How to Fix Your Credit in 6 Months or Less

By Eddie H. Gillis


If you've been denied for a mortgage loan because of your credit, it's not the end of the world. Millions of Americans have credit scores lower than they'd like, and typically anything under 620 can cause you to be denied for loans.Granted, your credit score can't be fixed overnight, but there are some steps -- both short-term and long-term -- that you can take to improve your score. If follow these guidelines, you can repair your credit over time and hopefully get approved the next time you meet with a lender!Check your credit report.You are allowed to check your credit report from all three major credit bureaus (Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion) for free, once a year.

A bad credit score not only affects a person's ability to borrow and obtain loans, it can also adversely affect a person's quality of life. Obtaining good credit is something that many people wish to achieve, but many don't have the basic know how to get started. In the next few paragraphs we will discuss three simple ways you can begin to fix your credit report, and do so without having a negative effect on your credit score.

Revolving credit means credit cards. It's revolving because your balance due can change each month, depending on how much you charge to the card.The bureaus like to see that you have both revolving and installment credit, and that you pay both of bills on time each month.If you don't already have a credit card, apply for one. If your credit score is too low to obtain one, go to your local bank and ask for a secured credit card. That means you'll have to deposit money onto the card before you can use it. It's not as helpful as a traditional credit card, but it still counts as revolving credt.

Keep your credit card balance low.Credit bureaus like to see a large gap between your credit card's maximum limit and your current balance. Typically, credit experts will tell you to try and keep your balance at no more than 30% of the card's maximum limit.That shows that you have credit, use it, and pay it off, instead of the alternative -- that you are behind in payments or maxing out cards.Even if you pay off your balance in full each month it's a good idea to keep charge amounts low because the total balance of the card is reported to the credit bureaus each month.

Secondly, it is a good idea to print out each of your free credit reports to have a hard copy you can easily refer to as you start the dispute process of your credit report entries. Having immediate access to these credit reports now will give you all of the facts as to the current status of your credit rating in stark black and white.

By charging to both cards -- and paying off both cards -- it shows credit bureaus that you have two accounts to which you are making on-time payments.You are looking for ways to fix your credit. The number one thing to do is to be sure that your monthly bills are paid in full by the due date. If you need assistance remembering when to remit payments, you can set up some sort of payment reminder. You can find various methods that will assist you in doing so. With the information age upon us, the possibilities are endless. There are many computer programs available to help with reminders, and now since phones have become mini computers, you can set up payment reminders on your phone. Which ever way works best for you.

Making timely bill payments is a sure fire way to boost your credit score, and in addition will cause your credit history to be cleaner and more attractive to lenders. But say you can only make the minimum payments? That is fine for starters, paying anything at all is better than no payment whatsoever. Your credit will be very adversely affected by a single late or missed repayment.A big thing to steer very clear of, or at least be very cautious of, is attorneys that will claim they can fix your credit almost instantaneously. With the sagging economy, more and more people are experiencing credit problems. And naturally there are always people that will take advantage of this situation to line their own pockets. Beware of scams, attorneys that charge huge sums to basically do nothing. Always, always, always check out a service before you commit to their services.

Improving your credit score is as easy as writing the letter to direct errors and outdated entries be deleted from your credit report. No, you won't be able to challenge and have timely, accurate bad credit entries deleted from your credit history. These stay, sometimes remaining on your records for as long as 10 years. But many entries, such as 30 day late payments on credit card accounts and negative information in civil matters, must by federal law be removed after 2 years. These key derogatories will be what you will want to find and challenge.

Your real key to repairing your credit is to write an effective letter to the CRA (that is, the "Consumer Reporting Agency") pointing out specific information you have identified which is inaccurate. When sending this type of letter, attach copies (not the originals) of all important, relevant documents supporting your case.You must provide the CRA with your complete name, your address, plus contact information. Moreover, your credit dispute letter needs to clearly identify each item in your report you dispute. Simply state the facts and explain why you are now disputing the information. Be clear that you demand deletion and removal of this information. You can easily follow the template of a sample credit repair letter to craft your own dispute letter.

Fixing your credit really starts simply by maintaining bank accounts such as checking and savings. Good banking habits appear to lenders that you are responsible with your money, and they like that. Keep these accounts clean at all times.Obtain a free yearly copy of your credit report and scrutinize it carefully for mistakes and information that may be taken off. Keep very fastidious records of all the contacts you make. Include things such as emails, snail mail, and any summaries of telephone calls.Your credit score and history can be very frustrating. Sometimes it seems you are doing everything right, but nothing is happening. But rest assured, every positive thing you can do to improve your score will eventually be reflected in your credit history. This is how to fix your credit, and it takes time and patience.




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