MME's Latest Book
In seven simple steps, MME's, Joyce Brown will help you understand the complicated process of repairing your credit without the help of a credit repair company. Further, this easy-to-read guide will inform you how to obtain your credit report, review your credit score, and improve it, while at the same time providing tips on budgeting and spotting inaccuracies within your reports.
Want to learn what else mortgage lenders review for loan approval? Brown reveals four very specific factors about your finances that will give you an advantage. There is no quick fix for credit repair, but the solution is within your grasp! Arming you with insider information and newfound confidence, this detailed guide provides the tools for success and a clear path toward homeownership
Good Credit is a Must!
Good credit gives you more choices when you must make purchases or financial decisions. With good credit, you can avoid high deposits when you purchase a cell phone or have utilities turned on at a new apartment or home. With good credit, you can get lower interest rates when you purchase a home or auto which will save you thousands of dollars. With good credit, you can get lower deductibles and lower monthly payments on auto and home insurance. With good credit, you can be approved for a credit card which hotels and auto rental companies require when making reservations. With good credit, you are in the driver’s seat when it is time to negotiate the terms of your purchase. You will become empowered and have control over your financial decisions.
Know Your Credit Score
Your credit score is a three-digit number that tells a creditor how likely you are to make on-time payments if granted credit. Knowing your credit score is the key to improving your credit.
You can obtain your credit score from Experian, TransUnion or Equifax (for a fee), from a credit monitoring service, from credit card companies offering a free credit score on your monthly credit statement, or from companies offering free credit scores on the Internet. If you are required to provide your credit card number when ordering your credit score, the score is not free. You probably agree to a one-month free trial, after which the credit monitoring service will charge you a monthly fee.
Order Your Free Credit Report
The first thing you must do is obtain a copy of your personal credit report. You cannot repair what you cannot see. The best source to use for this is the Annual Credit Report Request Service. The Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) allows you to obtain a free copy of your credit report from each of the three national credit reporting agencies, Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion, every twelve months.
You can obtain your reports either online, by phone, or by mail through this service. (You will not get a free credit report if you order directly from Experian.com, Equifax.com, or Transunion.com.)
Online: Visit www.annualcreditreport.com — Report received instantly.
By phone: Call 1-877-322-8228 — Report received within fifteen days by mail.
By mail: Complete the annual credit report request form and mail to the following address:
Annual Credit Report Request Service
PO Box 105281
Atlanta, GA 30348–5281
Report received within fifteen days of the date of receipt.
For more information, go to annualcreditreport.com