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How can hard-working adults improve their credit scores without falling for scams and online trickery? The good news is that there are some completely legal, non-shady, no-cost ways to enhance personal scores with all three of the major reporting bureaus. Unlike the inflated promises of hundreds of unscrupulous companies that make all sorts of unrealistic promises, the legit tactics for getting your scores into good shape take some time and patience.
The first step is to obtain all your reports. Experian, TransUnion, and Equifax, by law, must give consumers one free report per year, but you must formally request it in order to get it. Another strategy is to refinance any of your outstanding education debt, which helps reorganize the monthly budget and can free up cash for paying other bills on time. It’s important to remember that boosting scores is a slow process that can require at least six months of deliberate action.
Once you get the pertinent documents in hand, it’s time to decipher. The Big Three agencies use a kind of coded language that can look foreign unless you know the lingo. Subsequently, scan the listings for errors. They’re more common than most people expect. Don’t forget to write a dispute statement to include in your formal report if you disagree with anything a creditor has reported.
Finally, make a detailed written plan that describes the specific ways in which you intend to raise low scores. The main way is to simply stay current on bills, keep credit usage as low as possible, and continue to establish a solid financial history. Then, check all three scores at least twice per year, even if that means paying a small fee to access the data. Here are more details about how to initiate a credit-improvement process.
Get All Three Reports
All the bureaus must, by law, give you one no-cost report each year. Unfortunately, if you really want to track your progress closely, it’s smart to check the data every few months. In any case, begin the process of improvement by ordering the free ones every January and reviewing them carefully for mistakes and other relevant information.
Refinance Student Loans to Reduce Monthly Expenses
Paying down debt is a direct way of addressing credit ratings. Of course, when you pay bills on time, that makes a big difference as well. Refinancing education loans can mean freeing up a portion of monthly income through lower payments. The outcome is that those who refinance student loans with NaviRefi have more cash to cover other bills, pay them in a timely fashion, and boost their creditworthiness. The key element of the refi is structuring student loans already on your books into a brand-new obligation with its own repayment period, interest rate, and other terms. For many who opt to refinance, the net result is more favorable terms and a significantly lower monthly payment for education debt.
Decipher the Reports
There are several excellent online resources where you can go to choose the right credit repair company to help wade through the odd language in the documents you receive from TransUnion, Equifax, and Experian. In fact, it’s nearly impossible to understand a single line without outside help. Use a reputable financial website to interpret the info. Then, make notes in your own words about which accounts need attention, which might be in error, and whether you should insert a dispute statement, which is your legal right.
Fix Errors
Mistakes are more common than you might expect. The most common errors are the inclusion of other histories in addition to your own. It often happens that there are omissions, so be sure to search the reports to make certain that all of your own accounts are listed. When you discover a mistake, document it and contact the bureau via snail mail or email immediately. All three companies are relatively responsive about correcting errors, but they are not known for being lightning fast at setting the record straight.
Include Dispute Statement if Necessary
If you have an ongoing dispute with a creditor and the report only lists the creditor’s side of the story, you are allowed to include a statement that represents your side of the issue. Until the dispute is legally resolved, the bureaus will leave the statement intact as part of the official record.
Monitor Scores Regularly
As you work to pay bills on time, reduce the usage of available credit, and generally clean up the record, consider obtaining up-to-date documents every three months. Remember, one is free each year, but you might have to pay a small fee for the additional requests.
