannot remove any of this, unless the bankruptcy has expired. Depending on what type of bankruptcy it was, it could be on your credit report up to 10 years. Judgments will stay on your credit report for 7 years from date of entry. Tax liens can remain on your credit report until paid.
By disputing collections you owe, does it remove them?
If you dispute a collection you owe, you are wasting your time. You are to only dispute inaccuracies on your credit report, disputing items you owe does nothing for you.
So the question is what exactly does credit repair companies do? I believe most of them are in business to just take your money. Some of these companies do provide good credit repair education, but if they tell you they can remove stuff you owe, they are lying to you. I have yet to meet someone that has gone to a so called credit repair company and have had success in getting there credit repaired. If you have credit issues on your credit report, you can repair your credit for free. The how to repair your own credit involves money management and the establishment of new credit if you have none. How to do this for free is on the web. You can go to the FTC and also our site blog as well.
CreditScoreQuick.com
Posted in credit education, credit repair agency, free credit score reports | 1 Comment »
Tuesday, July 15th, 2008
Q:
Thanks Mike! Appreciate your reply. Are you familiar with the types of deals homeowners are making with lenders these days? Our next step will probably be to meet with a local RE attorney, but am curious what you’ve seen in your experience. Oh, and I would prefer to work with a for-profit repair specialist. I’ve read derogatory things about free agencies that actually represent creditors rather than those being counseled. What are your thoughts on that as well?
Appreciate your time!
A:
Sometimes the banks will make a payment plan you can afford. I would call them and find out what your options are. For credit repair, our blog gives FREE credit repair advice. There is not need to pay anyone for credit repair. Being that I am a experience lender and help people all the time, I have put my experience based on FACTS within my Blog. There are all kinds of tips and Faqs on how to repair your credit. Let me know if you have anymore questions.
Mike Clover
CreditScoreQuick.com
Posted in credit education, credit repair agency, free credit score reports | Comments Off
Friday, July 4th, 2008
Q:
Hello Mike,
I have some questions about collections. I have not pulled my free credit report yet, but I know that I have collections on there. I have had some financial problems in the past due to medical issues. I have read that you should not pay off your collections; it will drop your credit score. The collections I have are about 2 years old. Do you recommend I pay them off, or leave them be? I plan on buying a home within the next year or so.
Leslie Lerner
Denver, Colorado
A:
Hi Leslie,
This is a great question. Collections can be tricky; usually credit repair companies will tell you not to pay off collections. The reason for this is they are obviously in sales, would be my opinion. I have helped people get there credit scores up for years so I could finance them, by having them pay off the most recent collections. When you pay off collections on a credit report it could go two ways. Your credit scores could temporally drop, but most of the time your credit scores will increase. For long term credit repair I recommend always to pay off collections. It is important to ask the collection agency to give you a letter to delete from all 3 credit bureaus. This will remove the collection from your credit record as if it were never there. Some collection agencies will only give you a letter showing paid or settled. It does not hurt to ask though, because sometimes they will give you a letter to delete the history from the credit bureaus.
Mike Clover
CreditScoreQuick.com
About the Author: Mike Clover is the owner of http://www.creditscorequick.com/. CreditScoreQuick.com is the one of the most unique on-line resources for free credit score report, fico score, free credit check, identity theft protection, secured credit cards, student credit cards , credit cards, mortgage loans, auto loans, insurance, debt consolidation ,and a BlOG with a wealth of personal credit information. The information within this website is written by professionals that know about credit, and what determines ones credit worthiness
Posted in collections, credit education, free credit report | 1 Comment »
Saturday, February 9th, 2008
The FTC claims that credit report Repair may be better for you if you do it yourself. You have seen advertisements on TV, local newspapers, internet. All of these credit report repair companies claim the following:
• “Credit Problem? No Problem!”
• “ We can get rid of bad credit problems – 100% guaranteed”
• “We can remove bankruptcies, judgments, bad loans and tax liens from your credit file forever
The FTC says “Don’t believe these statements. The only thing that will fix your credit is time, conscious effort, and a personal debt repayment plan will improve your credit report.
