Many people nowadays are getting hosed when it comes to credit. Whatever you want to blame it on–recession or depression or just bad habits–it’s tough to deal with. The worst of it is that when the economy bounces back, you won’t have the credit that it will take to be a player in the game.

Only Frauds Claim They Can Get Rid of Bankruptcy

Don’t spend a dime on some service that tells you they can wholly restore your credit. Credit restoration isn’t for everyone and if you have a bankruptcy, it’s not going away for about seven years. Any “legit” bad credit on your report is there to stay.

The First Step

The first thing that you need to do is to get your hands on all three credit reporting agencies credit reports that they have on you. It’s absolutely free because they have to each give you one on demand for free once a year.

Seven Years Past the Final “Action” On An Report

Understand that bad credit other than bankruptcies can stay on your report for no longer than seven years (beyond the last action) that was made on the account. Understand? Seven years after your last payment, not seven years after the negative report was logged.

Credit Reporting Errors are Extremely Common

The days when credit agencies can dodge you when there is a mistake on your credit report are long gone. Learn the simple means by which you can challenge negative credit and use them if you find any mistakes of this type. Believe it! Credit reporting mistakes are all too common.

Credit Cards – Good or bad. Both

After all, after you have done everything you can in these areas, credit repair comes down to building new credit to replace any bad credit you have. Credit cards are a good and bad sword. They are great for building good credit but in the used wrong, they can also quickly kill a persons credit.

SBFC law group SBFC law group

A few months, I went through some rough moments in my life. I got laid off after the company I worked for went down. The bills piled up and I was unable to make my monthly payments. Eventually, all of my credit card accounts were charged-off and sent to collection agencies.

My life became a living hell of collection calls and non-stop harassment from debt collectors. Finally, I filed bankruptcy and was relieved of my debt, but the damage to my credit was already done.

For months I was denied the chance to own a house, buy a new car, or even take a trip ” all because my credit FICO scores were too low for the lenders to even think of giving me a loan. Getting turned down for loan applications over and over was frustrating and frankly embarrassing.

A friend told me about SBFC Law Group and was ranting and raving about how awesome they were. I was skeptical at first, but after seeing what they did for him, I knew I had to give them a try. So, I got online and looked them up.

SBFC Law Group Changed My Life

I called the 1-800 number at their website and talked to a credit repair expert who was very nice and understanding of my circumstances. She was also very knowledgeable. So, I went ahead and signed up. Boy, am I glad I did! After about 3 weeks, I started receiving letters from the credit bureaus stating that negative accounts had been removed from my credit reports!

SBFC Law Group did such a great job with my credit score, I would recommend them to anyone who is in the same circumstance. It is so worth it. After the first little while I was able to get a car loan. A year later, and I can now get a home loan. Imagine that.

A FICO score is one essential part have knowing how to manage your finances. The number is determined using a very difficult and confusing system used by lenders and underwriters. It is not necessary to know everything about this system but knowing a thing or two can prove to be a large benefit to you in keeping up your score. The more your know about the system, the more you can use it to your advantage and this is really the way of keeping your credit score afloat. It is key.

Before anything, you need to know the basics of the FICO system. The first place to start is understanding the FICO ladder. A FICO score is somewhere between 300 and 850. Didn’t know that? You should. If you didn’t, that’s okay, because after today, you will know a lot more than most people do about FICO scores. The best spot to be is somewhere between 720 and 850. This is wonderful. Again, if you’re not in this range, it’s okay, anything above 675 is still good. If it’s below that, then… you can worry a little. But just a little because there are still ways to bring it up. The lowest score is 300 and if this looks like yours then you are in trouble, you should worry, and I cannot help you.

Your FICO credit score is made up of a number of factors. Thirty-five percent of your credit score is based on how punctual you are with payments. Any payment over thirty days late can be reported to the credit bureaus and lower your score. Thirty percent of your score is also based on your total debt — the ratio of revolving debt, like credit card balances, to available revolving credit, such as your credit limit.

