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You’re in a never-ending battle: If an individual wants to be trusted by lenders, they need to have good credit.
Good credit will increase a borrower's credit rating, which automatically means that they can take out loans in much more favorable terms and conditions. No one will give money to people with a proven record of late or even missing payments. What's done is done.
Can you repair your credit? How can you do that and why?
What's a Bad Credit?
Every single individual with a loan has a credit history. Credit reporting agencies (the most known are Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion) collect data regarding your payment history and prepare credit reports. Late payments, default on loans or credit cards, a foreclosure will affect negatively a person's credit. This information will later be used to calculate your credit score rating.
But Here’s The Problem:
Bad credit will make lenders wary and cautious. Most probably, if they give you a loan (For example an FHA loan), the interest rate will be higher than if you had a good credit rating. Sometimes even insurance companies look at an individual's credit history to determine how much interest to charge when the client application for any kind of life insurance).
Do You Have Bad Credit?
Certainly, if you have missed out payments or delayed them, this will affect your credit. Also, you can use your credit score rating to grasp an idea of what's happening.
Even though credit history is just a part of 
How Fixing Your Credit Can Improve Your Financials
There are several reasons to consider rebuilding your credit history. To start with, the conditions on new loans will never be the same. No lender will be happy about a low credit score.
You may believe that bad credit prevents you from obtaining a credit card or a loan, but this is not the case. Bad credit can leave you homeless, without a car or job. This is because many businesses are using your credit to make decisions about you.
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Get Better Credit Card Rate, Limits And Rewards
Variable interest rates are common on almost all credit cards. The interest rates on your existing credit cards fluctuate depending on a variety of factors.
As the Fed raises the prime rate, your creditors are likely to raise your credit card APR as well. The good news is that you can contact your creditors and ask for lower interest rates.
A good credit score and an error-free credit report are essential for making this happen. Creditors will generally increase your credit limit as you demonstrate your ability to pay your bills on time.
A credit card company, on the other hand, will check your credit score before increasing your credit limit. A poor credit history may result in your credit limit being reduced, lowering your credit score even further by increasing your credit utilization.
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Lower Interest On Loans
When it comes to car loans, your credit score can mean the difference between driving a newer model or a jalopy to make the monthly payments. Regular lenders will not approve you for an auto loan if you have bad credit.
Your only options are to pay cash or to take out auto loans from predatory lenders with exorbitant interest rates that can quickly put you in debt. The disparity in interest rates is mind-boggling.
Rates for excellent credit can be as low as 3.5 percent, but for bad credit, rates can reach 20 percent. Even renting a car can be difficult. If you have poor credit, they may require you to put down a deposit to rent the vehicle, which could derail your vacation plans.
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Car insurance Discounts
Low-interest auto loans aren't the only way that good credit can help you save money. You may also be eligible for lower rates on your auto insurance policy.
A credit-based insurance score is used by the majority of auto insurers. In essence, if you have a low credit score, you will pay more for insurance, even if you are a good driver with a clean record.
If your credit score improves, you can contact your agent to see if you qualify for a discount. It may lower your premiums, deductibles, or both, resulting in lower out-of-pocket insurance costs.
Is It Difficult to Repair Credit?
Credit repair is not difficult, and you can rebuild your credit within months if you follow the right procedure. Review your credit report to know the type of information lenders see. If there are incorrect entries and negative information, file a dispute with the credit reporting agency for this information to be removed.
Also, ensure you pay bills on time, clear outstanding debts, and keep your old credit card accounts open. These actions can add several points to your credit score over the next several months.
Remember, utilities can also check your credit. If your score is low, they may require a security deposit. On top of that, some employers review credit histories when considering applicants, as it can help them assess trustworthiness. So, as you can see, your credit impacts more than just monthly payments or interest rates.
How To Fix Your Credit?
Start by reviewing your credit reports from the three credit bureaus to know if there are errors and incorrect entries. If there is incorrect information on the report, you should dispute the errors with the credit bureau on whose report you found it.
You should also pay your bills on time. Set automatic payments for monthly bills such as utility bills to avoid late payments.
If you have multiple debts, pay off the high interest debts and debts with low balances first to improve your credit history and lower your credit utilization ratio. Once you have paid down debts, you should keep the accounts open to avoid hurting your credit scores.
Let’s look at it in detail:
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Lower The Size Of Your Debt
If you want to improve bad credit history, one way to do it is to reduce the amount of debt you owe. This step is really challenging since most people lack good financial management skills. This is why they have a bad credit history in the first place.
Remember: The ratio between total debt and total credit is the second most important factor contributing to determining your credit score.