This article will explain how you can improve your creditworthiness and gives legitimate resources for low or no cost help.
The Scam
All over the US companies appeal to families and individuals that have bad credit problems. They promise for a fee, to clean up your credit report so you can get a car loan, a home mortgage, a job or even a insurance. The fact is, they cannot deliver. After you pay them hundred of dollars or even thousands of dollars in fees, these companies do absolutely nothing to improve your credit report. They typically vanish with your money says the FTC.
Warning Signs
If you feel credit repair with one of these companies is your choice, look out for the following.
• Companies that want you to pay before services are rendered
• Companies that don’t tell you your legal rights and what you cannot do yourself for free
• Companies that recommend that you don’t contact the credit reporting companies
• Companies that recommend you create a new identity by way of Identification Number.
• Companies that advise you to dispute all information in your credit report
Under the Credit Repair Organizations Act, credit repair companies cannot require you to pay until they have completed services they claim they can provide. The FTC says to get what they claim they can do in written, and once it is done then pay them.
The FACTS
No one can legally remove accurate information from you credit report. If you owe the debt, it will be on there for 7 years from original collection date. The law allows you the consumer to dispute inaccurate information on your report for FREE. There is no cost to you for doing this. Everything a credit repair company does for a fee, you can do it yourself for FREE. This is all in accordance to the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA)
You are entitled to free credit report if you are denied for the following
1. Credit Application
2. Insurance
3. Employment
You are to ask for this report within 60 days of receiving this notification. You are also entitled to the free report if you are unemployed and are about to apply for job, if you are on welfare, or if your report is inaccurate because of fraud including identity theft.
All 3 Credit Bureaus – Equifax, Trans Union and Experian are required to provide you once a year with a Free Credit Report. In order to get this report you must go to annualcreditreport.com.
You are allowed to dispute items that are not yours for free. Under the FCRA any company that is reporting information about you that is inaccurate, this information must be updated correctly. If you owe the debt it will not be removed.
Step One
The consumer credit reporting company that is reporting information incorrectly about you must be informed in writing what information is inaccurate. You are to include a copy of documents backing your claim. You are to clearly identify in the claim the following
1. Your full name
2. Address
3. The item in the report that you are disputing
4. The request that it should be removed or corrected
5. Enclose a copy of the report and circle the item in question.
Your credit report dispute letter may look something like this:
Date
You’re Name
Mailing Address
City, State, Zip
Re: Disputing Inaccuracies on My Credit Report
Name of Credit Reporting Bureau
Mailing Address
City, State, Zip
Dear Sir or Madam:
I am writing for two (2) reasons:
1. To dispute certain information in my credit file; and
2. To have you investigate/re-investigate and remove inaccurate information from
my Credit Report and prevent its re-insertion. The item(s) I dispute are encircled
on the attached copy of the credit report and further identified by (identify the
items by name of source, such as creditor or tax court, etc. and identify type of
item, such as credit account, judgment, etc.)This item is (inaccurate or
incomplete) because (describe what is inaccurate or incomplete and why). I am
requesting that the item be deleted (or whatever specific change you are
requesting) to correct the information.(If you are enclosing documents such as
copies of cancelled checks, payment records, court documents, send copies
only, you should always retain the originals — and use the following sentence.)
Enclosed are copies of the following documents supporting my position:
1.
2.
3.
Please reinvestigate this (these) matter(s) and (delete or correct) the disputed
items within the time frame required by the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) and
inform me in writing of the outcome. Thank you for your time and consideration in
this matter.
Sincerely,
________________________
(Signature)
Your name
Once the investigation is complete, whether they removed the item or not, the creditor must give you something in writing. If the information was deemed incorrect, then they must remove it, and not put it back on your report.
Step Two
Advise the creditor or other information provider, in writing, that you dispute an item. Be sure to include copies only, not your original supporting your claim. The creditors usually provide an address for disputes. If the creditor reports the items to the 3 credit bureaus, they must include the dispute during the reporting time. If you are correct, the creditor must remove the item from the Bureaus it’s reporting too.
