Ok, so now that you have corrected all of the mistakes on your credit report, you are at the perfect starting point to really dig in on the do-it-yourself credit fixes. Take a deep breath and prepare for some painful introspection and an honest look at your financial situation. Wait, wait, don’t stop reading! It’s completely worth your time and effort, your credit score will thank you.

Take an hour or so and pull together all of your bank statements, credit card statements and that credit report you pulled after you finished correcting your credit report. Take an honest look at the report, specifically the derogatory accounts section.

What to look for in the derogatory accounts section:

1. Identify the problem -Get out your highlighter and mark up the “derogatory” items. You could see late payments, collection accounts, or a past bankruptcy, foreclosure or short sale items. This will help you pinpoint exactly where to begin your restoration.

2. Interpret the problem - If you have a bankruptcy, foreclosure or short sale in your past there is not much you can do to “restore” your credit. You’ll need to focus on establishing positive credit instead. If the shadow in your past is mostly items like late payments or collection accounts, it’s time to establish automatic bill-pay or payment plans.

Picture yourself walking down the street, all alone. It’s late at night. It’s a bit brisk, and the wind is blowing through the tall buildings on both sides of you. Suddenly, from out of nowhere, someone runs by you, knocks you over, grabs your
wallet, and takes off.

It sounds like a scene from a movie, and there may come a time in the future where this type of person-to-person crime
is only found in movies. Why would anyone rob a bank, or rob an individual, when they could simply use a person’s
information to obtain employment, credit cards, and lines of credit?

Managing your credit can be quite an undertaking, especially when you start with a less than perfect credit history. If you’re someone with great credit, congratulations! Just keep doing what you’re doing! If you’re like the rest of us there is room for improvement. Not to worry there are a few simple fixes to boost your credit score all by yourself.

To be honest, we’re not in the business of sharing our best strategies to fix a credit score, but there are a few simple steps you can take which will without a doubt improve your score. Follow these straightforward steps and you’ll be on the road to a credit score that won’t make you cringe.

1. You’ve got to start somewhere - Pull your free annual credit report from annualcreditreports.com.

2. Check & double check - Read it carefully! Double check all of the information is correct, if you have questions or doubts, highlight the item and research further. Lenders typically do a decent job of reporting items correctly, but there is more often than not at least one mistake on every credit report.

3. You’re the boss - Take charge of these questionable items. Contact the business with which you hold the account and see if they’ll work with you. If you face resistance write a formal letter to the business with copies sent to the 3 credit bureaus; keep one for yourself too.

When most people think of bankruptcy, they think in Terms of Chapter 7, where the unsecured debts are normally discharged in full. Bankruptcy of any variety is a difficult ordeal at best, but at least with Chapter 7, a debtor can wipe out the debts in full and get a fresh start. Chapter 13, however, is another story, since the debtor must pay back a significant portion of the debt over a 3-5 year period, with 5 years being the standard under the new law. Prior to the advent of the “Bankruptcy Abuse Prevention and Consumer Protection Act of 2005,” the most common reason for someone to file under Chapter 13 was to avoid the loss of equity in their home or other property. And while equity protection will continue to be a big reason for people to choose Chapter 13 over Chapter 7, the new rules will force many people to file under Chapter 13 even if they have NO equity. That's because the means test will take into account the debtor's income level. To apply the means test, the courts will look at the debtor's average income for the 6 months prior to filing and compare it to the median income for that state. For example, the median annual income for a single wage-earner in California is $42,012. If the income is below the median, then Chapter 7 remains open as an option. If the income exceeds the median, the remaining parts of the means test will be applied. This is where it gets a little bit trickier. The next step in the calculation takes income less living expenses (excluding payments on the debts included in the bankruptcy), and multiplies that figure times 60. This represents the amount of income available over a 5-year period for repayment of the debt obligations. If the income available for debt repayment over that 5-year period is $10,000 or more, then Chapter 13 will be required. In other words, anyone earning above the state median, and with at least $166.67 per month of available income, will automatically be denied Chapter 7. So for example, if the court determines that you have $200 per month income above living expenses, $200 times 60 is $12,000. Since $12,000 is above $10,000, you're stuck with Chapter 13. What happens if you are above the median income but do NOT have at least $166.67 per month to pay toward your debts? Then the final part of the means test is applied. If the available income is less than $100 per month, then Chapter 7 again becomes an option. If the available income is between $100 and $166.66, then it is measured against the debt as a percentage, with 25% being the benchmark. In other words, let's say your income is above the median, your debt is $50,000, and you only have $125 of available monthly income. We take $125 times 60 months (5 years), which equals $7,500 total. Since $7,500 is less than 25% of your $50,000 debt, Chapter 7 is still a possible option for you. If your debt was only $25,000, then your $7,500 of available income would exceed 25% of your debt and you would be required to file under Chapter 13. To sum up, first figure out whether you are above or below the median income for your state (median income figures are available at http://www.new-bankruptcy-law-info.com/). Be sure to account for your spouse's income if you are a two-income family. Next, deduct your average monthly living expenses from your monthly income and multiply by 60. If the result is above $10,000, you're stuck with Chapter 13. If the result is below $6,000, you may still be able to file Chapter 7. If the result is between $6,000 and $10,000, compare it to 25% of your debt. Above 25%, you're looking at Chapter 13 for sure. Now, in these examples, I have ignored a very important aspect of the new bankruptcy law. As stated above, the amount of monthly income available toward debt repayment is determined by subtracting living expenses from income. However, the figures used by the court for living expenses are NOT your actual documented living expenses, but rather the schedules used by the IRS in the Collection of taxes. A big problem here for most consumers is that their household budgets will not reflect the harsh reality of the IRS approved numbers. So even if you think you are "safe," and will be able to file Chapter 7 because you don't have $100 per month to spare, the court may rule otherwise and still force you into Chapter 13. Some of your actual expenses may be disallowed. What remains to be seen is how the courts will handle cases where the cost of mortgages or home rentals are inflated well above the government schedules. Will debtors be expected to move into cheaper housing to meet the court's required schedule for living expenses? No one has any answers to these questions yet. It will be up to the courts to interpret the new law in practice as cases proceed through the system.

