What Are Ways to Repair Credit?

Are you looking to repair credit scores and making good on past debts? Perhaps it was a long and rocky road into your current situation, but maybe things have changed and you're in a position to make your accounts current and repair your credit. First, you should get organized. Sit down and write out all your monthly income from employment and if you're married, then include your spouse's income.

Also include government checks, pension, entitlements and tax breaks. Next, write out all your fixed expenses, such as utilities, mortgage/rent, auto loan, insurance, gas, groceries, etc. and write out all your variable expenses. Keeping track of what you spend each month is the best way to get a reality check and see where your weaknesses or trouble spots lie.

Secondly, you can try to negotiate directly with your creditors to repair credit history. If you were previously a good customer, then you should have no problem calling your creditors and requesting that they remove the incident from your report. Usually, if you explain the situation, speak courteously and pay them immediately upon realizing your error, they'll do this for you. Even if you've missed a payment here and there in the past, you can sometimes coax them again.

If you have a delinquent history on their account, as well as others, and a low credit score, then you can try writing a letter to ask that a charge-off be changed to "paid as agreed" or "paid in full, on-time." This can be done with collection agencies and law offices as well, but you must do your negotiating before you pay a single penny or you'll lose all your bartering power. If you're responding to a settlement letter, then you won't be able to take advantage of the credit card debt reduction offer and enjoy a clean credit report as well. You must choose.

The third way to repair credit history is to start a fresh history of good credit. Credit repair company experts say that a healthy credit portfolio includes both the unsecured credit card and secured loans, like an auto, home equity, mortgage or student loan. On average, most people have two or three credit cards they regularly use. Your balance should never be more than 30% of the maximum credit offered and should be paid on-time and in-full each month.

While past mistakes will remain on your record for seven years, the good news is that the past 48 months carry the most weight, so within a year you'll see large improvements if you keep up with all your payments. Some people take out self-financed loans by taking $1,000 out of their savings and repaying themselves each month, while the bank reports all these timely payments as good credit history to the bureaus.

One last way to repair credit is to check your free annual credit report for important omissions, as well as inaccuracies. If you have a new job, then have that income added to the credit bureau reports. By law, you are allowed to send in additional information that may repair your credit report. If you've repaid a loan in a timely fashion, if you've received a raise or if you have a good standing with your bank, then you can report all of this to add some substance and stability to your report.

Visit Mike Selvon portal to learn more about ways to repair credit, and claim your free credit repair tips bonus reports.