Having a good credit score is essential for all of us. Good credit scores and reports impact our lives in different ways. This includes acquiring a loan with a fantastic interest rate, getting premium quality insurance, or even getting a job.
Nonetheless, life can be unpredictable sometimes. It may come to a point where you will be forced to consider a credit repair service. A poor credit score may stand between you and major purchases like getting yourself a car or purchasing a home. Here is a guide to know about how can credit repair remove student loans.
But what should you know about credit repair services? The following article covers everything you should know.
Read on for the eye-opening details.
What Is Credit Repair?
Credit repair is the process of fixing your credit score that has deteriorated for different reasons. You can repair it yourself or use a credit repair service to achieve this. Credit repair services help clients understand their credit reports and scores. Also, they check for any information that should not be there and dispute it on your behalf.
When you are on a tight budget, opt for a Cheap credit repair service to help you out. You get to save time and money as these people have experience repairing bad credit. Also, they have several resources at their disposal, hence can effortlessly improve your credit score.
Before settling for any credit repair service, do a background to ensure you settle for the right one.
Credit repairs take different scopes. Here are some errors they address.
- Accounts that do not belong to you
- Misspellings could involve negative entries belonging to someone else with a similar name. Misspellings could also cause positive entries not to show up when needed.
- Old negative marks that should not have been incorporated
- Debts that cannot be verified or validated.
- Bankruptcy
In other cases, credit repair may need legal and financial expertise. It all depends on the extent of the problems. Some require a simple clean-up, while other cases may require professional intervention. Here are some of their roles:
- Identity theft and damage incurred that may need extensive repair service.
- Resolving erroneous information with credit agencies.
- Dealing with fundamental issues like budgeting.
How Do Credit Companies Work?
Credit scores are calculated on the information on credit reports which sometimes can be inaccurate. Every individual is entitled to get a free credit report every 12 months from credit reporting agencies. If they do not give it to you, you can take action against them.
The details presented to reporting agencies cannot be disputed with a third party. However, if the information is inaccurate, it can be discussed by credit repair organizations.
Thus, credit companies aim to build your credit by disputing incorrect information on your credit reports. They correct erroneous reports on your credit card, which takes time and effort. They talk to credit bureaus to delete or modify the credit information and make it favorable to the consumers.
These companies follow up on the results and monitor your cards to prevent errors from reappearing.
Several agencies have surfaced claiming to repair your credit scores. Some of them assist consumers in getting the results they want. However, these organizations are not genuine. They only want to make money.
How Much Does Credit Repair Cost?
The fees charged by credit repair services vary. You will have to pay the setup fee and a monthly service fee for most of them. The setup fees range between $10 and $100. The monthly fee ranges from $30 to $150 per month. It all depends on the company. However, some agencies charge a lot more.
Sometimes credit repair services come in a tiered package. For instance, they could add related services like access to credit scores, credit monitoring, and budgeting.
Before settling for any agency, weigh on what you would be getting in return. The Federal Trade Commission emphasizes that credit firms will not do anything you cannot do for yourself. However, you need to be willing to put in the time and effort to review your credit reports.
Can You Repair the Credit Yourself?
You can check credit reports from credit bureaus like TransUnion, Experian, and Equifax through the Annual Credit Report website. Your credit report may differ from bureau to bureau. This is because a creditor may report to one bureau and not the other.
Here are some of the steps you can follow.
- Dispute errors on your credit. Approach the credit bureaus. Check for inaccuracies. If they claim late payments, check on the cards and confirm if they are true. Look out for any accounts you do not recognize.
- ͢Explain the information you are disputing. Do not forget to attach photocopies of your documents to support your claims. You can also contact individual creditors to contest the details they supplied to the credit bureau.
- Work on your payment history. Be timely when paying your loans. It affects your credit score. Missed payments may drag your credit score down.
- Look for accurate but unverifiable information. If your data cannot be substantiated, remove it. However, you can reinstate it if verified at a later stage.
- Use less of your available credit. The lower your utilization ratio, the better it is for your score. If possible, try to make small multiple small payments during your billing cycle. Use different strategies to lower credit utilization.
Is Credit Repair Legal?
There are legitimate companies that offer credit repair services. However, this field is popular for scams. Thus, it is necessary to vet any company before settling for that.
The Federal Trade Commission warns against opting for a credit repair service that guarantees to remove any negative and inaccurate information. You should also be wary of those who tell you they can help you establish a new identity through a credit privacy number.
Any credit repair organization should offer the total cost and estimate how long it would take to give you results. They should also provide you at least three business days to cancel their services without charging.
A reputable organization needs to train you on how to handle your existing credit accounts to stop you from avoiding any further damage. These organizations will not guarantee you specific results or encourage lies.
Final Thoughts
Credit repair services exist to help you fix your credit score. However, before settling for any organization, do your research, as many scammers exist. Ensure you choose an organization that would genuinely help you with your credit reports. Alternatively, you can try repairing the credit yourself.
Get a report on your credit cards every 12 months and check for discrepancies. It is better to be safe than sorry.