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10 Ways To Boost
Your Credit Score
1. Deleting Errors in 48 Hours
This is the absolute fastest way to correct errors
on your credit
report and raise your credit score. However, it can
only be done
through a mortgage company or a bank. If you apply
for a home
loan and find errors on your credit report, request
the loan
officer to conduct a Rapid Rescore. But don't
mistake it for the
credit clinic tactic of multiple dispute letters.
The Rapid Rescore strategy requires proper
paperwork. You need
proof that the item is incorrect. It must come from
the creditor
directly. For example, a letter stating the account
is not your
account, a letter stating the account was paid
satisfactorily,
a release of lien, a satisfaction of judgment, a
bankruptcy
discharge, a letter for deletion of collection
account or any
relevant evidence.
This is the same documentation a bank or mortgage
company would
require for the credit accounts anyways. The
difference is, now
you can improve your credit score and receive a
lower interest
rate. The results are not guaranteed and will run
you about $50
per account.
2. Deleting Negative Credit
This is the infamous area where you've heard of all
the scams.
Credit repair clinics charge "an arm and a leg" and
promise a
clean credit report. Sometimes even a new credit
profile! People
spending hundreds, or even thousands, of dollars for
something
they can do themselves.
Removing errors is simple. Deleting negative credit
that is
accurate requires advanced methods. But that is not
the scope
of this report. So I'll focus on the deleting the
negative
errors.
Credit report errors easily disappear by using a
simple dispute
letter. If you have the paperwork proving the error
as mentioned
above in Rapid Rescore, send copies of that along
with the
dispute letter. This will make the credit bureau's
job easier and
you will get faster results.
If you don't have the documentation to prove the
error(s), send
the dispute letter anyway. According to federal law,
the credit
bureau's have a "reasonable time" to validate your
claim. They
will contact the creditor for verification of your
dispute. Then
the account will be reported accurately - or
deleted. It has been
generally accepted the "reasonable time" to complete
this task is
30 days.
If you're not the do-it-yourself kind of person. Or
don't have
the time. You could hire someone who is very
economical.
3. PiggyBack Someone's Credit
This is a fast and great little credit score
booster. But it
requires a very trusting relationship. Simply put,
someone else
adds you to their credit account. For example, when
applying for
a credit card, you may have seen the section to add
a card holder.
If your trusting person adds you, their payment
history is now
reported on your credit report too. If they have
perfect credit,
now you have a perfect account.
To make this more effective, use an aged account.
Imagine if your
trusted person has a 10 year old credit card account
with a
perfect payment history and a balance of only 50% of
the credit
limit. Wouldn't you love to have this on your credit
report? The
easy part is your trusted person just calls the
credit card
company and requests a form to add a cardholder.
Once completed
and activated, their entire account history and
future is now
firmly planted on your account. Imagine if you
secured 3-5 of
these accounts - especially installment accounts.
Your credit
score could sky-rocket!
The challenging part? Finding the trusted person.
Since you already
have a low credit score and bad credit, how eager
will someone be
to make you a cardholder? Even your parents don't
want you to
damage their credit. But, no one says you need to
possess the card!
In other words, your trusted person could add you as
a card holder
and never give you the card or PIN or any
information. Since the
bills and all account information is still mailed to
the trusted
person's address, you won't know anything about the
account. This
scenario could land you many trusted persons. And
you still benefit
with a higher credit score.
4. Playing Round Robin
This strategy is one of the oldest credit building
techniques
around. It used to be accomplished with secured
savings accounts.
But now, it's much easier with secured credit cards.
In fact,
I've used this method myself.
Here's how it works: Take ,000 (or what you can
afford) and get
a secured credit card. Once received, get a cash
advance of 70%
of your credit limit. Get a second secured credit
card. Once
received, get a cash advance of 70% of your credit
limit. Get a
third secured credit card. Once received, get a cash
advance of
70% of your credit limit.
Open a new checking account with the final cash
advance. Use this
account only for making payments on your three new
credit cards.
