Ask 10 people to define credit repair and you will probably get 10 different answers. Even amongst financial experts, there are disagreements about what credit repair is.

So exactly what is credit repair?

People on the far end of the spectrum will tell you that credit repair is a myth. That it is snake oil peddled by con-artists trying to separate you from your money. They feel that a bad credit rating is something you have earned and will have to endure without recourse. According to them, the only way you can “repair” your credit is to wait for the negative items on your credit reports to naturally fall off.

Fortunately for people with bad credit, there is much more to the credit repair story than these naysayers want to believe. But this is not to say their advice is completely invalid. If your credit score is suffering, your credit will improve as the late payments, collections accounts, or liens naturally drop off your reports. Providing that new negative items are not added to your credit reports, time is absolutely an ally of the credit repair process.

Sitting and waiting, however, is not credit repair. There is much more you can do.

Those who have done their research on the credit reporting system and your rights as a consumer can tell you that repairing your credit can be a much more proactive activity than credit repair critics would have you believe. There are a number of things you can do right now to try removing the negative information in your credit reports.

Based on your rights under a variety of consumer protection statutes including the Fair Credit Reporting Act, you have the right to dispute any items in your credit reports that you feel are inaccurate. And exactly what does inaccurate mean in this case? When dealing with your credit reports, inaccurate credit listings can include any items you feel are patently wrong as well as items that you feel are misleading, biased, incomplete, or unverifiable. As you can see, you have significant leeway when it comes to determining which items you believe should be listed on your credit reports.

The process of removing bad credit from your credit reports is a more accurate definition of credit repair, however, there is still more to be done. When most people think about repairing their credit, they think of increasing their credit score. In most cases, deleting bad credit will get you closer to this goal, but it might not get you all the way. Improving your credit score may be more than just getting rid of the bad, you may also need to add some of the good.

A more complete definition of credit repair includes not only the removal of bad credit, but the addition of good credit and the changes in lifestyle that will help you maintain your credit and continue working towards an 800 credit score.

Finally, the first step in achieving your credit goals may not have anything to do with the items currently on your credit reports. If you are falling behind in payments or facing bankruptcy, removing negative items from your credit reports is at best a temporary fix. You will need to take control of your finances through better budgeting, debt consolidation, or maybe with the help of professional counseling. It is only after you have stopped adding bad credit to your credit reports that you will be able to start improving them.

Because of this, you could extend the definition of credit repair to a much broader concept that also includes debt management. Credit repair could be thought of as a holistic effort that ultimately leads you to high credit worthiness and financial stability.

Too Many Errors

Credit repair serves a real purpose. Credit reporting errors are much more prevalent and costly than most people realize. Over half of all credit reports have errors on them that are serious enough to cause the victim to pay higher interest rates and even to be denied for financing. Credit repair is about finding and correcting these errors, and there is more to it than most people realize.

Too Hard to Find

Many people dismiss credit repair as a process that requires no more than a cursory scan of their credit reports. Unfortunately, a quick scan of your credit reports will almost certainly leave almost all of the score-damaging errors undiscovered. To tap the real potential of credit repair requires an exploration of the credit reporting guidelines embodied by the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA). An understanding of the FCRA is certain to reveal a number of surprising and correctable errors. And every error caught and corrected is money in the bank.

Why Credit Repair Matters

You might be shocked at the potential cost of impaired credit. You pay interest on the money you borrow, and your interest rates are based on your credit. And it adds up. If you have a mortgage, an auto loan, and a couple of credit cards a damaged credit report could be costing you thousands of dollars each year. A small investment of time today can repay you in a tangible way for many years to come.

Sneaky Defensive Credit Bureaus

If you are going to launch a credit repair project you must adopt a somewhat skeptical attitude towards the credit bureaus. It might be handy to understand that the credit bureaus are not government agencies, nor do they have any status other than for-profit businesses. They each manage billions of pieces of data for over 200 million Americans, and they are not perfect. They are interested in maintaining accuracy, but only to the extent that it is not an economic detriment. You should also keep in mind that they often take a stand against credit repair only because it is in their best financial interest to do so.

The Problem with the FTC

The FTC in very justified in their campaign against crooked credit repair operations. The only real caveat here is that the FTC operations and press campaigns against scams can be heavy handed and unhappily omit the fact that, as in every industry, there are good guys and bad guys, and there are many excellent credit repair companies capable of significantly transforming your life.

How the Bureaus Manage Disputes

Once you decide to get your credit repair project underway you need to be conscious of the fact that you need to work thoughtfully, and even respectfully, within the credit bureau system. It is essential to understand the FCRA and to focus your disputes in areas that you have leverage, but it is equally important to understand that you will face some resistance. The credit bureaus receive mountains of disputes every day and have the right to refuse to process any request they feel is frivolous. They use this right liberally, and you need to be patient; determined, but patient.

