Remaining pro-active in your efforts to fix bad credit is by far the best way. Removing negative accounts and adding positive accounts is the only tried and true method. Both of these processes can take some time, though. The time to start fixing your bad credit is now, not the day you are ready to apply for a loan. Depending on how bad your credit is, it can take as little as one or two months to fix and as many as twelve months to repair.
First, you will want to know exactly where you stand. You will need to have your credit reports pulled so that you know what your scores are. You can obtain a copy for free once a year. It will cost a small amount of money to know your scores (unless a banker or mortgage broker is willing to give you a copy of your credit report after applying for a loan).
Once you know where you stand, you will need to then analyze your credit reports to determine what's beneficial and what is to your disadvantage. It may take awhile, but it's worth learning how to read a credit report. Once you can determine what is not to your advantage, your next step is to construct a plan of attack to get those accounts removed as fast as possible. This can be done by disputing these accounts with the credit bureaus via debt validation letters and other negotiations with creditors.
When you submit a dispute with the credit bureaus, the burden of proof is on them. All you are required to say is something along the lines of, "Please provide documentation that the following accounts belong on my credit report; otherwise, please delete this damaging data immediately." It is then up to the credit bureaus to contact the creditors to verify the information being reported is correct. Fortunately for you, most creditors keep less than perfect records and cannot verify the accounts even belong to you. In this case, by law, the accounts must be deleted immediately.
Disputing is one of the best ways to get accounts removed from your credit report, but there are many other ways to fix your credit. You should also be attempting to add positive accounts at this point. My suggestion is to apply for a few secured credit cards or by visiting your local credit union or bank and asking if they have a credit card with a low limit that will enhance your efforts to improve your credit scores. This is just a few ways to rebuild your credit. Be sure to always ask if what you apply for will report on your credit reports. After all, you want to get credit for paying your bills on time.
First, you will want to know exactly where you stand. You will need to have your credit reports pulled so that you know what your scores are. You can obtain a copy for free once a year. It will cost a small amount of money to know your scores (unless a banker or mortgage broker is willing to give you a copy of your credit report after applying for a loan).
Once you know where you stand, you will need to then analyze your credit reports to determine what's beneficial and what is to your disadvantage. It may take awhile, but it's worth learning how to read a credit report. Once you can determine what is not to your advantage, your next step is to construct a plan of attack to get those accounts removed as fast as possible. This can be done by disputing these accounts with the credit bureaus via debt validation letters and other negotiations with creditors.
When you submit a dispute with the credit bureaus, the burden of proof is on them. All you are required to say is something along the lines of, "Please provide documentation that the following accounts belong on my credit report; otherwise, please delete this damaging data immediately." It is then up to the credit bureaus to contact the creditors to verify the information being reported is correct. Fortunately for you, most creditors keep less than perfect records and cannot verify the accounts even belong to you. In this case, by law, the accounts must be deleted immediately.
Disputing is one of the best ways to get accounts removed from your credit report, but there are many other ways to fix your credit. You should also be attempting to add positive accounts at this point. My suggestion is to apply for a few secured credit cards or by visiting your local credit union or bank and asking if they have a credit card with a low limit that will enhance your efforts to improve your credit scores. This is just a few ways to rebuild your credit. Be sure to always ask if what you apply for will report on your credit reports. After all, you want to get credit for paying your bills on time.
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