For information on “How to Dispute Credit Report Errors, go to ftc.gov/credit.
The reporting of correct information
When negative information is being reported about you, and it’s accurate the only way it will go away is with time. A consumer credit reporting company can report negative information about you for 7 years and bankruptcies for 10 years. Judgments can be reported for 7 years or until the statue of limitations run out.
Credit Repair Organization Act
By law credit repair companies must give you a copy of the “Consumer Credit File Rights Under State and Federal Law” before you sign any contract. They must also give you a written contract that specifies your rights and obligations. Read these documents carefully before you sign anything.
Example of what a credit report company cannot do:
• Charge you for anything until services have been completed
• Make false claims about there services
• Provide any services until they have your signature on a written contract and have completed a 3 day waiting period.
During this time you may cancel the contract without any fees occurred.
• Payment terms for services rendered, along with total cost
• Detailed description of services you are paying for
• How long it will take to achieve results
• Any guarantees they offer
• Company address and name
Check your Credit Report at least 4 to 5 times a year.
Even if you don’t have poor credit, you need to know what’s on your credit report. Here are some good reasons per the FTC.
• Because the information it contains may affect whether you get a loan and the payment terms for that loan
• Make sure the information is accurate, complete, and up to date before you apply for a mortgage, credit card, car, insurance or even a job.
• To help guard against identity theft
Hopefully this has shed some light on credit repair, and the importance of have a recent copy of your free credit report.
Source: http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/pubs/consumer/credit/cre13.shtm
CreditScoreQuick.com
Posted in bad credit, credit education, free credit report, free credit score reports | 4 Comments »
Thursday, January 31st, 2008
Your credit score could be affected by little mistakes made on your part. These mistakes are made all the time, and most don’t realize the impact on your credit report and credit score. We have seen these common problems quite often, even though you are providing help for a family member or friend.
Co-signing for loans:
One of the most common credit mistake is co-signing on a loan for friends and family members that don’t pay there bills. Yes you thought you were helping someone out, but in return hurt your personal credit. Over the years we have seen more and more people helping out other people with loans, and there credit report is littered with late payments. The result is sorry we cannot help you with the loan you are applying for because your credit score is too low. Late payments will drop your credit score 100 points. So if you had a 700 FICO score, now you have a 600 FICO score. So don’t co-sign for someone else. They need to learn how to establish credit on there own.
Closing Credit Card Accounts:
Fair Isaac Corporation does not recommend closing out credit cards, especially if the card is in good standing. Once you close out a card that is a good revolving line of credit, you just dropped your scores. This credit was reporting in good standing with a credit limit, the credit limit is a part of your credit score. So if you close it, you score will drop due to good credit being removed.
No Credit Cards will hurt your Score:
If you thought it was ok to avoid having credit cards you are wrong. Fair Isaac recommends having credit cards, but use them responsibly.
High Credit Card Balances:
High credit card balances will lower your credit score as well. According to Fair Isaac your balance should not be more than 30% of credit limit. The lower your balance is the higher your credit score will be. This is the quickest way to increase your credit scores.
Don’t give up:
Maybe you have made some mistakes, and now you are on the road to recovery. Remember your credit is just a snapshot of your credit during a particular time. You can always improve your credit by paying down your balances, and being on-time with your payments to creditors.
CreditScoreQuick.com
Posted in bad credit, credit education, credit repair company, credit report, free credit score reports | 1 Comment »
Monday, January 21st, 2008
This is a step by step guide that will give you the tools to fix inaccurate information on your credit report. First you need to check when the information being reported is set to expire. Next use our customizable dispute letter, and sent it to the Credit Bureaus.
It is really that simple.
Step 1: Look for incorrect information being reported about you:Order a current copy of your credit report with scores from all 3 Bureaus online. Print your credit report and view it carefully. Make note of any information that is not correct. Determine when the information is set to expire. This guide will help you determine if and when the negative information on your credit report will expire.
