Your credit report and score should help you to put your best foot forward, rather than stand in your way. A good credit score will earn you better interest rates on loans and credit cards, giving you more choices and saving you money.
The first step to improve your credit is to understand your credit score and what it does for you. When you choose a reputable credit repair service, it will pull your credit score from a credit bureau and formulate an effective strategy for disputing mistakes with actions to improve your score.
If your credit is in the ‘fair’ range, you are considered a subprime borrower and will probably have some difficulties obtaining credit, like mortgages, business loans, personal loans or credit cards, or being offered reasonable interest rates. Getting assistance from one of the best credit repair companies is essential in improving your standing with lenders.
If your credit score is between 300 and 579, you’re considered to have ‘very poor’ credit. Applicants with this rating will often not be approved or have to pay a large deposit and high interest rates. If you fall in this range, support from a credit repair service can help you qualify for a loan.
How Does Credit Repair Work?
Your credit score may be low, but a credible credit repair service with experience will represent your disputes with the credit bureaus and improve your credit score. A reputable credit repair agency will dispute errors, negotiate settlements, and guide you through the clean-up of your credit report with tips for maintaining it
An experienced credit repair company will employ financial professionals who will first obtain and analyze all three major credit bureau reports to determine the best course of action. It will then begin the dispute process, raising your credit score with each successful dispute.
Why Use a Credit Repair Company?
A key purpose of a good credit repair company is to remove errors from your credit report. Input errors, mistakes, and fraud can seriously impact your credit without any fault of your own. Errors are common, ranging from mistakes in lender reports to careless mistakes or misreporting. Professional credit report challenges and disputes can make the process easy, fast, and hands-off for you.
If you have an unsettled debt with a company that has gone out of business or does not respond within a reasonable time period, a top credit repair company can get it removed from your credit history.
How Can Credit Repair Help Me?
Credit repair counselors are trained in financial laws and protocols and have the ability to challenge your credit reports errors. A top-ranking credit restoration company can quickly improve your credit score, which will then decrease your total debt with better interest rates, and no additional loan insurances, and help you qualify for more credit options.
5 Things to Look For in a Credit Repair Company
Choosing the best credit service to resolve your poor credit score can be helpful in getting the best results. You should examine the following when looking for the right credit repair company:
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Free consultation is standard and should be offered before any commitment is expected from you.
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Credit restoration experience ensures expert care towards results.
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Industry certifications such as the Certified Credit Repair Specialist title from the Institute of Consumer Financial Information (ICFE).
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Understand the timeframe. The average credit repair process should not surpass 4 or 5 months, and disputes shouldn't extend past 60 days unless there's considerable damage.
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Competitive pricing ranges from $80 to over $100. Companies occasionally have a standard setup fee or an extra charge for credit reports
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Consider the extra services if you want help maintaining your credit after it’s repaired.
How Much Does it Cost to Repair My Credit?
Legitimate credit repair companies offer 2 types of pricing structures:
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Per item pricing
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Per month pricing
Some credit repair services will allow you to choose the type of pricing structure you want, while others only offer a single pricing model. If you have the choice, the right one depends on the status of your credit report. If you have a lot of errors and issues on your credit report, then a monthly payment model will be more cost-effective for you. On the other hand, if your credit report is relatively clean and just contains a few items that need to be disputed, you could potentially save a lot by opting for the per-item pricing structure.
Generally, the best credit repair services will range in monthly pricing from $49-$129 a month. Be sure to look at what is being offered with the plan when comparing prices.
Another cost to factor into your equation is the initial fee. Some top credit report companies will waive this fee, but most will charge you some sort of setup fee to get things rolling. This can run you anywhere from $15 to $100, depending on the services and plan you sign up for.
How Long Will it Take to Repair My Credit History?
How long it takes to repair your credit history has to do with the specific credit repair service you choose and, of course, the severity of your credit report status. If you have a whole slew of errors on your report, naturally, this will take longer than it would for someone who has relatively few issues.
The average timeframe for credit repair is somewhere around 6 months. There are services that offer super fast credit repair in roughly 1 to 2 months. But this is the exception rather than the rule. Expect to have your credit repair take closer to the average of 6 months.
Compare the best credit relief companies and choose the plan that works best for your needs. Keep in mind the reputation of the company, prices and promised results, and look forward to a better credit score.
