How To Fix Errors On Your Credit Report
Do it faster and better than costly repair services
What used to be called great credit is now just good. At the same time, higher credit requirements keep increasing the cost of less than perfect credit. These changes make accurate credit even more important.
Not only are errors common, they happen to people with good and bad credit. In fact, errors lower a good score more than a bad score. A single inaccurate collection, lien, late payment, or balance can lower your score over 100 points. Lower scores can easily cost you thousands of dollars in higher rates and fees for your home and auto loans, credit cards, and insurance or get your loan declined.
Many people pay companies to fix their credit. The problem is they usually pay too much and get far too little. You do not need to pay someone hundreds or thousands of dollars to fix your credit, you simply need a plan to fix it yourself. The best part is you will likely get better results on your own.
The standard way to dispute a credit report is to obtain and review your report, put the dispute in writing, mail it to the credit bureaus, and wait for a response. The problem with this approach is that it can take several months and may not even work. Besides, you may not be able to wait that long.
To fix your credit report, follow these simple steps:
Identify errors – subscribe to a credit monitoring service and review your credit report for errors.
Verify the error – contact the creditor to verify their records and confirm the error with your records.
Collect evidence of the error – contact the creditor and provide the proof to them of the error.
Get a letter – Get a dated letter on letterhead with address, phone number, and contact name from the creditor that includes your name, account number, and details the error and specific correction to be made.
Fix your credit report –send the letter to all three credit bureaus to fix your report.
Verify the fix – monitor your report to ensure the bureaus correct each error.
Important Tips:
Make sure your lender is an experienced credit expert who can help you fix your credit if needed.
Ask your lender about a Rapid Rescore if you need your credit updated immediately for your loan.
Fixing your credit report can still take a lot of time and effort. So, start now! You may need to call several times to get the right person to help you so be persistent.
Taking the time to maintain an accurate credit report can save you thousands of dollars on your largest monthly expenses. It also prevents inconvenient surprises every time someone needs your score.
