Tuesday, August 31, 2010

You Have the Power to Fix Your Own Credit!

Everywhere you turn, you will see offers from others to "fix your credit." There will be debt consolidation services, credit debt lawyers that promises to create a "new credit report" so you can start from scratch. We’re not saying they are 100% scams, but we are saying that is money that you do not have to spend! You have the power to fix your own credit report.

What is required from you is that you check your credit on a regular basis. The government only guarantees you one free credit check per year. In order to get full access to your file, you may need to subscribe to a credit-reporting agency’s services. The best you can do is to purchase a credit repair kit so you can get help with the technical requirements (letter drafting, and so on). However, when it comes down to communicating with the credit bureaus, the process is rather simple.

You write a letter to the bureau or bureaus that are listing the erroneous information. You provide your evidence (always send copies) and explain the situation in a letter. You request an investigation into the matter and the bureau opens a disputes case. They report back when the case is closed, whether in your favor or not. The good news is that even if the case doesn’t close in your favor, you can still include a letter in your credit report explaining your side of the story.

Now you must take steps to repair your bad credit history. No one else can do this for you, regardless of any sensational offers made. Debt consolidation services do the same thing you have the power to do—they negotiate a payoff balance. (Even if they do get a payoff balance, they will charge you for their services, which defeats the whole purpose of "savings") A credit debt lawyer can only help you in reducing the volume of creditor harassment. As for software that promises to create a new credit profile, this action would be illegal!

Instead of letting others help you for a fee, help yourself to crawl out of debt and earn your way back to a favorable credit score. Create a budget that you can work with and then start analyzing your credit report. It all begins with you!


Also for more information on credit repair programs and credit repair software visit us at creditumbrella.com.

Thursday, August 26, 2010

Credit Scoring Can Help You

The words "credit score" have the power to strike fear into many hearts. Your credit score can be the make or break whenever you are ready to make a large purchase, so it is important that you keep a close eye on your credit report. By knowing exactly what is reported, you have the ability to work on your credit score by clearing up any old debts and derogatory reports. It can take some times, but it is definitely worth it, in the end.

Your credit score is extremely important for many reasons. When you have an excellent credit rating, many purchases become much easier. You will find that loan approvals for large purchases, such as cars or mortgages, will be approved easily. If you have an outstanding credit score, it is possible that you will receive preferential treatment and lower interest rates. Good credit also returns nearly instantaneous approvals, so your waiting time is reduced significantly.

Credit scores have become a safe and easy way to keep track of an individual’s spending and borrowing habits. Credit scores take into account your entire credit history, which means that a mistake with one account may be evened out by an excellent history with another account. You will find that your credit report can really help you in many situations, rather than hurt you, so why would you be afraid of that?

Your credit rating also lets potential lenders know exactly what kind of loan you can afford. In the past, lenders may have been a little more reserved with the amount that could be approved, but with your whole credit history in front of them, they can see just how much debt you have as compared to your income. This means that you can choose a car with heated seats, or buy the house with the swimming pool, when previously you would have had to settle for less.

These credit scoring bureaus have made it possible for lenders to offer lower interest rates, because they can better control credit losses. Your good credit score assures the lender that you are trustworthy, which will win you good favor when it comes time to offer the lending rates. By improving your score and repairing your credit report as you go, you are opening up the path to better credit terms, lower interest rates, and the ability to make the purchases you really want.

For information on Credit repair and free credit score visit us at creditumbrella.com.

Thursday, August 19, 2010

Fixing Bad Credit One Step at a Time

Bad credit can really ruin your life. It can cause you to be unable to get a home loan or a car loan. It can even keep you from getting the job of your dreams, since more and more employers are checking credit reports before deciding who to hire. You don’t have to let bad credit ruin everything, though. You can actually fix it, as long as you have the right tools and the right steps to follow.

Step one of fixing your credit is knowing exactly how bad the problem is. This means that you need to spend time looking over your credit reports and credit scores. Sometimes when you do this, you’ll find that part of your problem isn’t your problem at all. Sometimes part of the issue is mistakes on the part of the credit reporting company. It’s estimated that about 70% of credit reports contain errors, some of which dramatically change a person’s resulting credit score.

Step two of fixing your credit is starting to address the problems you can work on right away. One of the major reasons people have a bad credit score is because they don’t pay bills on time. If you can’t make the payments, you might need to cut out unnecessary things like your cable and Internet bills. Another option if you have trouble with cash flow is to rearrange your due dates, if possible, so that they are due after your paychecks. Of course, you can always do it the old fashioned way and save some money to pay next month’s bills, too.

Another major reason for bad credit is a high debt to credit ratio. This means that on revolving debt like credit cards you’re carrying high balances relative to the credit you have available. It’s best to carry less than 50% of your overall credit allowance. Any more than that, and your credit score will definitely suffer. The best way to deal with this problem is to simply pay down your credit cards as much as you can.

Finally, there are some things that you just have to wait out. You can’t get rid of a bankruptcy on your report for a certain number of years, depending on which type you filed. You also won’t be able to get rid of things like notices of late payment until they are off your records in a few months or years, depending on the situation. You need to do what you can, and the rest of these things will take care of themselves over time.

