![\"credit](\"https:\/\/dayonecredit.com\/bankruptcy-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/credit-repair-services-1024x576.jpg\")
<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
Having a bad credit score can keep you from getting the loan or credit card you need. If your credit report is long and complex with lots of past issues, you\u2019d be surprised how many of them probably shouldn\u2019t even be on there anymore. Things don\u2019t get fixed automatically on your credit report even though they should. Cleaning up your credit history can go a long way towards improving your credit score and getting back on track to where you want to be financially. But when you sit down and look at your credit report, it\u2019s hard to know where to begin and what to do about it. For this reason, many people wonder whether or not credit repair services work. This article will give you some advice about whether or not to work with a credit repair company.<\/p>\n
![\"cost](\"https:\/\/dayonecredit.com\/bankruptcy-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/cost-of-credit-repair-services-300x300.png\")
<\/p>\n
The most important thing to realize about credit repair services is that they come with a cost. There are many companies out there who claim they can help you improve your credit score by finding and fixing things on your credit report. And they\u2019re going to charge fees to do it. How much you\u2019ll be charged and how long it will take varies from company to company, but here\u2019s how CreditKarma describes it:<\/p>\n
\u201cDepending on the company, you might pay a one-time flat fee, or pay for each derogatory mark the company removes from each of your reports. This may start around $35 per deletion and could range to $750 or more. The company may also charge by the month, ranging from $50 to $130 or more. You might also pay setup fees or a fee for accessing your credit reports.\u201d<\/p>\n
Please understand that anything a legitimate credit repair service does you can do yourself and it won\u2019t cost you a dime. The caveat, of course, is that it does cost you time, and quite a bit of it, to do it on your own. So a big part of your decision about whether or not to use a credit repair service has to do with whether or not you can afford to pay for it or are willing to roll up your sleeves and do it yourself.<\/p>\n
![\"credit](\"https:\/\/dayonecredit.com\/bankruptcy-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/credit-score-goal-300x300.png\")
<\/p>\n
The simplest answer to this question is better than what it is now, right? But it helps to know how lenders view different levels of credit scores. The most commonly used credit score that lenders and creditors look at is FICO. Your FICO credit score can generally range from 300-850. It is usually interpreted as follows:<\/p>\n
Less than 580 = Poor<\/em><\/p>\n 580 to 669 = Fair<\/em><\/p>\n 670 to 739 = Good<\/em><\/p>\n 740 to 799 = Very Good<\/em><\/p>\n 800 and above = Exceptional<\/em><\/p>\n Each and every error you find and fix on credit report, every old bad-mark that can be removed if enough time has passed, will improve your score. This could be really important if you\u2019re right on the edge being able to bump yourself into the next better category. That\u2019s when it\u2019s really worth putting some time and effort into seeing what you can fix yourself to get you where you want to be.<\/p>\n If you decide you don\u2019t have the time to fix your credit report yourself and can afford to pay for a service, how can you figure out which companies are legitimate and which ones aren\u2019t? This is important because there are plenty of both out there! Here are some signs that a credit repair company may NOT be legitimate:<\/p>\n They want to charge you for your credit report.<\/em> You are entitled to a free copy of your credit report once a year from the three major credit bureaus (Equifax, TransUnion, and Experian). Any credit repair company who wants to charge you for it shouldn\u2019t be trusted. If part of what you want credit repair services to do for you is monitor your credit report on a monthly basis, there are plenty out there who don\u2019t charge anything for it, or charge very little for it.<\/p>\n They want to charge you up-front for services.<\/em> You should never have to pay a bunch of money up-front to get started with credit repair services. The most legitimate companies will only charge you based on their performance and getting results for you.<\/p>\n There are no real people to talk to.<\/em> A credit repair service you can get started with totally online without talking to a real person could be a scam and should not be trusted.<\/p>\n Read customer reviews.