Credit Repair - Book With CD-ROM

By Attorney Robin Leonard, Nolo Press

Venue:

Description:

The acclaimed plain-English solution to fixing a bad credit report!

Perhaps you've had problems with credit. Or perhaps you haven't, but your credit report says you have anyway -- nearly 80 percent of credit reports contain errors.

Either way, a less-than-flattering report can hurt your chances of qualifying for credit card, loans, renting an apartment or finding a job.

But a bad credit report can almost always be improved or corrected. Credit Repair shows you how to fix your credit situation quickly and easily, explaining the necessary steps in plain English. Learn how to:

• avoid overspending
• establish a realistic budget
• get out of debt now
• build a financial cushion
• read and understand your credit report
• get mistakes on your credit report fixed
• protect your social security number
• avoid credit discrimination get positive information added to your credit report
• negotiate with creditors

Credit Repair includes 29 forms and letters -- as tear-outs and on CD-ROM -- that will help you repair your credit as easily as possible!

The 9th edition is completely updated and revised with the latest information and laws, and provides new information on identity theft and what to do if you are a victim of it. It also includes an explanation of sample credit reports from the major credit bureaus, plus resources to turn to for additional help.

Table of Contents

I. Introduction to Credit Repair

• A. Credit Repair Fast Facts
• B. When to Get Help Beyond This Book
• C. Helpful Icons Used in This Book

1. Assessing Your Debt Situation

• A. Take Care of Financial Emergencies
• B. Face Your Debt Problems
• C. Understand Your Options for Dealing With Your Debts

2. Avoiding Overspending

• A. Keep Track of Your Daily Expenditures
• B. Total Up Your Income
• C. Make a Budget or Spending Plan
• D. Prevent Future Financial Problems

3. Handling Existing Debts

• A. Deal With Current (or Not Seriously Overdue) Debts
• B. Use the Form Negotiation Letters Provided in This Book
• C. Deal With Creditors on Past Due Accounts
• D. Deal With Collection Agencies

4. Cleaning Up Your Credit File

• A. The Contents of a Credit Report
• B. Get a Copy of Your Credit Report
• C. Review Your Credit Report
• D. Dispute Incomplete and Inaccurate Information in Your Credit File
• E. Consider Adding a Brief Statement to Your Credit File
• F. Add Positive Account Histories to Your Credit File
• G. Add Information Showing Stability to Your Credit File
• H. Avoid Identity Theft

5. How Creditors and Employers Use Your Credit Report

• A. Who Can Look at Your Credit Report?
• B. How Credit Applications Are Evaluated

6. Building and Maintaining Good Credit

• A. Build Credit in Your Own Name
• B. Ask Creditors to Consider Your Spouse's Credit History
• C. Get Credit Cards and Use Them Wisely
• D. Open Deposit Accounts
• E. Work With Local Merchants
• F. Obtain a Bank Loan
• G. Avoid Credit Repair Clinics
• H. Avoid Becoming the Victim of Credit Discrimination

Appendixes

• 1. Resources
  • A. Credit and Debt Counseling Agencies
  • B. Debtors Anonymous
  • C. Nolo Publications
  • D. Other Publications
  • E. Online Resources
  • F. State Consumer Protection Agencies
• 2. Federal Credit Reporting and Credit Repair Laws
  • Text of the Federal Fair Credit Reporting Act
  • Text of the Federal Credit Repair Organizations Act
• 3. Forms and Letters
• 4. How to Use the Forms CD-ROM
  • A. Installing the Form Files Onto Your Computer
  • B. Using the Word Processing Files to Create Documents

Index