Tuesday, January 27, 2009

Credit Restoration For A Better Credit Score

By Carlton Markkrite

Perhaps you have tried to buy a home recently, only to be turned down for financing on the grounds that your credit score is not high enough. If this has happened to you, then some credit repair is in order. While it is sometimes possible to secure financing even if your credit record has some flaws, the better your credit rating, the lower the interest you'll have to pay - which means more money in your pocket! So how can you get started towards credit restoration?

Making your payments on time is the first and most important step. Regardless of your past, it is your recent credit activity which will make the biggest difference to your creditworthiness. Late payments can seriously damage your credit score - by as much as a hundred points in some cases.

Catching up on your payments is the first step to credit restoration. Consider selling things you don't use, taking a second job or using your tax return to do this - whatever it takes to become current with your payments again will go a long way towards the credit repair you need.

Getting back on track with payments should be your first step, but you should also be sure to get a copy of your credit report from one or all of the credit reporting bureaus. Look them over carefully to make sure that they are accurate. If you see errors here, write to the credit reporting bureaus immediately to have these matters resolved - the credit bureau will have 30 days after receiving your letter to look into the discrepancy on your credit report.

If you see any old debts on your credit report that you had forgotten, be sure to pay them off now.

Try to think about your credit report in the way that a creditor might view things. Are your credit limits maxed out? If they are, then start making the largest payments you can afford on these debts in order to pay them down as quickly as possible. Creditors prefer to see large lines of credit which are going unused to maxed out accounts. Paying off these balances can be a big part of your credit restoration plan.

After paying off your credit cards, you should keep the accounts open. An open account with no balance can help your credit score and looks good as far as having unused credit goes. Having several open accounts with zero balances can be a valuable part of any credit repair plan.

Credit repair is a process and it won't be done overnight. It can take some time - more than a year in some cases. If you are dedicated to the goal of credit restoration, you'll see your credit score improve over time and you'll feel much better for it. Start today and get on the path to financial freedom.

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