How does credit restoration work?
There exist many laws, both State and Federal that not only protect you – the consumer, but also regulate the credit bureaus and the creditors that report to those credit bureaus. We will use our vast experience and expert knowledge to be your advocate in exercising your rights and correcting your credit reports with Equifax, Experian and TransUnion.
Once the credit bureaus have processed the first round of these investigations, they will send you updated copies of your credit reports showing you the results of the investigations. Simply forward the updated reports to us and include all other correspondence you receive from them so that we may continue the process.
Whenever we receive your updated reports, we will document the progress, re-audit your reports and initiate the next round of investigations, thus gradually working through the entire list of negative inaccurate, unverifiable, outdated, misleading or obsolete items on your credit reports.
Our expert knowledge in how to prepare proper investigations that can pass the credit bureaus’ screening process and will receive the attention necessary for our desired results is just one of the many competitive advantages we maintain at Active Working Credit.
How long does the process take?
Most of our clients will begin seeing positive results within 45 days after we receive their credit reports. Due to our pay-as-you-go fee structure, it is in our best interest to move your case along as quickly as possible.
Obviously, everyone’s credit situation is completely different, so how long it takes for you to achieve your expected results depends on the nature of your case, the number of questionable credit items on your reports, your participation in getting credit reports to us, and the level of credit bureau and/or creditor cooperation. We will do our part, the auditing, creating investigation requests and challenging of your reports, usually within 48 hours from the date we receive them. Most of the wait-time after that is usually spent waiting for the credit bureaus or creditors to respond.
On average, most of our clients have obtained the desired result by the sixth month. Keep in mind that we may not challenge all negative inaccurate, misleading, unverifiable, outdated and obsolete items simultaneously. We have found that in some cases, doing so would be less effective and may raise flags with the credit bureaus. Our expert knowledge in how to prepare proper investigations that can pass the credit bureaus’ screening process and will receive the attention necessary for our desired results is just one of the many competitive advantages we maintain at Active Working Credit.
Is credit restoration legal?
Absolutely! It is because it is legal that we are able to do what we do, for we use the laws that protect you, the consumer, and that regulate the credit bureaus and the companies that furnish information to them to accomplish our work. You are given certain rights under the Fair Credit Reporting Act and other laws, and we offer our experience, expertise and services to help you assert these rights.
The credit bureaus would like to have you think otherwise, but the truth is that the Congress, when enacting the Credit Repair Organization Act stated that consumers have a “right to seek help from Credit Repair Organizations”.
Do you charge in advance for your services?
No. In accordance with federal regulation, Active Working Credit charges only for services after we have already performed them for you.
Do you offer a money back guarantee?
Yes! Our commitment to you and to exceptional service is such that we do not believe that we should be paid unless negative/bad credit items have been removed from your credit reports. Simply put, if negative item(s) are not removed from your credit report we do not invoice you. You are also entitled to a full refund of your application enrollment fee should we not perform according to our contract.
How long do negative items stay listed?
Federal Law requires that most negative credit items must be removed from your credit bureau file after seven years of no activity. There are some exceptions to this, like Chapter 7 bankruptcy, which can be reported for up to ten years. However, there have been reports with negative items listed for well over 7 years. This happens often when the credit bureaus make a mistake, or when the creditor re-ages the account or is reporting a wrong “last activity” date. This can also happen with collection accounts that are sold from one debt collector to another. Sometimes, figuring out the date that the “seven year clock” starts counting from can be a bit complicated. For example, the law states that for charge-off accounts, the date begins 180 days after the commencement of the most recent delinquency.
Inquiries may remain on the credit report for up to two years.
What is a credit score?
A credit score is a number that reflects your risk level, as an individual consumer, as determined by a scoring model or formula. The higher the number, the lower the risk will be to the lender. As you apply for increased credit or attempt to make a purchase, the lender will check your ability to pay back that loan. The more negative marks you have on your credit report, the less likely you will be granted the loan or purchase you requested. The score generally ranges from 350 (lowest) to 850 (highest).
What kind of information will be on my credit report?
Credit reports contain a listing of some or all of your credit accounts that have been active at some time within the last 7 years. They also contain any public records (Chapter 7 bankruptcies are reported for 10 years), current and previous addresses, current and previous names, a listing of potential creditors who have received your credit file and other miscellaneous information the credit bureau has about you. Each account listing generally has your account number, the credit limit, your current balance and your previous payment history. This payment history can contain notes of late payments, any collection or transfer history, whether the account was included in bankruptcy and the current payment status of the account.
