The Credit Repair Survivor's Manifesto: 02/13/07

Credit Repair Pays

The impact of bad credit can be significant. Over the years we have helped tens of thousands of our customers successfully repair their credit reports. Credit report repair takes effort and patience. But it is an effort that is well rewarded. We would like to offer some tips for those that would like to undertake the process themselves. It can be done!

Time for a Credit Report Check Up

The first step is to get copies of all three of your credit reports. In December of 2003 congress passed the Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act (also know as the FACT Act). One of the measures included in the FACT Act is the right for you to get a copy of your report one time per year from each of the credit bureaus.

The FACT Act was passed for your protection. It turns out that the credit bureaus are somewhat less than perfect. If fact, a recent study by the National Association of Public Interest Research Groups discovered that 79% of all credit reports contain mistakes.

It is also worth mentioning, for those that might not be aware, that the credit bureaus are NOT government agencies, nor are they operating under any special government mandate. They are just big business. And they are under constant scrutiny by the Federal Trade Commission, who has fined the three bureaus millions of dollars for failing to cooperate with consumers in cleaning up the errors on their credit reports.

What to Look For on Your Report

If you want to do the job right you need to go though your report line by line. Your score is affected by much more that just the items that appear in the "derogatory" section. You especially need to check every account open date and high credit limit. The age of your revolving accounts as well as the relationship between your current balance and your high credit limit can have a major impact on your credit score.

Please don't make the mistake of believing that because it is on your report that it is automatically true. If you don't remember a late payment or possibly even an entire account, there is a very good possibility that it didn't happen, or it is not yours.

What to Do

Dispute every single item that you don't recognize as being correct. Dispute every item that you don't recall. The law allows for you to dispute "questionable items". Trust yourself. If you think it is wrong - it's probably wrong.

How to Dispute

Don't bother disputing more than three issues at a time. If you do, your dispute is likely to go right in the trash. The law allows for the credit bureaus to disregard any dispute that they feel is "frivolous". Our experience indicates that if there are more than three items disputed at a time the probability increases dramatically that the letter will go in the trash.

Make sure that your letter is clear, concise, and follows any guidelines that the bureaus provide. If you don't streamline your dispute, it's also likely to go in the trash. Don't tell them your life story. They don't care. Just give them the bare facts, like, "I was never late". You will find instructions with the copies of your reports. Read them carefully.

But That's Not All

Be prepared to repeat the process a second time. And if you don't get satisfaction after two disputes you have the right to demand that supporting documentation be produced. Don't be shy to make this final demand; it is often the point at which you will get satisfaction.

Don't Contact the Creditors

Deal strictly with the credit bureaus. The credit bureaus are responsible for the validity of the information that they report. Let them communicate directly with the creditors. They have open lines of communication designed for this very purpose.

Want Help?

Professional credit repair companies can make these efforts on your behalf. For many people it is well worth paying someone else to do this job. Before you hire a credit repair company take the time to interview them. Ask questions. Read their web site carefully. Make sure that you are comfortable.

Jim Kemish is the president and founder of Power Mortgage, a Florida mortgage company based in Delray Beach, Florida. Power Mortgage Corp was established in 1989 and serves the states of Florida, Georgia, Massachusetts, and Virginia. Jim is also the President of Sky Blue Credit, a national credit repair business.