Repair Credit Report

This is my blog about how I repaired my credit report:

Credit report repair is not something you can accomplish overnight. It takes time to repair a credit report that is damaged, and it’s going to take time to get your credit report fixed. Follow these steps to get the credit repair process started and improve your credit score.

Repair Credit Report In 30 To 60 Days.

The first step to repairyour credit report is to see what’s on your report, and understand how the information that’s being reported affects your overall . Take advantage of your ability to request a free copy of your credit report , or if you want to see your credit score as well, you can purchase a copy of your report and score.

Review Your Credit Report For Mistakes
Negative information can be reported for up to 7 years. If old collection accounts are reported, you can request to have these items removed. You'll also want to check for inaccurate or incomplete information; If your credit limit is showing as $3,000 instead of $5,000, or you have an older, open account, that is not being reported, you will want to bring these errors to the attention of the credit bureau so your report is as accurate as possible.
Contact The Credit Reporting Agency (CRA)

Write to the CRA – always send letters via certified mail, return receipt requested – telling them which items are incorrect or incomplete, and why; if you have documents which support your dispute of any item, include copies. The CRA will have 30 days to investigate your dispute. If the CRA is unable to verify that the information they are reporting is accurate and complete, they must correct it or remove it from your credit report.

Contact the Furnisher
The company which reports information about you to a CRA is called a "furnisher". Write to the furnisher and inform them of the item you believe is inaccurate (i.e. payment wasn't credited). As above, include any copies of documents which support your position, and send your letter via certified mail. The furnisher must report the item as disputed until they have verified or corrected it. If they are unable to verify the information, they must stop reporting it.
Ask that Accounts in Good Standing Be Reported

If you don’t have a lengthy credit history, and that is damaging your credit score, you can request that a CRA report any credit accounts you have (i.e. a department store card, gas card, credit union card), which have not been previously reported. Although the CRA is not required to do so, many will agree to report accounts they are able easily verify if you request it; understand, however, they may charge a fee to do so.

Practice Good Credit
Once you’ve done what you can to correct any negative items on your report, work on ensuring that your overall credit history is a positive one:
Pay your bills on time.
Don’t max out your credit cards.
Don’t keep a lot of open accounts, but be careful about closing older accounts as this can negatively affect you too.

Tips:
Keep records of all correspondence with CRA's and furnishers so you have a record of what you've done, and what the response was.
If at first you don't succeed, try, try again. It can take time to get all the necessary information to a CRA to get them to correct your credit report.
If you need help with repairing your credit, be wary of credit repair agencies that sound too good to be true; they probably are.

You can also purchase a "do-it-yourself" kit on credit repair; many contain sample letters which can help you get started. Buy Direct.

Finally, you can contact a law firm that specializes in credit repair to assist you with the process if you think you need help or have met with no success in disputing inaccurate items on your own. Lexington Law Firm provides credit repair assistance, and is a participant in the BBB Online Reliability Program.

What You Need:
A recent copy of your credit report.
Any documents that show you paid a bill, returned merchandise, etc.