Also, for more information on credit repair and fixing credit visit us at creditumbrella.com

Friday, August 13, 2010

How Your Credit Score Can Be Affected

It may surprise you just how many things can affect your credit score. Your credit report is how lenders and potential employers can assess your financial responsibility and the risks that may be involved in trusting you with fiscal tasks. You can avoid any major pitfalls, however, by making yourself aware of the many things that can affect your credit rating and by practicing good credit habits.

The number one thing that will negatively affect your credit rating is a missed payment. You might not notice a large drop in your credit score, but the derogatory report from the creditor will alert any potential new lenders to your bad choice. Consistently late or missed payments will effectively destroy your chances for new loans, and could even cost you when seeking new employment.

Allowing an account to be written off may save you the hassle of creditors phone calls, but they will remain on your credit history for seven years. In addition, the account could be turned over to a collection agency, which will only double the amount of phone calls that you receive. Debt collectors also have the power to report you to the credit bureaus, and that will just add one more negative mark to your credit rating.

Bankruptcy will utterly devastate your credit report. You may think that it is your only option, but it is advisable to seek credit counseling before taking that step. A bankruptcy can wipe out your debt, but that does not mean that you are starting with a clean slate. Instead, your bankruptcy will remain on your credit report for ten years. It also alerts creditors and potential employers that you have a bad habit of getting into things over your head.

Credit cards can be useful in building a good credit rating, but many people abuse the power that a credit card can give. Do not be tempted to open multiple credit card accounts in an attempt to build better credit. Often, you will only end up with maxed out credit cards and no way to repay the debt. Your credit score takes into account the amount of credit that you have available and compares it to the amount of debt that you have built. A maxed out credit card does not offer a low debt to available credit ratio, and will result in a lower credit score.

For information on credit repair and to improve credit scores visit us at creditumbrella.com

Tuesday, August 10, 2010

Get Out of Credit Card Debt to Improve Your Credit


If you’re concerned about your credit score, you should be. This little number can affect your entire life. It can keep you from getting a mortgage or a car loan, and it can also bar you from getting the job of your dreams. This number can even keep your interest rates high, which can drastically affect your monthly payments and your overall interest paid on loans of any sort.

If you want to improve your credit score, the best way to do it is to pay off credit card debt. This type of debt is known on your credit report as revolving debt. Unlike a car loan that you get for a certain amount and pay off slowly over time, you can run up credit card debt time and again. It’s not predictable, which makes it more dangerous.

When you have a credit card, as you’re probably already aware, you have a credit limit. This is the most you can take out on your credit card at any one time. If your credit limit is $5,000, you can carry a balance of up to $5,000, and if you go any higher than that, you’ll either be denied a charge or you’ll have to pay major fees and such.

Your credit report is greatly affected by how much credit card debt you have. It’s not just the total amount of debt you have, though, but it’s your credit to debt ratio that affects your score. Basically, the lower this ratio is, the better. This means that if you have that $5,000 limit, you want to carry less than $2,500 in balance to have a good credit score. If you carry a balance that is close to your limit, your credit score will dramatically drop.

This is why the most effective way to quickly raise your credit score is to pay off credit card debt. You can do this by simply paying as much over the minimum payment as possible. If you simply focus your financial efforts on paying off this particular debt, you’ll eventually find that it’s not too difficult. It will take discipline. You might need to eat at home instead of eating our or cut out the premium cable channels. You’ll find, though, that you’ll be much more comfortable when your credit card debt is low and your credit score is as high as possible.

For more information on credit repair software and credit repair programs visit us at creditumbrella.com .

Tuesday, August 3, 2010

Using a Credit Card Wisely and Well

Credit card debt is some of the worst debt you can have. It’s dangerous debt for consumers and creditors alike. This is why interest rates on credit cards are so high. The banks who are issuing the cards know that they might lose a customer to bankruptcy, and they charge astronomical interest rates to make sure that they make money off of every possible customer.

Credit card debt can weigh down your monthly budget with unnecessary payments, and it can also cause your credit score to take a huge hit. This type of debt is known as revolving debt. This means that instead of taking out a certain amount of debt and paying it off in a certain amount of time, you can take out more and more debt, within certain limits, every month. This means that this type of debt is unpredictable, so it counts seriously against your credit score if you have a lot of it.

You can, though, use a credit card wisely and well with the right tools and self discipline. The key to all of this is that you know you’re using the card for the right reasons. You don’t need to live off of a credit card, but you can use it to build up your credit. The way you do this is to open a credit card and use only what you can pay off within a month. Then, you will have a low debt ratio, so you’ll have a good credit score.

One way to do this is to use the credit card only for particular types of purchases that you know you’ll be able to pay off within a month. For instance, you might choose to use your card only to pay for gas. Then when your bill comes in, you pay it off in full every month.

This can get you points in a couple of ways. First off, it means that you’ll have a low debt to credit ratio. You can’t have a ratio at all unless you have some credit available. If you have a credit card limit but carry no balance, you’ll have a good ratio that will cause your credit score to increase.

Also, if you pay your card on time every single month, you’ll be able to rack up credit score points for paying your card on time. It’s important that you’re never late, though, as even one late bill can really sink your score.

For Information on Credit Repair Software and Fixing Credit Visit us at creditumbrella.com