Simple Steps to Raise Your FICO Score
In the wake of the subprime market
fallout, lenders are making it tougher for consumers to get a loan. As a
result, borrowers are wise to try to raise their credit scores to qualify
for loans, secure better loan terms and receive lower interest rates.
According to Edward Jamison, a Los Angeles-based credit attorney who
has appeared as a credit expert several times on the NBC Emmy Award-winning
show, Starting Over, borrowers can follow seven simple steps to raise their
credit scores. "The steps required to raise credit scores may appear
counterintuitive," explains Jamison. "In fact, individuals should be warned
that without knowledge of how credit scores are derived, individuals can be
damaging their credit scores rather than raising them when taking such
actions as closing credit cards."
Jamison, whose legal practice is focused on consumer credit repair and
restoration, recommends that borrowers wishing to raise their credit scores
first check their credit limits and evenly distribute the balances they're
carrying to help increase their credit scores, or that they pay them off in
full to get the highest score increase. "Make sure your maximum limit is
reported," advises Jamison. "When no limit is reported, credit scoring
software presumes the account is 'maxed out'." The credit scoring software
scores more favorably the closer a balance is to zero. Balances over 70
percent damage credit the most, followed by the next tier of 50 percent and
again by the tier of 30 percent of the maximum credit limit. "Rather than
carrying a large balance in an unfavorable tier, redistribute outstanding
balances over several credit cards," advises Jamison.
Jamison also advises keeping credit cards open. "Closing credit card
accounts can hurt your score unless the accounts were opened less than two
years ago, and you have over six credit cards," states Jamison, adding that
consumers should make sure to keep their old credit cards open as well.
"Fair Isaac's credit scoring software assumes that people who have had
credit for a longer time are at less risk of defaulting on payments."
Borrowers also need to get rid of late payments listed on the credit
report. "Contact the creditors that report late payments and request a good
faith adjustment that removes the late payments reported on your account,"
instructs Jamison. Since you are a customer in good standing, the creditor
may work with you. This may require more than one phone call. "If you're
frustrated, rude or unclear with your request, you're making it very
difficult for the creditor's representative to help you," adds Jamison.
A very important step is for consumers to rid themselves of any
collection accounts by paying them off provided the collection agency
agrees to delete them in return. Paying it off can otherwise actually lead
to a decreased credit score due to the date of last activity getting
updated to the current date when you pay. "The consumer should contact the
collector and request a letter explicitly stating their agreement to delete
the account upon receipt or clearance of the payment," he states. "Although
not all collection agencies will delete reporting, it's certainly worth the
effort."
Next, consumers should pay off past due amounts on delinquent accounts
that are not in charge-off status. After that, Jamison advises getting rid
of charge-offs and liens that are less than two years old. "Charge-offs and
liens that are older than 24 months do not affect your credit score nearly
as much as ones under 24 months," says Jamison. "But if they're newer than
24 months, they can seriously damage your credit." If you have both
charge-offs and collection accounts, but have limited funds, he advises
paying off the past due balances first, then paying collection accounts
that agree to remove all references to credit bureaus.
"Individuals can positively affect their credit scores in as little as
three weeks," explains Jamison. "It's just a matter of getting educated and
focused on the best, fastest and most reliable course of action to raise
one's credit score."
For more information, please visit
http://www.CreditCRM.com.
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