<\/em>\u00a0See what other customers have to say about working with the company. But don\u2019t trust the reviews on the company\u2019s own website, where negative reviews may be filtered out. Go with independent sites like Yelp, Google, Trustpilot and others. Although there is still a chance that some of the good reviews are fake, the bad reviews are probably real.<\/p>\n Unrealistic promises.<\/em>\u00a0A good rule of thumb is that if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. For example, there is probably negative information in your credit report that is accurate and should be there \u2013 any company that says it can remove that kind of information is not legitimate. Any company that guarantees a substantial increase to your credit score should be avoided because there\u2019s no way such an outcome can be guaranteed. And if a company says it can legally create a new identify for you, run away as fast as possible!<\/p>\n As you can see, there is a lot to watch out for when it comes to finding a reputable credit repair company. This is because it\u2019s also an industry known to be full of scammers. So here\u2019s the thing: If you can do the kind of research it takes to identify legitimate credit repair services, you\u2019ve definitely got the skills to do your own credit repairs if you have the time. It also pays to know your rights. As noted in a NerdWallet article<\/a>:<\/p>\n \u201cJust as laws protect you from unfair reporting and collections, there are laws to protect you from credit repair companies that mislead.\u00a0The Credit Repair Organizations Act\u00a0requires companies to give you a three-day right to cancel without charge, a firm total on costs and an estimate of how long it will take to get results.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n If you\u2019re serious about wanting to improve your credit score but want help doing it, consider going with a credit counseling agency instead of credit repair services. Credit counseling is usually a free service offered by a non-profit financial education organization whose mission is to help people get better control of their finances and debts. But if you go to one of these and they say they want to charge you for services, then it\u2019s not something you should do. Search your state\u2019s government website to find out about any free credit and debt counseling services they may offer.<\/p>\n One way to begin rebuilding and restoring your credit after declaring bankruptcy or having a bankruptcy discharged is with a new line of credit and on-time payments. Day One Credit works exclusively with bankruptcy customers to match them up with a lender who specializes in bankruptcy lending to help your make the most the fresh start bankruptcy gives you. We\u2019ve spent years building an amazing network of lenders, and when you apply through Day One, they will all be trying to get your business, and that\u2019s the kind of competition that helps ensure you\u2019ll find the loan that fits your situation.<\/p>\n While we find we can help most people, not everyone is eligible, so be sure to visit the Day One home page<\/a> and scroll down to \u201cDay One Eligibility Guidelines\u201d to see who we can help and who we can\u2019t. Whether you\u2019ve filed a Chapter 7 bankruptcy<\/a>, a Chapter 13 bankruptcy<\/a>, or have had one recently discharged<\/a>, Day One is ready to help you find the loan and the car you need. In fact, when you fill out our fast online application<\/a>, you can get an answer back in minutes!<\/p>\n There are many potential benefits to be gained by working with Day One to find a bankruptcy car loan. Besides helping you get your credit back on track, you may be able use it to get out from under a bad car loan. If you owe more on your vehicle than it\u2019s worth, we may be able to help you get out of your upside-down or underwater car loan and get a better deal. We\u2019ll also help you find a great car \u2013 something used to get the most bang for your buck, but as recent a model as possible with lower miles and in great shape so you\u2019ll spend less in the long run on repairs compared to an older used car. At the same time, you\u2019re avoiding the huge hit in depreciation you take with a brand-new car. Trust us, we\u2019ve got this figured out through years of experience!<\/p>\n You may have questions about how all this works. Start out by visiting our common questions page<\/a> to see if the answers are there. If not, contact us<\/a> and we\u2019ll be happy to talk to you!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Finding Legitimate Credit Repair Services<\/b><\/h2>\n
![\"legitimate](\"https:\/\/dayonecredit.com\/bankruptcy-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/legitimate-credit-repair-services-300x300.png\")
<\/p>\nRebuilding Credit with a Bankruptcy Car Loan<\/b><\/h2>\n
![\"Day](\"https:\/\/dayonecredit.com\/bankruptcy-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/Day-One-Credit-bankruptcy-car-loan-300x300.png\")
<\/p>\n