| There are plenty of reputable credit repair programs available these days, all dedicated to helping you increase your credit score and fix any problems that may be affecting your report.
The primary focus of most credit repair program is to help you find positive ways to get back on track and increase your FICO score to a healthy range again. However before you sign on the dotted line and agree to their services there are some questions you need to ask.
Specific Services
Always ask what kind of services your credit repair programs intend to perform on your behalf. Some companies may choose to take control of your income each month so your payments and bills are paid on time. Other companies may choose to dispute erroneous listings found on your credit report.
You may also find some services where their solution to your credit problems is to roll all your outstanding debts into one new consolidation loan. For people with more serious credit problems, some companies will work with you to negotiate with your creditors for some form of debt relief.
Before you accept any of these services, always be sure they're suitable for your specific financial situation.
Fees and Charges
Before you agree to accept any services from any credit repair programs, always check how they wish to be paid. Ask for an itemized listing of fees you could potentially be charged for their services. Remember, it's against the law for a credit repair company to make you pay upfront fees before they provide any services.
You should be very wary of companies wanting to charge you large monthly payments. You may be able to find a non-profit organization that will charge minimal fees each month, as they receive their funding from government grants.
It's also against the law for any credit repair programs to suggest you create a new identity by applying for an Employer Identification Number and thus generating a new credit report.
False Claims
Be very wary of any credit repair programs that promise to remove any and all negative listings from your credit report. They'll happily charge you fees and charges to complete the work, but there are a lot of reports of some companies not delivering on their promises.
There is no way to remove accurate credit information legally. This means that for any listing that your creditors may have reported that is factual information, even disputing this entry won't remove it if it's verifiable.
Finding Reputable
There are plenty of reputable credit repair programs available. Any company that is willing to tell you your legal rights and advise you about any tactics you can do on your own for free is actively working to help you.
You should also find that a reputable company will be happy to show you how to access your own credit report and they should be able to arrange personalized one-on-one credit counseling for you. Good credit repair programs can also work with you to create a debt management program created to suit your personal financial situation. |