How can I get a copy of my credit reports?

You may order your credit reports from us for only $39.

AnnualCreditReport.com allows you to request a free credit report, once a year from each of the nationwide consumer credit reporting companies: Equifax, Experian and TransUnion. These reports are free but they do not include your credit score.

Or you may purchase your credit report with FICO score directly from the three credit reporting agencies:

TRANS UNION
Customer Disclosure Center
P.O. Box 390
Springfield, PA 19064-0390

http://www.transunion.com/ 
1-800-888-4213

EQUIFAX
P.O. Box 740241
Atlanta, GA 30374-0241

http://www.equifax.com/ 
1-800-685-1111

EXPERIAN
P.O. Box 2104
Allen, TX 75013-2104

http://www.experian.com/ 
1-888-397-3742

I've heard that credit repair is illegal and credit repair companies are scam artists, is this true?

Credit repair and credit restoration are legal processes governed and sanctioned by federal laws. You have a right to dispute negative and inaccurate items listed in your credit reports.

Over 82% of the population has inaccurate, misleading, duplicate or obsolete info on their credit reports.  This statistic has encouraged some unscrupulous people to offer credit repair services to consumers despite having little or no knowledge of the credit industry.

Our Certified Credit Consultants™ complete an intensive training and certification process before ever speaking to a client. We offer a professional service with a money back guarantee to consumers who do not have the time or knowledge to attempt the credit restoration process on their own.

My credit cards are always maxed out! Is this hurting my credit score?

Yes, this could have a major negative effect on yuor credit score! Ideally, you should keep your credit card balances 35% below the limit. If possible, never allow the credit card balance to exceed 50% of the credit limit.

Having a few credit cards can actually improve your credit scores. Most experts agree that one to three credit cards is the optimum number. Don't forget that making your payments on time will also help increase your scores.

What is a credit score and what can I do to improve it?

A credit score, sometimes called a “Fair Isaac” or FICO score is calculated based on the number of credit accounts you have, your payment history, and your personal information. It is made from a calculation so complex that there is no exact formula, but the scoring ranges from 350 to 900.

You can improve your score by paying your bills on time; not maxing out your credit cards; limiting inquiries on your credit reports (by not letting prospective creditors pull your credit reports unless it is absolutely necessary); deleting negative credit items; deleting inquiries; and doing your best to settle outstanding debts, collections, and judgments.

Why are collection accounts I paid off still appearing on my credit report?

Paying off a collection doesn’t guarantee it will be removed from your credit report. It should now be reported as a “Paid Collection.” Some old collection debts are bought by "bottom feeder" collection agencies for pennies on the dollar. They are sold this way because the statute of limitations for collecting and or reporting the debt has expired.

This means the collection agency that bought the debt can't legally report it to a credit bureau (place it in your credit report) or legally obtain a judgement from a court of law against you. Before paying any collection, click here to schedule a free consultation with one of our Certified Credit Consultants.  You may discover that the collection can be legally removed from your credit report. We can also prevent collection agencies from harrasing you with constant phone calls.

To learn more about topics like debt collection, debt negotiation, and how to deal with unscrupulous collection agencies who prey on consumers, visit our Credit Education Library.

Will closing out old or unused credit accounts raise my credit score?

This strategy is not recommended. Don't close out old and unused credit card accounts. By leaving accounts active, they improve the debt to credit ratio in your credit report. Creditors, especially banks and mortgage brokers look at the average age of your accounts as a factor when qualifying you for a loan. Therefore,  keeping old accounts open will help your score in this area too.