Mark Clayborne's Blog, page 5

Free Online Credit Reports

Free online credit reports can be useful when you don't qualify for any more free reports and you are strapped for cash and cannot afford to pay the fee required to get reports from the main credit bureaus.They will at least give you some idea of what your credit score is and that can get you started on the road to recovery. Make sure that you read all the terms from the sites that are offering these reports as some of them use the free offer to get your contact details and then try to sign you up for other services that they are offering for a fee.

Be aware of this as many are professional marketers and even though they know that the people they are targeting are already having financial problems they will still try to get as much money as possible for their business. This is not to say that they are all like this, but there are enough of them to make this warning necessary. Many of them will offer condensed reports that aren't really suitable and once again there are a lot of these online services that are only giving you this information to get you on their databases. There are some genuinely good online services that will offer free credit reports and comprehensive information to help people in need.

The best bet is to start by contacting the website www.annualcreditreport.com or ringing the number 877 -322 - 8228 to see whether you still have the opportunity to get a free copy in the current year. What is most important is getting the information and taking action as soon as possible to start the repair process. If you have to pay, it will be money well spent as it can save you a considerable amount in a very short time.The more comprehensive the information, the easier it will be for you to see where you have gone wrong and that will allow you to focus on those areas to turn your fortunes around.  Always get copies of both your credit report and your credit score. You really need both to help understand each other.  For more information on credit reports and credit repair, check out Hidden Credit Repair Secrets by clicking here.

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Mark’s Interview With The Las Vegas Journal-Budgeting and Saving Money

Personal, Family Business Budgets Demand Straight Talk, Double-Checking

Read the full article as Mark Clayborne is interviewed on Budgets

 In recessionary America, the company, personal or family budget is under constant review. More and more Americans have been forced to face spending realities, sometimes several times over. For those who have successfully scrutinized their budget, there is hopefully a great payoff of debt-free living and diminished stress down the road. Even still, maintaining a successful budget is not a light-hearted affair. It requires persistence and a commitment from all parties involved, something that can be easier said than done. Read The Full Article Here

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Bad Credit: How Do I Fix It

Having healthy credit is more important today than ever before. Unfortunately for many of us, we tend to carry more debt than is healthy for us, and we end up eventually taking hits to our credit score. In today's economy this can be especially painful, as you may be denied for things like auto or home loans. Thankfully, even if your credit is less than perfect, there are some things you can do to fix it. If you have ever found yourself wondering "How to fix my credit?" read on.

There are 5 easy steps you can follow to repair damaged credit:

The first thing you need to do is get an accurate copy of your current credit reports. There are a variety of ways to do this, from requesting your free (1x/year) copy from the credit bureaus themselves, to signing up for monitoring services which provide you reports whenever you want.

Next, carefully evaluate your reports, looking for items that you feel are in error or that you could negotiate to have removed from your report. You will also want to educate yourself as to how to properly negotiate with companies.Third, you should read all you can about how the credit bureaus work and operate, and learn how the various dispute processes work. You may even want to draft letters in advance so that you can remember exactly where you are in the process, and keep a consistent tone in your communication with the credit bureaus.Fourth, you should begin the dispute process with the credit bureaus. Make sure to familiarize yourself with all the applicable laws and the dispute process itself. This will take time, and possibly many letters back and forth between yourself and the credit bureaus. You may want to read other books on how best to engage the bureaus in this process. Do not be discouraged if this step takes a while, because this process is truly the best advice to follow for anyone speculating on how to fix my credit, and will produce results.Finally, make sure to get another copy of your credit report to make sure that the credit bureaus have complied and removed the negative items from your report.

If you perform all the necessary research, and educate yourself as to how companies and credit bureaus operate, you will be in a much better position to get them to do what you want. Following this tried and true process is really the best way for anyone to repair their credit. Stick to this plan, and you will never find yourself pondering "How to fix my credit?" again. Once your credit is fully repaired and up to the level it should be, you will find yourself qualifying for the best rates and deals around, and will enjoy increased financial flexibility. This can make your life easier in more ways than you may suspect; You will see better rates on everything from your loan interest rates, to insurance prices, to your credit cards!

By Mark Clayborne

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How To Rebuild Credit: Rebuilding Credit

Building credit from ground up is not an easy task. But with a little education, discipline, and direction, you can build triple A credit within a two-year duration. When you start building from scratch, it could be challenging because you do not have a history that demonstrates your payment pattern. If you are rebuilding after foreclosure or bankruptcy, you will face an uphill battle because of your not so perfect history. In this article, I will disclose to you three proven strategies that you can use to start the building or repairing process.

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Credit Repair Companies: 3 Ways To Spot A Scam

A credit repair scam is when an organization, adviser or consultant guarantees that they can improve your score within 30 days with little effort and remove all negative items off your credit report quickly.  Here is three key factors that will tell if the company is a scam or not.

Its contract does not contain the clauses stipulated in the Credit Repair Organization Act.

Under the Credit Repair Organization Act, a written contract is required between the two parties. There are strict stipulations that must be in the agreement. The contract must be signed and dated by both the consumer and the service.  It is illegal for any credit repair service to ask you to sign a contract that does not include the stipulations set forth by the Credit Repair Organization Act.

