Guides and tips on repairing your credit score and removing negative items from your credit report.
Experian Boost is a free Experian feature that lets you add eligible on-time bill payments — such as phone, internet, utilities, streaming subscriptions, and in some cases rent — to your Experian credit file by linking the bank account you pay them from. It can raise scores that are based on your Experian data, and …
Experian Boost Review: Can It Really Raise Your Score? Read More »
The statute of limitations on debt is the time a creditor or collector has to sue you to collect. It’s set by state law, varies by type of debt, and in California is generally four years for written contracts, which covers many credit card and loan agreements. Once it passes, the debt becomes time-barred: collectors …
Statute of Limitations on Debt: How Old Debts Become Time-Barred Read More »
A credit limit increase can raise your credit score by lowering your credit utilization — as long as your spending stays the same. To ask without hurting your score, find out whether the issuer uses a soft or hard inquiry first; many use a soft inquiry, which doesn’t affect your score. Ask after six to …
How to Ask for a Credit Limit Increase (Without Hurting Your Score) Read More »
A debt management plan (DMP) is a repayment program offered by nonprofit credit counseling agencies. A counselor reviews your budget, then works with your credit card companies to lower interest rates and sometimes waive fees. You make one monthly payment to the agency, which pays your creditors. Most plans last three to five years, and …
Debt Management Plans: How Nonprofit Credit Counseling Works Read More »
Chime Credit Builder is a secured Visa credit card offered by Chime, a financial technology company, with cards issued by partner banks. You need a Chime checking account to apply, but there’s no credit check, no annual fee, and no interest. Instead of a fixed deposit, your spending limit equals the money you move into …
Chime Credit Builder Review: How Chime’s Secured Card Works Read More »
A “609 letter” is a request based on Section 609 of the Fair Credit Reporting Act, which gives you the right to see the information in your credit file and, in general, the sources of that information. It’s a useful tool for understanding your report. But it’s not a loophole: Section 609 doesn’t require bureaus …
The 609 Dispute Letter Explained (Free Template Included) Read More »
Credit repair usually takes one to two months to correct a single clear error, three to six months for several errors across the bureaus, and six to twelve months or more when you’re also rebuilding your score. The legal clock for each dispute is set by the Fair Credit Reporting Act: credit bureaus generally have …
Under the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, if you tell a debt collector in writing to stop communicating with you, it must stop most contact. After receiving your letter, it may contact you only to confirm it’s ending collection or to notify you of specific actions, such as a lawsuit. A cease letter doesn’t erase …
Cease and Desist Letter for Debt Collectors (With Template) Read More »
Helvey & Associates is a third-party collection agency founded in 1955 and based in Warsaw, Indiana. It provides collection and call center services to businesses, including utility companies and healthcare providers. If Helvey is contacting you or appears on your credit report, it’s likely collecting an unpaid utility or medical bill on behalf of a …
Helvey & Associates on Your Credit Report: What to Do Read More »
About the AuthorPeter Krakue is the founder of Strong Credit Report in Colton, California, where he has worked in consumer credit since 1999. He writes about dispute procedures, FCRA rights, and credit rebuilding. [Read more about Peter →] Credit score scale — Poor (300) through Exceptional (850). Your credit score decides more about your financial …