| |
| |
|
Credit Information |
|
|
|
Credit Repair Companies and Credit Counseling
Let's be crystal clear, right up front. Paying someone to "fix" your credit is a waste of your time and money, since the negative issues that are temporarily removed from your file will only reappear again in a couple of months. Be careful with credit repair scams. Most "credit repair" companies really don't help. In fact, you can improve your credit more effectively on your own. By using credit repair companies, you may also be opening yourself up to identity theft, unsolicited emails, and direct mailings. Protect yourself; don't ever share your personal information with strangers or give up your right to handle your own financial affairs as you see fit. Another important point: credit counselors only promise to get you out of debt, not to improve your credit. Some companies will have you send them a check every month, out of which they're supposed to pay your creditors for you. However, some credit counselors will often pay your bills late, which means that your credit report soon becomes filled with "over 30 days late" notations and your credit score drops even lower than it was. "Debt negotiators," posing as non-profit organizations, can ruin your credit even further, advising you not to pay your credit card bills at all. They also charge upfront fees, maintenance fees, and monthly fees, all of which are supposed to be placed in a "trust" account. Then, after many months have passed, debt negotiators finally convince creditors to settle for less money than was owed, making yours an "uncollectible account." That tactic not only ruins your credit, due to the many "over 90 days late" remarks and collections notations, but all the money you supposedly saved -- which was actually money you owed -- will be considered as income by the IRS! In other words, if you owed $20,000 and settled for $12,000, you'd be required to list the $8,000 difference as income! Credit repair companies promise to help clear up your credit problems. They write letters to credit bureaus, stating that various listed information is false, so the agencies will remove that information while they investigate your account. During that time, the credit repair company sends you a clean credit report, thereby giving you the false impression that you now have good credit. But after you've paid off the credit repair company, you'll discover that all the negative items will soon reappear on your report. Remember: only incorrect items must be removed from your credit report if they're proven to be false. If the black marks on your credit report are correct, no one can have them removed, regardless of what credit repair companies may try to tell you. Working with collectors to remove negative remarks is possible, but that's another article. Some credit repair agencies can probably do a reputable job removing items that are truly incorrect, such as: items after a bankruptcy that should have been removed, double items, children's items on parents' reports, and paid-off items that still show past due. Some people really just don't like dealing with this kind of thing, so a reputable credit restoration company can help with these problems. If you're seeking legitimate financial help to buy a home, the best place to turn is to a mortgage broker. They're the ones who can offer you the best FREE advice for settling credit disputes and problems, so when you find yourself in difficulty, consider using a mortgage broker as your credit counselor. (c) Copyright 2004, Jeanette J. Fisher. All rights reserved. Professor Jeanette Fisher, author of Doghouse to Dollhouse for Dollars, Joy to the Home, and other books teaches Real Estate Investing and Design Psychology. For more articles, tips, reports, newsletters, and sales flyer template, see http://www.doghousetodollhousefordollars.com/pages/5/index.htm
MORE RESOURCES:
Google News |
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
The FICO Score Misconceptions There are many misconceptions about credit scores out there. There are borrowers who believe that they don't have a credit score. What You Need To Know About Credit Cards What is a credit card? A credit card is a card that allows you to borrow money to pay for things. There will be a limit to how much you can spend called your credit limit. Tips for Choosing a Credit Card Company Credit Cards are essential for any consumer today. However, when choosing a new credit card company, many people do not know what to look for. Figuring Out the Ever Nebulous Numbers Called Credit Scores Credit Score FactorsThe information contained on our credit reports affect every aspect of our lives; including employment, insurance, and even interest rates (mortgage, credit cards, automobiles, etc.). Minimum Credit Card Payments to Rise For years, major credit card companies have allowed cardholders to make minimum payments of 2% of the outstanding balances on their credit cards. Having customers pay the minimum doesn't reduce the balance by very much, but when the 18-30% interest rates that many credit cards charge is applied, the result is a profitable ones for the banks that issue credit cards. Bad Credit? No Credit? Yeah, Its a Problem. Many companies use the slogan "Bad Credit? No Credit? No Problem!" The truth is that it is in fact a problem and there is no easy way to correct it. It takes a lot of time and effort to obtain credit when you do not have any and even longer to fix bad credit. 10 Simple Steps to Manage Your Credit By far the greatest invention the banks have ever come up with came out in the 20th century. Also the new field of Credit Management was born with the invention of the credit card. How a Credit Card Can Be Your Friend We have all heard countless stories of people over theirheads with credit card debt-maxing out every card they own,then only being able to afford the minimum monthly payment. High interest payments shackle people to their debt foryears, not to mention the significant income drain thefinance charges have on their families. Credit Help for Real Estate Financing: Credit Scores When you buy real estate, lenders run all of the "big three" credit bureau reports. Each credit reporting agency lists your credit history as supplied to them by the individual lenders and includes governmental records. A No-Brainer Way Of Getting Credit And Credit Cards What Is Your Credit Rating Now?If you have any charge accounts now, or have ever borrowed from the bank to buy a car, or if you ar paying on a mortgage, there is credit information on you.Up until a few years ago, you could only guess at what your credit rating was, because the credit bureaus who keep track of borrowers wouldn't tell the borrowers anything! But that's been changed through several laws, and now the bureaus have to send you your credit file when you request it. Tackling Bad Credit The first time I heard the term credit history was when I approached a lender for a secured loan. Being a first timer I was completely ignorant of the procedure and didn't even know that a credit record of our transactions is prepared by some credit reference agencies. Tired Of Being Broke?...Learn How To Force Banks To Give You Money! Imagine.. Small Business Credit Cards So what do you look for when applying for a credit card for your small business? One thing is for sure, wasting money isn't an option because it can make or break your business. Things to look for are low interest rates and good customer service. Is Your Credit Score Being Held Against You? Credit Scores That HurtIs your credit score being held against you?More and more the staples of life depend on your credit score. Your mortgage, insurance premiums,employment opportunities and even your landlord may be using your credit score to determine yourfinancial future. 7 Ways To Squash Identity Theft It is the scourge of our age: identity theft. Thieves learn an important part about your personal information, such as your credit card number, and they open accounts in your name and spend, spend, spend! Unfortunately, by the time you discover that you are a victim the damage is already done. Establishing Credit - What You Need To Know Part 2 In my previous article "Establishing Credit - What You Need To Know Part 1" I discussed the need for a good credit history and what lenders were looking for prior to loaning an individual money or additional funds based on their credit history. This article will go into the necessary steps someone needs to take in order to initially establish their credit history. Rewards Cards: Are They Worth It? Virtually all consumers will have a credit card at some point in their lives. Is this an understatement? Probably, as most consumers carry multiple credit cards. All About Balance Transfers What is a balance transfer?A balance transfer can be explained simply as a balance transfer! When a balance is transferred usually from a credit card, but possible from a bank account or loan to a credit card with a offer interest rate (usually 0%) for a set period. It does not have to be the entire amount. Credit Repair Companies and Credit Counseling Let's be crystal clear, right up front. Paying someone to "fix" your credit is a waste of your time and money, since the negative issues that are temporarily removed from your file will only reappear again in a couple of months. Credit Establishment 101 There will come a day when you need credit. You may want to buy a home or a car and your credit rating will become very important to help make these dreams come true.
|
| Home | Site Map | |
| © 2007 |
