When your credit is bad, it can make you feel discouraged, upset and like a failure. Not much talking is done about what you can do to repair your credit but there are indeed steps you can take to make your credit score rise. Here are a few ways to do that.
Now is always the right time to consider repair of your credit file. You should always practice spending and saving patterns that allow for you to constantly improve your credit. Monitor for issues, address those issues and protect your improving rating consistently. Waiting until there is an issue or need for good credit will only cost you more time and effort.
Keep your first account open. Whatever credit account you have had open the longest, is the best one to keep on your report. Don’t close this account because the limit is too low or the rate is too high. Try to get a higher credit limit, or ask for a lower interest rate, but even if they won’t give that to you, keep the card and keep using it. The longer track record you have with an account, the more it will affect your score in a positive way.
If you have decided that bankruptcy is the only way to deal with your credit, it is best to file as soon as possible. Don’t waste your time or money on strategies that you don’t see working. Filing bankruptcy sooner will allow you to start the process and begin to get your life back in order.
If you have bad credit, do not use your children’s credit or another relative’s. This will lower their credit score before they even had a chance to build it. If your children grow up with a good credit score, they might be able to borrow money in their name to help you out later in life.
If you paid off an account, do not try to have it removed. Paid off accounts do have a positive effect on your FICO score, especially as they age. Every item on your report that shows that you have at some point made payments is a positive item.
A must have skill for any person learning to repair their credit, is to pay more than the minimum balance. Not only does this improve your credit image and save you in finance charges, but it is a discipline that will carry over into other areas of your finances, such as unnecessary spending and a greater ability to budget. Paying more than the minimum is a valued and valuable discipline, we can all benefit from having.
When working to repair your credit it is important to make sure everything is reported accurately. Remember that you are entitled to one free credit report per year from all three reporting agencies or for a small fee have it provided more than once a year.
When trying to repair your credit, keep in mind that you will be committing a federal crime if you supply false data on a credit or loan application. It is also illegal to use false pretenses to get an Employer Identification Number issued by the Internal Revenue Service. You will be acting criminally if you misrepresent your Social Security number. If you apply for credit through the internet, mail, or telephone and supply false information, you can be charged and prosecuted for committing wire or mail fraud.
It is important that everyone, regardless of whether their credit is outstanding or needs repairing, to review their credit report periodically. By doing this periodical check-up, you can make sure that the information is complete, factual, and current. It also helps you to detect, deter and defend your credit against cases of identity theft.
If you feel that your current credit situation is beyond repair, and you are planning to file for bankruptcy, current bankruptcy laws mandate that you must obtain credit counseling from an organization which is government-approved. This debt counseling must occur six months prior to filing for bankruptcy relief.
Maintain a good credit score. Car insurance providers have begun looking at your credit score to determine your premium. In some instances this is illegal, but there are plenty of loopholes for car insurance providers to take advantage of. In order to keep your car insurance costs low, keep your credit score high.
If you are trying to repair your credit on your own, and you have written to all three credit bureaus to have wrong or negative items removed from your report without it being successful, just keep trying! While you may not get immediate results, your credit will get better if you persevere to get the results you want.
If your credit is out of control, and you have made the choice to hire a credit counselors, make sure you are hiring a reputable one. Credit counselors should have certifications and be specifically trained in the fields of debt and money management, budgeting, and consumer credit. Ask for their credentials before you hire them.
If you own a house or some sort of collateral and can get a loan that is within a normal interest rate you may want to consider a debt consolidation loan. This can reduce your bills into one monthly payment and help you begin lowering your credit card debt and other debts that are bringing down your credit scores.
Late fees associated with monthly bills such as credit card bills and utility bills have a drastically negative effect on your credit. Bad credit due to late fees also takes a long time to fix; however, it is a necessary fix as it is impossible to have good credit without paying these basic bills on time. If you are serious about fixing your credit, paying bills on time is the first and most important change you should make.
Repairing your credit can alleviate the bad feelings you have as a result of dealing with poor credit. These tips can make you feel proactive and hopeful about your score. Put these tips into practice, repair your credit and you will soon be able to start enjoying life once again.