If you make your payments on time every month, your
credit score
will increase because you now have three new perfect
payment
credit cards. (Initially, your credit score might
drop a few
points due to the rapid, multiple accounts being
opened. However,
be patient because within 4 months of no new
accounts or any
delinquencies of any account, you will see your
credit score
increase. Mine increased 60 points in 60 days!!)
5. Pay on Time
This one is quite obvious. But after 12.5 years in
the mortgage
business, I discovered it still needs repeating.
Your creditors
were gracious enough to loan you money. Now pay your
damn bills!
If you don't, your credit score decreases. EVEN IF
ONLY 30 DAYS
LATE!
That's right folks. For some reason people think,
"I'm only a
few weeks late. What's the big deal?" Well, for the
loan company,
if you pay late but consistent, they make a lot more
money with
late fees and more interest (if a simple interest
loan). For you,
your credit score is damaged. If you think long-term
and credit
score, I'm certain you would not have a cavalier
attitude.
6. Pay Down Debts
This seems like an obvious method, doesn't it? But
it is not as
transparent as you might think. Remember, we're
playing with
high-level statistics and probabilities which
evaluates and
forecasts trends in your behavior. Here's what you
do...
Never pay off your revolving debt in it's entirety!
Isn't that a
surprise? Think about it. Your credit score is a
reflection of
your ability to manage your credit. Paying off your
debt is not
managing your debt. If you have a zero balance, how
can you manage
it? You don't. It no longer exists. And you cannot
manage what
does not exist, right? Therefore, in terms of credit
score, you
have demonstrated your ability to swiftly pay off
accounts to
avoid managing them. Thus, slightly decreasing your
credit score.
One exception, of course, is if you're over extended
to begin
with. Pay off what's necessary to make your credit
profile look
great. Then manage the remaining credit.
7. Don't Close Accounts
Even if you pay off revolving debts, do not close
the account.
The longer an account is open with no negative
reports, the
better it reflects in your overall credit score.
This is due to
the weighted-average in the credit score formula.
Many credit
experts suggest a balance of 30% of your credit
limit. That's
ideal. But you can go as high as 70% and still
maintain a
healthy credit score.
8. No New Credit
You must be vigilant in your credit behavior if you
want the best
credit score. Therefore, do not get any new credit
unless it is
absolutely necessary. Each time you apply for
credit, an inquiry
is added to your report. This usually drops your
credit score
slightly. When you have fresh credit, there is no
track record
how you will manage (or pay) this account.
Therefore, it's a
higher risk which results in a minor drop in your
credit score.
Remember, your credit score is about risk
assessment.
Here's what you do: obtain credit for your housing,
transportation,
college or continued education and 3-5 credit cards.
That's really
all you need for personal credit. If you want more
credit, request
a credit limit increase on your current cards rather
than apply
for new ones.
9. Maintain A Mix of Credit Types
If you show you can handle different types of credit
at the same
time, you are rewarded with a great credit score. In
other words,
get installment loans like vehicle, personal loan or
mortgage.
Get revolving credit like credit cards: Visa,
Mastercard, Sears,
Sunoco Gas, Costco. By mixing it up, you demonstrate
you can
manage your credit because you will have short term
and long term
credit with a fixed payment. As well as a "variable"
monthly
payment on your credit cards.
Keep these accounts open with a balance of 70% or
less and paid
on time and you will witness your credit score climb
to great
heights.
10. Don't File Bankruptcy or Foreclosure
Here's the most obvious advice: Don't file for
bankruptcy or
foreclosure. These stay on your credit report for 10
years and
always decrease your credit score. The older the
bankruptcy or
foreclosure account becomes, coupled with re-built
credit
history, the less of an impact they play on your
credit score.
Contrary to popular beliefs, you can legally delete
a bankruptcy
and foreclosure. It's not easy. But it's possible.
See the
advanced methods for that solution.
To quickly rebuild your credit history after a
bankruptcy or
foreclosure, use the Round Robin strategy above and
get secured
credit cards. Now you can even get a car loan or
mortgage right
after bankruptcy.
This article is the property of
www.bestcashloansonline.com, which has been
offering Payday Loan services since 2002. To find
out more visit
www.bestcashloansonline.com
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