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Tuesday, September 8, 2009

Credit Score Repair Basics

By Rob Kosberg

Here are some basic tips and credit score repair tips that will allow you to maintain your credit report and protect your financial future.

All of us have probably been informed that our credit report is a very important document. Its importance will increase if we have been denied a loan and realize that we must repair it or if we have been a victim of identity theft. Below you will find what is typically on your credit report and some precautions you can take to prevent identity theft from happening.

The first thing you want to do is to obtain copies of your credit report. One report will not do because each credit report could have different information on you. You must receive a copy from each of the three major credit-reporting agencies. Legally, you are entitled to one free copy of your report from each company, once a year. You should also look into monitoring your Fico score so that you can really gauge things, but you do not have to go that far if you do not want to. However, it is the Fico score and everything reported on you that determine whether lenders will work with you and at what cost if they do.

The reports will have several sections. Know that there will not be personal or private information about your race, net worth, or salary included. There will be the usual identifiers such as name, address, and social security number in the first section. There will be a section related to any trade lines. These lines will include loans, mortgages, credit cards, gas and department store cards. It will give the date each trade line was opened, limits, payment history (including late payments), balances, overdrawn bank accounts, and unpaid child support.

If you have liens or judgments against you with the court system, this information will be found on your credit report as well. This would include taxes, divorces, judgments, and bankruptcies.

Any time you apply for a loan or charge card there will be an inquiry made to the reporting agencies. Your report will include not only these inquiries but inquiries by you. Inquiries normally remain for 2 years. Be aware of your inquiries as they can be a good early warning sign if someone is attempting to get credit in your name.

Of course, there is no hiding that it is important to make sure that your credit report is cleaned up and stays that way. Each piece of negative information that is reported on you will remain on your report for seven years. Bankruptcies will remain for ten years.

It is important that we obtain and seriously review our reports to be aware of differences on each one, locate any and all errors. It is up to each individual to monitor his/her own profile, fix errors, and repair, if necessary.

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