Public Records:
a.Bankrupcties- Chapter 7 Bankruptcy will expire from your report after 10 years of file date. Chapter 13 will expire from your report after 7 years from file date.
b. Judgements- Court ordered decisions stay on your credit report for 7 years from file date. Example: child support, civil and small claims court.
c.Tax Liens- Tax liens stay on your credit report until you pay it off. Once you have paid the tax lien, it will stay on there 7 years from paid date. This applies to City, State, and Federal tax liens.
Charge –off – records- this record will show up on your credit after a creditor has wrote off the debt as a loss. This will remain on your file for 7 years.
Inquiries- Records of application for credit. These types of inquires usually stay on credit for a maximum of 2 years. Checking your credit online with credit sores does not damage your credit like these inquires do.
Closed Accounts- This information whether negative or good stays on your credit report for 7 years.
Collection Accounts- This record should expire after 7 years from the last 180 day late payment that led the account to collection to begin with. The expiration date is the same even if the collection is sold multiple times.
Foreclosure Records- Foreclosure and property deed-in-lieu records remain on credit for 7 years from foreclosure date.
Late Payments- Late payments stay on record for 7 years.
Repossession Records-Vehicle repossessions stay on you credit report for 7 years.
Use this expiration information to determine what should not be on your report. You should also check for information that is being report on there that is not yours. Also make sure there is no information that are cross records either.
Step 2: Write Dispute Letter
Once you have determined what is not correct on your report, it is time to write you disputes to the Bureaus. You will need to send the letter to each of the credit bureaus via certified mail.
Example dispute letter:
Date
Your Name Mailing Address City, State, Zip
Re: Disputing Inaccuracies on My Credit Report
Name of Credit Reporting Bureau Mailing Address City, State, Zip
Dear Sir or Madam:
I am writing for two (2) reasons:
1. To dispute certain information in my credit file; and
2. To have you investigate/re-investigate and remove inaccurate information from my Credit Report and prevent its re-insertion. The item(s) I dispute are encircled on the attached copy of the credit report and further identified by (identify the items by name of source, such as creditor or tax court, etc. and identify type of item, such as credit account, judgment, etc.)This item is (inaccurate or incomplete) because (describe what is inaccurate or incomplete and why). I am requesting that the item be deleted (or whatever specific change you are requesting) to correct the information.(If you are enclosing documents such as copies of canceled checks, payment records, court documents, send copies only, you should always retain the originals — and use the following sentence.)
Enclosed are copies of the following documents supporting my position?
1.
2.
3.
Please re-investigate this (these) matter(s) and (delete or correct) the disputed items within the time frame required by the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) and inform me in writing of the outcome. Thank you for your time and consideration in this matter.
Sincerely,
________________________
(Signature)
Your name
Step 3: File your dispute by Submitting your dispute by mail is the suggested way, but only Equifax and Transunion allows this kind of dispute. Experians requires all disputes to be submitted online.
Here is the 3 Credit Bureaus information.
Equifax
P.O Box 740256
Alanta, GA 30374-0241
Dispute online
Experian
Dispute online
TransUnion
2 Baldwin Place
P.O. Box 2000
Chester, PA 19022
Dispute online
Step 4: Manage Results
The 3 Credit Bureaus have 30 days to investigate your dispute and update your credit report if the dispute his valid. Once they have investigated your concern, they will send you a letter stating what was updated on your credit report. If you were not able to get a inaccuracy fixed you will need to resubmit your dispute with new documentation.
CreditScoreQuick.com
Posted in credit education, credit report, fix credit, free credit score reports | Comments Off
Disclaimer: This information has been compiled and provided by CreditScoreQuick.com as an informational service to the public. While our goal is to provide information that will help consumers to manage their credit and debt, this information should not be considered legal advice. Such advice must be specific to the various circumstances of each person's situation, and the general information provided on these pages should not be used as a substitute for the advice of competent legal counsel.
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