Next Step

About The Author Charles J. Phelan has been helping consumers become debt-free without bankruptcy since 1997. A former senior executive with one of the nation's largest debt settlement firms, he teaches consumers a do-it-yourself method of debt negotiation & settlement. Expert training via audio-CD plus personal coaching helps debtors achieve professional results at a fraction of the cost. http://www.zipdebt.com/.

Thanks to such financial catastrophes as Enron, the recent real estate market collapse, and the overall lack of consumer confidence, Americans have cried out for a voice in the drowning noise of big business and the 2010 Dodd-Frank Act has answered the call.Officially named the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, it called for the formation of an entirely unprecedented Consumer Financial Protection Bureau to do just that; protect consumers.

Facing the very real prospect of having to choose between squeaking by another month of mortgage payments or paying other monthly bills and buying necessities like groceries has unfortunately become a regrettable realty for millions of Americans.Whether you’re struggling to make your monthly payment due to the loss of a job, an interest rate re-adjustment, ugly divorce, sickness or injury, the question millions are forced to ask, “Should I try for a short sale or go ahead with a foreclosure?” Only use a foreclosure as a last resort The buzzword “foreclosure” is everywhere these days; we all are talking about it.

Facing the very real prospect of having to choose between squeaking by another month of mortgage payments or paying other monthly bills and buying necessities like groceries has unfortunately become a regrettable realty for millions of Americans.Whether you’re struggling to make your monthly payment due to the loss of a job, an interest rate re-adjustment, ugly divorce, sickness or injury, the question millions are forced to ask, “Should I try for a short sale or go ahead with a foreclosure?” Only use a foreclosure as a last resort The buzzword “foreclosure” is everywhere these days; we all are talking about it. 

Think of the Equal Credit Opportunity Act (ECOA) as a sort of a civil rights act for credit. Creditors are not allowed to discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, marital status, age, or because you receive public assistance. This means they are not able to deny, grant or provide different terms based upon those factors. You probably have noticed that various applications may ask these types of questions, but they are not allowed to make a credit decision based upon this information; this information is likely used for marketing or other unrelated reasons. The Equal Credit Opportunity Act includes all credit companies including department store cards, mortgage companies, real estate companies, banks, small loan companies and credit unions.

Credit Companies may NOT:

Next Step

Thinking of buying a car?  Check your credit scores first.. 

Bankruptcy isn’t the final nail in the credit coffin.It is nearly impossible to live without credit or at least an established credit history. Whether you like it or not it, credit will be needed in the future for one thing or another. Those who have filed either a chapter 7 or 13 bankruptcy are faced with the difficult task of reestablishing credit after the discharge of their old debt which is certainly more difficult than establishing credit the first time. Both types of bankruptcy will remain on the individual’s credit report for up to ten years and will serve as a huge impairment on anyone’s credit. Before new credit is established out of bankruptcy, people face suspicions by new lenders that they are permanently unable to effectively manage debt and therefore shouldn’t be able to acquire new lines of credit.Of course this is absolutely untrue.

Congress passed the Fair Credit Reporting Act several years ago in an attempt to smooth out some problems in the Credit reporting industry. The best known provision of this Act is one that permits Americans to receive a free copy of their credit reports from each of the three main credit bureaus once per year. So far, this provision of the Act has been a success. A lesser-known provision of the legislation is one that is intended to protect active duty military personnel from being victimized by identity theft while they are out of the country.

Most of us want a good credit report to obtain automobile financing, credit cards, and to purchase a home. But, beyond these consumer loans, your credit report can cost you in everyday living expenses. What you don’t know about your credit could be costing you money. Having a credit card means that you can order tickets, rent a car, and reserve hotel rooms. Besides these conveniences, your credit report can mean that you must pay higher deposits and fees for everyday services.

In recent posts, we’ve talked about what bankruptcy is, who can file, what kinds of bankruptcy exist, and how one gets started. Now let’s talk about what happens after a bankruptcy. First, the order of the court is executed, whether that involves withholding of pay, liquidation of assets, or some other action. Next, your credit score is impacted.

This impact is likely to be very severe. People who successfully file for bankruptcy will find that a number of things that used to be easy are well beyond their reach: applying for home and car loans, some employment opportunities, and lines of credit with low interest rates or no fees. This can make getting back on your feet something of a challenge. Here are some tips:

We've all heard horror stories about fraud that's committed by someone stealing a name, address, Social Security number or Credit Card. Here are 10 suggestions you can take to help protect yourself.