Friday, January 2, 2009

CREDIT REPAIR ESSENTIALS

By Rob Kosberg

If you know that you are what is called a "credit risk," you probably are feeling that as a derogatory connotation. That can be the motivating factor for you to explore the return to good credit.

It is actually possible for you to travel the "repair road" with yourself as the driver. However, when setting out on this trip, you will need a triptik to break down the milestones on the way.

First you need to find out what your actual "credit score" is because it is this 3 digit number that you will want to raise. A score over 700 is considered "good", but under 700 may be problematic. This knowledge is fundamental to the process.

To find out this information, you will begin by obtaining your credit reports. You will need to be brave and confront these reports. There are 3 credit bureaus that supply reports: TransUnion, Equifax, and Experian. On a yearly basis, you are able to receive a free report (fee for the credit score) from each of these agencies. For the details on this procedure, see www.annualcreditreport.com.

It is possible that each of these reports may actually be different. Therefore, it is very important to obtain all three report for comparison.

After the comparison, examine each report for errors. Determine the nature of the error or errors and DISPUTE THE ERRORS. This will take some time but you are the one who has to fix it.

You will document any and all errors along with the reasons for the errors. You will send this written documentation with a copy of the credit report to each agency. Remember to keep copies of all documentation for your records.

Please approach this part of the process carefully as you would any DIY project. Deal with problems along the way, stay calm and this part of the project will get finished. - 15485

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