Another fifteen percent of your credit score is based on the length of your credit history from the time you first borrowed money to the present. Ten percent is based on the kinds of credit you use. Some kinds are weighted more heavily. The final ten percent of your FICO score is determined by how much credit you have used recently.

Some special factors that can influence your FICO credit score include money you owe due to a court judgment or tax lien. These can carry a very large credit score penalty. If you have more than a particular number of consumer finance credit accounts, you will also find that your score is impacted negatively. The number of credit checks made recently can also lower your score, although the credit bureaus do allow for a certain number of checks in a particular window of time, such as might occur when you are shopping for the best rate on a loan.

A FICO score is one essential part have knowing how to manage your finances. The number is determined using a very difficult and confusing system used by lenders and underwriters. It is not necessary to know everything about this system but knowing a thing or two can prove to be a large benefit to you in keeping up your score. The more your know about the system, the more you can use it to your advantage and this is really the way of keeping your credit score afloat. It is key.

The first part of knowing how the FICO scoring system works is to know what qualifies as a good credit score. The highest score you can receive is 850. The best range is between 720 and 850, with scores from 675 up to 719 still representing good credit. Scores below 675 may have trouble getting good terms on money borrowed, and below 620, it may be hard to get credit at all. A score of 300 is the bottom of the FICO score ladder.

This FICO score is compiled by many different factors. 35% of your credit has to do with your punctuality of making your payments. Any payment that is more than 30 days late is reported to the credit bureaus and a lower score is the result. 30% of the FICO score is dependent upon your total debt. This means the ratio of your revolving debt. Still confused? Revolving debt is a credit card. Debt that is always available in a certain range. The ratio is how much debt you still have in comparison to the limit on that line of credit.

15% of the FICO score is based on how long you have had credit. Not only credit in general, but also a particular line of credit. If you have a car payment and have made regular payments for the last three years, this is actually better than paying it all off in cash. At least for your credit score. There is a point of diminishing return though so this isn’t always the smartest move.

Some special factors that can influence your FICO credit score include money you owe due to a court judgment or tax lien. These can carry a very large credit score penalty. If you have more than a particular number of consumer finance credit accounts, you will also find that your score is impacted negatively. The number of credit checks made recently can also lower your score, although the credit bureaus do allow for a certain number of checks in a particular window of time, such as might occur when you are shopping for the best rate on a loan.

A FICO score is something that lenders use to decide what type or interest rate they can offer you. When you get a loan, the bank will use your personal credit and your FICO score to determine you eligibility of the loan and the appropriate interest rate.

The score is based on the Fair Isaac Company (hence, the name FICO) and the interest that you will pay. It also takes into account your monthly payment, which is based on your personal credit also.

The same is true when you get a car loan, as well as the premium on your car insurance or homeowners insurance. Your personal credit score can even affect your chances of getting new employment.

The different methods used to determine your FICO score can be divided into about five different categories.

So that you will understand the basics of how FICO score is determined, the percentages below reflect how important each of the categories are in determining your personal credit score.

History of Payment (35%)

Payment history is the biggest factor in determining your FICO score. How many late payment or bankruptcies you have can hurt you significantly and the more recent the negative activity, the worse the score will be.

Outstanding Debts (30%)

How much of the total credit line is being used on credit cards and other revolving charges? High balances or more precisely, balances that are close to your credit limit can negatively affect your credit score. Most lenders think 40%-60% of maximum is ideal.

Length of your credit history (15%)

This one surprised me. Just length of history. How long have you had an open credit line. If you have a large credit limit and it has been paid as agreed over a long period of time, this will work the best. Close your old accounts if they are having a negative affect on you.

Recent Pull of Credit (10%)

Whenever you apply for credit, there is always an inquiry on your report and they will negatively affect your score. Some inquires are considered soft pulls of credit. A soft inquiry would be checking your personal credit or your report. Some insurance companies will do a soft pull also so as to not harm your report.

Credit Types (10%)

Is your credit from a car loan or a mortgage? If it is a mortgage, how much do you currently owe compared to the original amount loaned. How many accounts are open. It is not always beneficial to open a new account to receive more available cred