Apr

29

Credit Tip! Tell the CRA what information you believe is inaccurate on your credit report. Include copies, never originals of documents that support your position.

You are entitled to a free personal credit report from each of the three major credit reporting agencies if you have been recently turned down for credit. Checking your credit history ensures the information is accurate. Your credit affects your interest rates, insurance premiums, and even employment chances. Taking a few minutes to check your records protects you from paying for your creditors’ mistakes.

Why Check Your Credit Report

Your credit report is used by a number of companies to make decisions about you. Financial lenders categorize your loan application based on your payment history. Life and car insurance rates are also based on your risk level based on your credit and life choices. Potential employers can also evaluate your application based on your credit report.

Besides payment history, your report also includes records of being arrested, sued, taking out insurance policies over $150,000, and where you live. These items stay on your report permanently, unlike payment history that drops off after seven years.

Credit Tip! Residents of Colorado, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, and Vermont are entitled by state law to one free credit report from a credit-reporting agency per year. Residents of Georgia are entitled to two free credit reports.

Where To Get Your Report

You have a number of options for getting your report. By applying online, you can get your free report instantly. You can also call or write for a copy of your credit history, but you will have to wait 15 or more days to receive it.

To get your credit report online, you can go directly to the sites of Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion. You can also request your copy through a third party site. These sites also offer additional services, like providing you with your FICO score. You won’t get that for free from the credit reporting agencies.

What To Do With The Information

Once you have received your credit report, look over it for any errors. Both the credit reporting agency and the information provider (bank, government agency, creditor, etc.) are responsible for fixing errors.

Write to both parties explaining the error. The reporting agency will investigate your claim in usually less than 30 days. If an error is found, the information provider is responsible for notifying all three agencies of the mistake. However, it is also a good idea to check your records again.

Credit Tip! 4. Learn the legal steps you must take to improve your credit report. The Federal Trade Commission’s “Building a Better Credit Report” has information on correcting errors in your report, tips on dealing with debt and avoiding scams–and more.

Be sure to keep copies of your letters until the matter is resolved on your report. And remember that every 12 months you can get a free copy of your credit report.

Credit Tip! Repair you own credit report.

To see our recommendations of where to get a copy of your credit report for free, visit this page: Recommended Sources
for a Free Credit Report.

Carrie Reeder is the owner of ABC Loan
Guide, an informational website about various types of loans.

Popularity: 10%

Apr

26

Credit Tip! You will see the addresses for each creditor on the credit report. If it is not there, then you can call customer service to ask them to provide you with the missing information.

Yes, you can now get your credit report without paying a dime. And unlike before, now it is truly free. No longer do you have to sign up for a “free” credit report by signing up for “credit monitoring protection service” for a low annual fee of $79 a year! The days of dodging the annoying charges and service fees for a free credit report are over.

Under the 2003 Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act, you have the right to a free copy of your credit report within a 12 month period from the big three credit report bureaus (Experian, Equifax and TransUnion). The goal of this new government act is to ensure that Americans have the right to stay informed about what these three credit reporting bureaus say about you without having to pay for it. Since identity theft, fraud and errors are quite common today, why should you have to pay for a copy of a report to fight back against these problems?

Credit Tip! In addition to providing your complete name and address, your letter should clearly identify each item in your credit report that you dispute. State the facts and why you are disputing the information.

Here are the 3 ways to get your free annual credit report:

1) The three credit reporting agencies have created a website to request your annual credit report. Go to www.annualcreditreport.com to request your free report.

2) Call (877) 322-8228 to request your free credit report.

3) Complete a form from the Federal Trade Comission, http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/conline/include/requestformfinal.pdf and mail it to: Annual Credit Report Request Service, P.O. Box 105281, Atlanta, GA 30348-5281.

If you go directly to the three agencies or use any other type of service you may end up having to pay or sign up for the subscription services I mentioned above! Make sure you use one of the 3 methods I have listed to get your annual free credit report.

You can get the reports from all 3 agencies at once or stagger the reports from each one during the course of 1 year. The advantage of staggering the reports that you receive is to keep track of how any major changes in your financial picture affect what is on your credit report. For example, if you plan on getting a second mortgage over the coming year, or applying for student loans, ect. it might be wise to get a report before and after these major events!