I was not advised of my rights when it comes to restoring my credit.

You have legal rights. It is advisable that you learn those rights prior to hiring a credit repair service. Before doing anything else, a credit repair company is required by law to inform you of those rights. If a credit repair service that you choose does not notify you of your rights, as is mandated under the Credit Repair Organizations Act, it is out to swindle you, and your hard earned cash.

A company asked me for money before doing the work.

According to the Credit Repair Organizations Act, a credit repair service cannot charge a client for any work in advance. If it does, it is breaking the law.  An agency charges the fee, you pay, and the agency disappears only to show up in a new state with a different identity to scam another few dozen customers.

Credit repair companies with proven track records can really expedite your credit repair goals because of their expertise and knowledge of the credit restoration field. However, you must conduct your own research and watch for scams before signing up to any company.

About Mark Clayborne

Mark is the best selling author of the book - Hidden Credit Repair Secrets available at Amazon. He is also a certified credit consultant, FICO Pro Expert and proven writer with over 100 articles written in the area of credit repair. For a free fast credit repair video course, please click here.

Media Contact:

Rose Clayborne

support@selfcreditrepairlearningcenter.com

Los angeles, CA

http://www.selfcreditrepairlearningcenter.com

The post Credit Repair Companies: 3 Ways To Spot A Scam appeared first on How To Fix My Credit.

Radio Show Replay-Self-Credit Repair-Show Me How To Do It# 59

Let The Ultimate Credit Repair Kit help you get approved Today

 In this powerful show, Mark Clayborne, Fico Pro Expert and Best Selling Author of Hidden Credit Repair Secrets will discuss how you can do Self-Credit Repair utilizing the The Ultimate Credit Repair Kit. Self-Credit Repair is the way to go. Click Here To Listen

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40 Million Mistakes-Is Your Credit Report Accurate

Imagine the following scenario... you and your new spouse have just found the home of your dreams. In addition, you have just interviewed for the perfect job with a high paying salary.

But then... you are denied for both. Why? Because you stopped paying your credit card bills a year ago and had your car repossessed for not paying your monthly payment. This telling information is all on a credit report detailing your financial history.

Did you know a credit report is used for more than just loans and credit cards? A credit report is used in some states for calculation of your auto insurance rates. Most cell phone providers use reports to determine whether or not they can service you, too. Also, many apartment rental companies, cable television companies, and utility companies run a report before deciding to do business with you.

As you can see, a report with negative information can be quite detrimental. Thus, it is vital to start today to try to have a report with positive information. Begin to pay each of your bills on-time every month. Pay off or settle as much old debt as possible that remains on your credit report. Take advantage of a free copy of a credit report from each of the three reporting agencies to review what others are seeing. In time, you will be able to proudly have a report run against your record without worrying about denials or excessive deposit fees incurred. Now that you are empowered with new information, go out there and take action.

By Mark A Clayborne

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How To Settle Debt: From The Author of Hidden Credit Repair Secrets

By the time you finish reading this article, you will have a better understanding on how to settle a debt. When entering the settlement game, there are techniques that you should not use when you first start negotiations. For starters, don't appear to look desperate for a settlement because the creditor may use it against you. For example, don't say, "I need to clear this debt, so that I can buy a house or a car." Here are a few examples of opening negotiation tactics you might want to consider:

Settle debt - Negotiation tactics

I don't have the amount you are looking for, but I can settle for this amount today.I'm actually considering filing for bankruptcy since I don't have the amount you are asking for. Is there something we can work out?My financial situation is getting worse, but if I can come up with a lump sum would you settle for this amount by tomorrow?

Settle debt - How much should I offer?

Before making an offer, set the amount you will start with and the highest percentage you will settle for. For example, you can start at 20%, but your max will be 35%. Banks start high like 80%, and the lowest they will go is 30%. Always try to get the lender to meet you in the middle as this can be done during the counter offer stage. You can start with 20 cents on the dollar and move up to your max negotiation price. Use dollar amounts when speaking rather than simply saying "20 cents on the dollar." The dollar amount is a concrete term that can be more easily grasped and referenced back to. If you can't make the lump sum, negotiate a partial payment now and three payments over the next three months.

Settle debt - What if the creditors want to settle?

You can wait a week and call them back asking to speak with the supervisor and offer the same settlement.Repeat the process every week moving up the management chain until you reach the president.Send a letter stating that you need a response right away because the other creditors have accepted your agreement, and you will have to start the plan without them.Wait until the creditor sends you another balance due letter. You can counter with a settlement letter.Retain a bankruptcy lawyer and have him send the creditor a letter stating you are considering bankruptcy.Hang up and call again to get another representative.You could pay the original balance without the fees. If the original balance is taken care of, the creditor or the collection agency can't report only the interest and fees to the credit bureau.

Concluding, when you are dealing with creditors and collectors during a settlement stage, cash, technique, and skills will determine the winner. If you have all three, then by far you will come out on top. Now that you have the knowledge to settle a debt, go out there and make it happen.

By Mark A Clayborne

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