How much bad credit does it take to be denied credit?
Even one small late pay listing may result in credit denials. Any negative credit whatsoever can become a substantial credit obstacle. There are also other factors that will play into the decision of the lender. What is your debt to income ratio? How long have you been with your current employer? The exact criteria used for granting or denying credit varies from lender to lender, but any negative/bad credit remark on your credit report may be enough to deny you credit.
Who looks at my credit report?
Lenders, property managers, insurance companies, prospective employers, companies which you presently have a credit relationship with and anybody with a permissible purpose who wants to know who you are can get access to your credit file. In many situations your credit report will actually become your identity. People will know you not by who you are, but by what is reported about you from the credit bureaus. Obviously, those reports can be extremely damaging especially if they contain incorrect, misleading or obsolete information.
What is a public record?
A public record is a file such as a bankruptcy, tax lien or judgment that is filed at the courthouse. Unlike your creditors, the courthouse does not report public record information to the credit bureaus. The credit bureaus must therefore rely on third parties or smaller local affiliated bureaus to go out and research this information. For purpose of fixing your credit, the laws that regulate the reporting of these public records are the same as any other item and are treated no differently in that regard.
What is a charge off?
When you become very delinquent on an account the creditor will probably “charge it off” against their profit and loss. A “Charge-Off” is basically an accounting term used in accrual accounting that says the amount is now a loss. In a short period of time the creditor determines that the account will not be paid and they will write it off for tax purposes. Once they minimize their loss from that account they will sell that file to a collection agency to decrease the loss even further. The collection agency will then use a wide variety of means to collect on the debt. Charge offs are very negative listings.
Can a bad credit mark actually be deleted?
Yes, they most definitely can be when they are found to be inaccurate, outdated, unverifiable, misleading, obsolete or legally lacking in some other way. Although the credit bureaus would have you think otherwise, we have seen literally thousands of deletions ranging from bankruptcies to late payments.
Does it matter which state I live in?
No. The laws that regulate the credit bureaus and your creditors are mostly federal law. We have clients nationwide. Your rights are the same whether you are in Alaska or Alabama.
Will this raise my credit score?
Yes, that is why we are helping you. Removing the negative inaccurate, outdated, misleading, unverifiable or obsolete items from your credit reports may have a very positive impact on your credit score and your ability to get credit. Clients who stay with our program and adhere to it may see their ability to receive credit enhanced tremendously.
Is there anything that can not be removed from a credit report?
No, all information reported by the credit bureaus are subject to the same laws and criteria. We may challenge on your behalf any items we challenged and the credit bureaus must investigate these items.
How many items do you dispute at one time?
Experience has shown us that investigating too many items at one time can actually slow down the process because the credit bureau may deem our request frivolous. Therefore, we only submit investigations for the number of items that we deem appropriate for your case.
We want you to see results and will challenge as many items as possible without jeopardizing a slowdown of the process.
Should I still be paying my bills?
We would never advise not paying your bills, but that issue is between you and your creditors. We work on what appears on your credit reports and leave the issue of your current payments up to you. Although related in some ways, your bills and your credit are not the same thing.
If you are having trouble paying your bills you should probably talk with a professional debt counselor. There are many debt-counseling companies out there and many of them leave a lot to be desired.
If I keep paying my bills will that raise my credit score?
Paying your bills on time should do nothing but help your credit score. Many of our clients are trying to buy a home, refinance a home or qualify for new credit. Good payment histories will help you do all of those things. We often tell people that while we work on the past you should be working on the future.
If you are having trouble paying your bills you may want to talk to a professional debt counselor. There are many debt-counseling companies out there and many of them leave a lot to be desired.
Can I restore my own credit?
Yes, you can. You can also represent yourself in a court of law but that doesn’t mean it is necessarily a very good idea.
We offer experience, knowledge, time and professional help at very affordable rates for your convenience and benefit. It isn’t a coincidence that the Federal Trade Commission receives more complaints against credit bureaus than any other type of business. Remember, the credit bureaus are primarily interested in protecting their profits. Investigating your reports consumes these profits. The credit bureaus will do everything in their power to discourage consumers from making progress with their credit restoration.
Restoring your own credit is like repairing your own transmission or representing yourself in court: it is possible, but you must decide if you are willing to take the time and assume the risks of doing it yourself.
According to a recent report by ConsumerReports.org, a Nonprofit, Independent firm, “It isn’t nearly as easy for consumers to correct errors as it is for the [credit] agencies to make them.” Just as you are probably better at what you do than we would be, we are probably better at credit repair than you would be.