UNDERSTANDING CREDIT REPAIR
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The credit bureaus can’t stand us, and our clients love us. We must be doing something right.
We are the trusted leader in credit report repair because we believe in the work and we are committed to our clients. That, coupled with our exceptional knowledge and experience in the credit repair industry, has allowed us to achieve amazing results that have literally turned clients lives around.
From bankruptcies to change-offs to tax liens, if it is incorrect or inaccurate Credit Solutions Of VA, Inc., has challenged virtually every credit problem under the sun – and deleted items last year alone with an average of 10 deletions per credit report, we will attempt to have these items deleted.
We are the premier credit report repair company and we are continually improving our processes, as we work to help our many clients improve their credit.
Many consumers have the wrong idea that credit bureaus are federally supported organizations backed by a vast array of laws meant to protect creditors. Nothing could be further from the truth. Credit bureaus are simply huge bureaucratic companies which exist for the soul purpose of making money by selling information – information they tend not to verify.
Fortunately, the fair Credit Reporting Act gives Americans the right to contact credit bureaus directly and dispute items on their credit reports. Consumers can dispute any and all items on their credit reports that they feel are inaccurate, unverifiable, or misleading, if the bureaus cannot verify that the information on their reports is indeed correct, then those items must be deleted.
Valuable Credit Tips
Using credit wisely can go a long way toward allowing you to keep more of your money in your pocket. Here are some handy tips to help you stay in control of your credit and financial life:
- Don’t pay extra for a gold card, or platinum card, or any other type of card if you’re not likely to utilize its special features. You certainly don’t need waste money (sometimes, quite substantial money) trying to impress your family or friends with the color of your credit card.
- Interest rates on unpaid credit card balances are generally quite high when compared to the rates of other credit sources. If at all possible, don’t run up large balances on your card. If you have money in a savings account, it’s more financially advantageous to pay off those high-interest balances than to draw low interest earnings in savings.
- If you normally pay the full balance of your credit card each month, you are in actuality receiving an interest-free loan from the card issuer (assuming that you have a grace period). Purchasing larger-ticket items a day or two after your card’s billing ending date can give you 50 to 55 days before you’ll have to pay for them.
- Don’t apply for credit at several different sources within a short period of time, especially if you’re anticipating a major purchase soon (such as a home or car). Each creditor will access your credit report, causing an inquiry to be entered in your file. If rate shopping for a mortgage or car loan, concentrate your search within a 14-day period (the new FICO credit-scoring formula has extended that time to 45 days, but creditors can choose to use it or the old 14-day formula); all such inquiries are counted together as one inquiry.
- Credit reports are used by employers to evaluate job applicants as well as by creditors evaluating loan applicants. It’s therefore worthwhile to check the contents of your credit file for accuracy even though you don’t plan on applying for credit in the near future. It’s also useful in pinpointing any signs of identity theft.
- Cut down on your inventory of credit cards. The more cards you own, the more likely you are to end up using them and falling into a large credit hole. It’s also much more difficult keeping track of all of your spending.
- Lenders are required by law to inform you of the cost of credit (interest and other fees) and the terms of repayment before you borrow any money. Make sure that they adhere to this rule; know what you’ll be responsible for paying.
- Except in unusual circumstances, it’s wise to avoid the purchase of credit life insurance when you borrow. This insurance is generally very expensive for the coverage that you receive and is seldom (though not always) a bad deal.
If you live in a community property state, be aware that a creditor may consider your spouse’s credit history even if you’re applying for credit in your own name.