[...]... 159 and Credit 2 Federal Credit Reporting Reporting Act .Repair Laws Text of the Federal Fair Credit 162 Text of the Federal Credit Repair Organizations Act 250 3 Forms and Letters the 4 How to UseFormForms CD-ROM 332 Installing the Files Onto Your Computer Using the Word Processing Files to Create Documents 333 Index Introduction to Credit Repair Credit Repair Fast... .90 Avoid Identity Theft .91 Creditors and 5 HowCan Look at Your Employers Use Your Credit Report Who Credit Report .104 How Credit Applications Are Evaluated 106 Maintaining 6 Building andYour Own Name.Good Credit Build Credit in .113 Ask Creditors to Consider Your Spouse’s Credit History 114 Get Credit Cards and Use Them Wisely 114... account number Again, the credit bureau doesn’t have to add these, but often it will (See Chapter 4 for more ­information on adding positive data to your credit report.) I’ve been told that I need to use credit to repair my credit Is this true? Yes The main type of positive information creditors like to see in credit reports is a history of paying credit on time If you have a credit card, use it every... all aspects of credit repair Easy-to-use forms in Appendix 3 and on the enclosed CDROM help you with the sometimes daunting tasks of assessing your debt situation, planning a budget, contacting your creditors or bill collectors, and ­dealing with credit bureaus—all necessary steps in repairing your credit (Instructions on how to use the forms on the CD-ROM are in Appendix 4.) Credit Repair Fast Facts... get credit again That’s simply not true As long as your financial troubles are behind you, you’ll probably qualify for limited types of credit relatively quickly Within about two years, you should be able to repair your credit so that you can obtain a major credit card or loan Most creditors are willing to extend credit to people who have turned their financial situations around, even if their credit. .. introduction  |  Introduction to Credit Repair  |   getting help from a nonprofit credit or debt counseling agency that ­provides budgeting help free or at a low cost (The steps for creating a budget are detailed in Chapter 2; credit and debt counseling agencies are discussed in Appendix 1.) Okay, I’ve made my budget What do I do next? Now it’s time to clean up your credit report Credit reports are compiled by credit bureaus—private,... in dispute Many credit reports also include a credit score: a numerical rating of the likelihood that you will not default on an extension of credit The report also lists creditors that have requested information about you in the past year or two (See Chapter 4 for more information on the contents of a credit report.) How can I get a copy of my credit report? There are three major credit bureaus: Equifax,... your report (See Chapter 4 for additional information on correcting your credit report.) What else can I do to repair my credit? After you’ve cleaned up your credit report, the key to rebuilding credit is to get positive information into your record For example: • If your credit report is missing accounts you pay on time, send the credit bureaus a recent account statement and copies of canceled checks... negative marks removed from credit files You can do it yourself The information and forms in this book are good in all 50 states and the District of Columbia You can follow the instructions on your own, without paying high fees to a lawyer or credit repair clinic (See Chapter 6 to find out why you should avoid using a credit repair clinic.) Nobody’s credit is too “bad” to repair If you’ve been through... you’re trying to get off of (See Chapter 6 for more information about using credit, including cautions about secured credit cards.) How long will it take to repair my credit? If you follow the steps outlined in this book, it will usually take about two years to repair your credit so that you won’t be turned down for a major credit card or loan After four years or so, you may be able to qualify for a . the eighth edition of Credit Repair and the eleventh edition of Solve Your Money Troubles, and has updated several other Nolo publications. I Introduction to Credit Repair Credit Repair Fast. to Complain About Credit Discrimination 159 2 Federal Credit Reporting and Credit Repair Laws Text of the Federal Fair Credit Reporting Act 162 Text of the Federal Credit Repair Organizations. Word Processing Files to Create Documents 333 Index Credit Repair Fast Facts 2 When to Get Help Beyond is Book 5 Introduction to Credit Repair I 2 | CREDIT REPAIR W hether you’ve fallen behind