Credit Tip! Residents of Colorado, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, and Vermont are entitled by state law to one free credit report from a credit-reporting agency per year. Residents of Georgia are entitled to two free credit reports.

This new Act does not supplant the other methods you can take advantage of to receive a free credit report. If you are applying for unemployment or been denied a loan, or need a credit report in order to get a job, you still have the right to obtain a free credit report.

Take advantage of this new government regulation and make sure all of the information listed by all three credit reporting agencies are correct. Any errors or omissions can reduce your credit score and end up costing you a lot of money when you apply for any type of credit.

Credit Tip! The credit bureau must prove each credit record on your credit report. If this is not possible, it must be stricken from the credit report.

Greg Quincy is the publisher of the website http://www.financialtipsforyou.com, offering his insights and personal finance budget tips that he has gained from working in the financial industry and the economic challenges of raising a family. Copyright © 2005 FinancialTipsForYou

Popularity: 10%

Apr

23

Credit Tip! Also if you have been denied credit on the basis of information in a credit report, you are entitled to a free copy of your credit report from the credit bureau that supplied the credit report.

Your Credit Report (the Boring Part)

Your online credit report is a collection of files and records pertaining to your credit history. It is often referenced for hiring, renting, mortgages, loans, background checks and many other situations which may require an involvement of a larger sum of your income or a need for your personal services. Your online credit report contains the good the bad and yes, the ugly, within its pages. There are 3 major credit report bureaus from which the information comes from: TransUnion, Equifax and Experian. For the most they are similar, but between the three bureaus there may be some different items listed.

What If!?

What if your online credit report was only full of positive, correct and up to date items? This would be like a fantasy credit report. You could use it like a tool for certain things like getting a low interest loan or the mortgage you actually wanted. You could use it as a weapon against those creditors who automatically assume that your credit sucks and turn the whole finance game around on them. This fantasy credit report would be like a report card with all A’s (something most of us have never experienced right?). Imagine not having to worry about what the results are going to be when the phone rings from the bank because you have total peace of mind that your credit report is not only clean but also free of errors and mishaps. The anxiety of waiting for the results of your credit standing concerning a major purchase can cause equal or more mental tension than a doctor walking in the room with his results for a major medical test.

Credit Tip! You should contact the credit reporting agency and request that the inaccurate information be taken off. To do this you will need to send a letter of request and enclose a copy of the report with the incorrect information highlighted.

Making the Fantasy a Reality

Okay, so this whole fantasy credit report thing is exactly just that right? A fantasy. Well… not necessarily. See, you are the only one that can ultimately control what happens to your credit report. Yes, of course there are those ‘unknown factors’ - BUT, the good news is there is a big first step you can take to help start achieving your own personal fantasy credit report. You can obtain a free copy of your credit report and see what negative items are sitting on your file. More than 70% of all U.S. citizens with credit reports have false or out of date items on their credit file. By spotting these items early and taking the appropriate steps to remove them you can improve your credit rating. What else can you do? Develop a personalized budget. It will take a couple months of re-adjusting but will help you to see where your money is going and begin to mature your spending habits. Also, think about your major purchases before you make them. Too often in our society, consumers buy things without a second thought and “paint themselves into a corner” financially. When you take on more payments than you can afford you have set up your credit report for long term damage. Here is a saying to think about regarding this type of situation: “If your outgo exceeds your income, eventually your upkeep will become your downfall.” Remember that the fantasy credit report is waiting to evolve before your very eyes - you just have to make it happen.

Credit Tip! The credit bureau must prove each credit record on your credit report. If this is not possible, it must be stricken from the credit report.

Tom Justice is the webmaster for Clean Credit Online and does all the designing, marketing, SEO and maintenance the site. He has a passion for personal finance and how the economy and consumers are affected by money. To see how you can use Clean Credit Online to help you with your personal finances please visit http://www.cleancreditonline.com
“Fantasy Credit Report” - © (2005) Reprinting is allowed assuming all content is left the same.

Popularity: 10%

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