Maneuvering through the Confusing Field of Legal Credit Repair

Credit repair is an important issue for many people, if bad or inaccurate credit is keeping them from buying the home or car of their dreams. There are plenty of companies that boast success rates in cleaning up credit and putting folks back in the pink when it comes to financial health. Some can deliver what they promise, but others are guilty of adding to the problems by misleading clients in credit repair that is unethical or even illegal. If you follow the advice of a less than reputable credit repair organization, you can be held liable for any charges of fraud that may result. For this reason, it is extremely important to pursue legal credit repair when making the decision to clean up your own credit history.

The Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA)

All legal credit repair will begin with an overview of the Fair Credit Reporting Act, or FRCA. This act offers certain rights to consumers that are concerned about their credit rating or particular items on their reports that are inaccurate or misleading to other lenders. This act states that everyone is entitled to a free copy of a credit report if you suspect inaccuracies on your report or if you have been denied credit for any reason that is based on information in this report. You are also allowed one free report from each of the three major credit bureaus in a twelve month period. It is a good idea to follow this process of legal credit repair to ensure that the information on your credit report remains accurate and current.

The three main credit reporting bureaus are Equifax, Experian and TransUnion. For consumer convenience, these three agencies have combined their resources into one main source for you to request and receive information. The website is annualcreditreport.com. Obtaining a copy of these reports is the first step in legal credit repair. The next step will be to review your credit report to determine if any of the information listed is incorrect or outdated. If it is, the FRCA states that you can dispute any of the claims on your report at any time and at no charge. This is generally done in writing, and there are many sample letters that you can find on the Internet to work from. The reporting agencies must follow up on your dispute, and generally do within thirty days after receiving it.

While the process of legal credit repair can require time and patience on the part of the consumer, it is well worth your time to clear up your credit and regain a good standing. This will allow you to make purchases like houses and cars, open accounts with financial institutions, and even apply for some jobs. Legal credit repair can be the first step to a more secure financial future.