Another thing to keep in mind is your balance transfers – the higher, the worse for your credit rating. Start with maxed out credit cards since they can seriously damage your credit. Lower the amount under the credit limit. Usually, a 10% to 30% balance of the credit limit is considered good.
It's important for people to have a clear credit history and a good credit rating. It will give them the chance to take out loans on better terms. In the long-run, this comes in handy because it can save a hefty amount of money.
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Get A Copy Of Your Credit Report
Obtaining a copy of your credit report is the first step in fixing a bad credit score.
You can obtain a free copy of your credit report from each of the three major credit reporting agencies (Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion) once a year by visiting annualcreditreport.com.
Reviewing your credit report will help you identify any errors or inaccuracies that may be affecting your credit score.
Once you have the reports, examine them thoroughly. It's necessary to check all the information regardless of the report's size. Sometimes it could be really long if you have a continuous credit history.
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Dispute Errors And Mistakes
Should you find any errors in your reports, you have the right to dispute them.
To start with, all reports give the owner instructions on how to dispute incorrect information. You can do it either online or by mail or phone. Make sure to include a copy of your report. If the dispute is approved, the credit bureaus will make any necessary changes, therefore your credit will be revised.
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Limit New Credit Applications
When you apply for new credit, it triggers a hard inquiry on your credit report. These inquiries can lower your credit score, particularly if you have several within a short period. So, it’s a good idea to limit how often you apply for new credit.
To minimize the impact of hard inquiries on your credit score, consider the following:
- Only apply for new credit when necessary: Don't apply for credit just to see if you qualify. Only apply for credit when you need it.
- Space out your credit applications: If you must apply for credit, try to space out your applications. This will help to minimize the impact of multiple inquiries on your credit score.
- Shop around for the best credit offer: If you're in the market for a loan or credit card, compare offers from different lenders. This can help you find the best deal while limiting the number of inquiries on your credit report.
- Opt for soft inquiries: Soft inquiries do not affect your credit score and occur when you check your own credit report, or when a lender checks your credit report as part of a pre-approval process.
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Change Your Payment Habits
To have bad credit means you are not the most diligent of payers. Try to make all your payments on time since this is the most important factor when determining your credit score.
In case you have a bad memory, you can subscribe to your lender and they will send you an email to remind you of your upcoming payments. Another option is to use automatic ones. When the time comes, the lender will automatically take the money from your bank account.
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Pay Off Overdue Payments
Since credit history is the most important factor when determining your credit score, try to fix all the payments which are overdue.
Pay them as soon as possible and don't wait for them to be “charged-off” or sent to collecting agencies.
Should I Get Help to Repair My Credit?
If you have been trying to repair your credit, you may consider getting help from a credit repair service.
These companies help you repair your credit by disputing incorrect or outdated information on your credit report for a fee, but there is no guarantee that your credit will improve. However, these companies can help you expedite the credit repair process.
You can also fix your credit on your own. There is nothing that credit companies can’t do that you can’t do on your own. Therefore, you should try fixing the errors in your credit report on your own before seeking external help.
Should I Get Help to Repair My Credit?
If you have been trying to repair your credit, you may consider getting help from a credit repair service.
These companies help you repair your credit by disputing incorrect or outdated information on your credit report for a fee, but there is no guarantee that your credit will improve. However, these companies can help you expedite the credit repair process.
You can also fix your credit on your own. There is nothing that credit companies can’t do that you can’t do on your own. Therefore, you should try fixing the errors in your credit report on your own before seeking external help.
FAQs
Why repairing credit takes time?
There is no quick fix to your credit, and credit repair is a systematic process that takes time. Once you file a dispute, the credit agency has 30 days to respond. The agency can ask for more documentation to verify the dispute.
Resolving disputes can involve a lot of back-and-forth, and it may take up to six months to fully sort everything out. Additionally, if you've missed payments, made late bill payments, or have closed credit card accounts, it could take some time for your credit to improve.
Can I repair credit after bankruptcy?
If you filed for bankruptcy, you can repair your credit. Once the bankruptcy record is added to your credit report, it can stay for up to 10 years. However, the impact will fade over time. To repair your credit, start by practicing responsible credit habits; make on-time bill payments, keep credit card balances low, build an emergency fund, and reduce credit card use.
You can also seek a credit product for your situation. Viable options include taking a credit-builder loan, secured credit card, or asking a friend with good credit to co-sign a credit card.
How long does it take to rebuild credit from 400?
It can take anywhere from 6 months to 2 years to rebuild credit from 400, depending on the specific events that damaged your credit score. It can take about 6 months to credit activity to build enough history for a FICO credit score.
If a late mortgage payment dragged your credit score, it could take about 9 months to recover, while a defaulted or missed payment could take up to 18 months to recover.
