Most people already know that the only way to clean up your credit report and retake control of your financial situation is to try and get negative items removed from the three credit reports, come up with a better strategy for dealing with debt, and make smarter decisions in the future. Luckily, there are also organizations out there that are dedicated to help fixing credit reports of consumers and businesses.
The most important thing to do right now is to try to catch up on your payments (if possible) and request copies of your three credit reports to see how your score is impacted. More recent late payments might not be on the reports just yet, so keep an eye on everything. Negative items that are from a long time ago might be removable if enough time has passed. Any negative items that seem suspicious might be a sign that you are a victim of id theft.
If you feel frustrated or even pressured into getting everything straightened up, get a free consultation from one firm that offers help fixing credit. If they try to charge you upfront, do not pay. Doing this is against the rules, and it will likely turn out to be a scam. Your initial conversation with them should be free. After all, they don’t even know if there is anything on your credit reports they could help you with until the consultation.
Help Fixing Credit Even When Having Difficulties
Are you still struggling with your monthly payments? It might be ideal for getting help from a debt management service to regain control over your finances and then repair your reports once you are caught up on payments. Keep in mind that the process of seeking help from a credit counseling/debt management company won’t hurt any of your FICO scores.
Learn about the Credit Repair Organizations Act. Go over it carefully so you’ll know what precisely a credit repair organization can do for you and what it cannot. Consumers have rights when seeking help fixing credit. In addition to not paying any money upfront, you should not get any specific “promises” or “guarantees” concerning claims. It’s against the rules that the organization claims, for example, that it will be able to “raise your score 100 points within two months” or anything similar.
Once you feel ready to get a consultation to help you understand what kind of help fixing credit is available to you, check out a firm such as Lexington Law. Then, fill out the online form providing your name, address, etc., or call 1-833-335-6539 for a free credit report summary and recommendation(s).