 |
|
The source of the best business, financial and legal news |
|
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
|
|
|
|
|
 | |
| |
 |
Business Informations |
|
|
|
What Happens When Your Credit Is Damaged? Do You Have Recourse?
The good thing about bad credit is that you can fix it. If you start now, over time, your bad credit can turn into good credit, and you could qualify for the loans you want at the rates you want. The most important aspect of rebuilding your credit after it has been damaged is showing lenders and creditors that you are serious about repaying your debt and that you can be a reliable borrower over a significant period of time. Negative account histories remain on your credit report for up to 7 to 10 years, depending on the type of action. Bankruptcy can stay on your report for up to 10 years, and collections drop off after 7 years. Advice varies widely as to the best methods to rebuild your credit. Some points most experts agree on include: ? Starting small - Don't be intimidated by large debt amounts. Even small payments, made on a regular basis, will improve your payment history and, eventually, your credit score. Other tips might not seem related to your credit score. Staying at least two years on the same job demonstrates steady employment, and you appear more stable to lenders. You can also open an emergency savings account. Contribute to the account a little at a time on a regular basis. This will not only appear as positive activity to lenders, but also will serve as reserve money to keep you from charging unexpected expenses. Finally, stop borrowing for a while. Certainly avoid borrowing more money from home equity or other lines of credit to pay off credit card debt. Shuffling the debt does not make it disappear. When establishing new credit, it may be necessary at some point to open a new account once you have paid down your existing ones. Credit unions usually offer the best deals to people with damaged credit. If you are unable to qualify for a credit card, try a smaller company, such as a department store or gas station that might offer you a line of credit. You may want to look into getting a secured credit card. Offered by several banks and credit unions, secured credit cards are a positive way to show lenders that you can pay bills on time and be trusted with credit. To use a secured credit card, you will deposit a sum of money into a savings account and pay a small yearly fee to the institution offering the card. If you deposit $500, you will have a line of credit up to $500. Using your card on a regular basis and paying it off monthly in full could lead to a traditional line of credit. Once the bank or credit union sees that you are capable of maintaining your secured account, they may extend an offer to you with a fair interest rate. Another option is to have a friend or relative co-sign for a line of credit with you. This step is risky because you are not only gambling with your loved one's good credit, but also with their good faith. After a few months of good behavior, order copies of your credit report from all three credit agencies and check for improvements or errors. Be sure that negative information that you have remedied has been removed. File any complaints in writing and check your report again in a few months to ensure that the changes have been made. Repairing damaged credit is time-consuming but well worth it, both to your peace of mind and to your pocketbook. Cathy Taylor is a marketing consultant with over 25 years experience. She specializes in internet marketing, strategy and plan development, as well as management of communications and public relations programs for small business sectors. She can be reached at Creative Communications: creative-com@cox.net or by visiting http://www.creditdamage.com or http://www.internet-marketing-small-business.com
MORE RESOURCES:
credit - Google News |
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
Clean Credit Report: Easily Raise Your Credit Score 100 points Clean Credit Reports, your credit report contains information about where you work, live and how you pay your bills (On time or not). It also may show whether you've been sued, arrested or have filed for bankruptcy with in the last 10 years. 5 Killer Steps to avoid Credit Card SCAMS! In August, 2004, the Federal Trade Commission issued their findings of a recent study, which showed that nearly 25 million adults were victims of fraud.Now, most importantly, If you are a victim of fraud, please do not feel like you did anything wrong. Credit Scoring: What You Dont Know Can Hurt You You've probably heard the term credit scoring. You may have some idea that your credit score can have an effect on your life. Credit Card Balance Transfers Explained What is a balance transfer ? A balance transfer can be explained simply as a balance transfer! When a balance is transferred usually from a credit card, but possible from a bank account or loan to a credit card with a offer interest rate (usually 0%) for a set period. It does not have to be the entire amount. Common Credit Score Myths A lot of credit score myths about fico score ratings get spread around and some of them are just outdated information. Sometimes even lenders can give you the wrong advice and it can get confusing. Do You Know The Top Five Credit Card Mistakes? When you're dealing with credit cards, you're playing with fire. Unfortunately, there are plenty of people out there who don't realise that, and make all sorts of dangerous mistakes with their credit cards every day. Choosing a Credit Counseling Company If you have considered credit counseling as an option to your financial problems, then you are probably wondering how to choose from one of the many credit counseling companies that are popping up left and right these days. There really is not an easy answer to this dilemma but there are some things that you can look for in a credit counseling company that might make the decision a little easier. FREE Credit Report Offer - Careful, It Might Carry Hidden Charges FREE credit checks or free credit reports. What are they all about? Why every second company on the Net is offering you a free credit report? Are they all suddenly moved into a charity business?Don't worry about their finances. Student Credit Cards 101 Almost all students have and use student credit cards. Some of the students use them wisely and build for them an early credit history but others accumulate lots of debts that would have to be paid off once the student life is over. Is it Safe to Use Online Car Finance? Online car finance is convenient. You can apply over the net and shop around for a good deal from the comfort of your home. Identity Theft : They Got Him His hard earned money? Gone. Creditors on his back everyday. Fair Isaac Corporation Credit or FICO Score As I am not from the US, I had no idea what FICO meant before researching it. FICO stands for Fair Isaac Corporation, a company based in California. Which Citi Mastercard Is Right For You? You've decided to apply for a Citi MasterCard, but with so many different cards to choose from, how do you know which one is right for you? Here is a brief guide to the different types of MasterCard available from Citibank.A great MasterCard program is the Citi Platinum Select Card. Why Credit Cards are a Bad Idea Credit cards are just so convenient, aren't they? There's no need to carry any money with you ever again: you can just take one with you to the shop and pay the exact amount just by handing it over. If you haven't been paid yet, then you don't need to worry, because the money will still be there. My Student Credit Card Adventure And some practical advice too!My first credit card?I remember my college days when it seemed there was a credit card advertisement on practically every bulletin board on campus. The banks would travel to the college and set up application booths on registration day. How To Read Your Credit Report The Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act, signed into law on Dec. 4, 2003, gives every American the right to a free credit report every year from each of the three major credit bureaus -- Equifax, Experian and TransUnion. Two Things You Need To Know About Prepaid Debit Cards According to the September 2004 issue of the Nilson Report, around $588 billion dollars worth of debit cards were bought in the United States in 2003. By 2008 that volume is expected to grow to $1. Credit Scores and Loan Applications Keep Your Credit History Clean - Remove A Negative Credit Record From Your Credit ReportIt can make a difference of up to 18% in loan repayment costs. For example, on a 30-year, $150,000 fixed rate mortgage, a borrower with the best credit score, 760-850, will pay 5. Applying for Credit Cards Online In the olden days, about 10 years ago, before the internet, consumers would have to fill in applications for credit cards, loans, mortgages and so on by hand. It's hard to believe now, but this lengthy process was the norm, with requests for extra documentation and references going backwards and forwards, until finally the application was accepted or rejected. My Credit Card Application Was Rejected! Now What?!? No doubt, you've probably gotten literally hundreds of credit card applications in the mail and online, and each and every one of them has said that you've been "Pre-Approved".Of course it's natural that this would lead us to believe that the application process is simply a formality.
|
| home | site map |
| © 2006 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
||||
|
||||
|