Collectors and Credit Repair

Another somewhat recalcitrant group of participants in the credit reporting process is collectors. They are governed by the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA), and in their interaction with the bureaus by the FCRA, but there are so few repercussions for failure to comply that an amazing number of errors, intentional and otherwise, slip through the cracks. And the unwary consumer pays the price.

Winning the Credit Repair Battle with Collectors

When it comes to collectors appearing on your credit report, doubt your eyes. Take the time to understand how reporting period limits work, and how collectors reset them causing collections to report many years past their legal reporting limit. And to defend yourself against any active collectors you will also need to understand how statutes of limitation work. When it comes to credit repair a little homework really pays.

Professional Credit Repair Services Work

Not everyone has the time available to master the details involved in credit repair success. Nothing can affect your financial life like your credit. You simply cannot afford to do half the job. It’s your credit, and you owe it to yourself to make sure the job is done right. Either invest in a couple of good books and put in some serious study time, or hire someone to do the job for you. Credit repair is all about the details. It’s not hard to get the results if you do it right. Good luck!

Copyright © 2009 Ian Webber. All Content. All Rights Reserved.

Join the ranks of the millions of people that have discovered the benefits of professional credit repair. Far too many people have stood on the sidelines, discouraged by the complexity of their credit report and their own doubts about the effectiveness of the credit repair process. But the word has gotten out. And it’s spreading fast.

The credit reporting industry which is made up millions of creditors and the three major credit bureaus is rife with inefficiencies and errors. It’s a fact of life. No one denies it. Congress passed the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) in acknowledgement of the problem and to provide consumers, like us, with free access to our credit reports.

This was done with the express purpose of encouraging us to proofread our reports and to have a fair chance to spot and correct the inevitable mistakes. Unfortunately, congress did not do enough. The subject matter is still confusing. Have you looked at your credit reports? They look like they are written in code. And to make things worse the three credit bureaus each offer their reports in completely different formats. So even if you figure out one report the others may still look foreign. Wow.

These days, unless you are independently wealthy, there is nothing more important than your credit. If you are going to undertake the task of credit repair you need to know what you are doing. Either learn the craft or hire a credit repair professional. If your car needed a tune up, you wouldn’t just open the hood and try to fix anything that looked out of place. Your credit report is no less complicated.

Effective credit repair requires a working knowledge of the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) that codifies the responsibilities of the credit bureaus in managing data and in dealing with consumers during the dispute and resolution process. And the FCRA is just the tip of the credit repair iceberg.

To do the job right you also need to know the applicable state statute of limitations to guide you in managing collections. You also should be familiar with the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA) in case you have to deal head-on with a collector. And to top it off, you definitely better know how the FICO credit scoring model works, otherwise you may send your credit score into a tailspin even while you are removing errors.

The good news is that a number of truly professional credit repair companies have emerged into public view, courtesy of the Internet. Their expert services are available to anyone who does not have the time or inclination to master the intricacies of the process on their own. If you are a diehard DYI kind of person, then you will love the challenge and probably even enjoy the task of credit repair. But otherwise you should reach out to an expert that will help you reach your credit potential.

A word about the Fair Trade Commission (FTC). The FTC is responsible for many of the public warnings about bogus credit repair companies. This was never meant to disparage legitimate professional credit repair services. Every industry has its share of bad apples, and consumers should remain alert when hiring anyone for any reason. Hence, there are a number of prudent precautionary measures I would suggest you consider.

Check with the Better Business Bureau. Most credit repair companies are listed with the BBB and you might get a feel for the experience you might have should you decide to do business with a particular firm. To presence of many complaints is a bad sign. But the most important thing that you should do is to pick up the phone.

Call a couple of credit repair companies and have a chat. Ask some good questions. Test their knowledge. See how you feel. If you are put off for any reason you might want to try another company. You might also do some research on Google. Just type in the name of the company and see what comes up. The credit repair process can take time and you don’t want to be working with anyone that makes you uncomfortable.

I should also note that all of the legitimate credit repair businesses that I have seen charge within the same general range. Small differences are expected in any business, but there may be something very wrong if a company is charging an unusual amount of money. You should also know that the Credit Repair Organizations Act (CROA), which governs credit repair companies, does not permit charging fees in advance. A small set up fee charged after the initial file setup is complete is fine and then the monthly feel should be charged at the end of each month of service. A little bit of homework goes a long way. Choose wisely, profit greatly. Good luck!

Copyright © 2008 Ian Webber. All Content. All Rights Reserved.