Credit repair companies can remove information on your credit report that is lowering your credit score but they cannot remove negative marks if the information is accurate, timely, and verifiable. Credit repair services can cost you around $100 a month, but everything the service does, you can also do on your own.

Your credit score is calculated from information in your credit reports. A study from the Federal Trade Commission found that 5% of consumers had errors on their credit reports that could significantly lower their scores.

Legitimate credit repair services check your reports for information that shouldn’t be there and dispute it on your behalf. They may also check to make sure the information does not reappear. Sometimes information that is accurate but cannot be substantiated is removed, but it could be reinstated if it is verified later.

Errors that can be addressed:

Accounts that do not belong to you.
Bankruptcy or other legal actions that were not yours.
Misspellings, which may mix in negative entries that belong to someone with a similar name — or may mean positive entries aren't showing up when they should.
Negative marks that are too old to be included.
Debts that can't be validated and verified.

Using a credit repair service can cost between $79-$129, and the process could take several months to a year. You may also be required to setup a fee to begin. Credit repair services argue that you will save money because of lowered interest rates. It is true that lower interest rates go to borrowers with higher scores but it is also true that you can handle credit repair yourself.

You can opt to fix your credit report on your own. Here is how:

Obtain your credit report: As of now you can retrieve your credit reports for free once a week at www.annualcreditreport.com until April 2022. Check all of your information and verify that it is accurate.
Dispute errors: As a consumer, you can dispute errors directly with the three major credit bureaus. All three bureaus have an online dispute process, but it is more efficient to send in a complaint by certified mail. This provides proof of service and a real person will have to look at your information.
Work on your payment history: The biggest factor affecting your credit score is your record of paying bills on time. If you have late or missed payments, that can drag your score down. It is important to bring your late accounts to current as soon as possible and consider writing a goodwill letter asking your creditor to remove the make from your credit reports.
Use less of your available credit: How much of your available credit card limit you are using is known as your credit utilization ratio. The lower, the better for your score. If you can afford to do so, consider making multiple small payments in the billing cycle to help keep this ratio down.

Before deciding to use a credit repair service, know that you can do all of this on your own. It is as simple as looking through your reports and verifying the information without the cost. If you have inaccurate information on your credit report, you may be entitled to a settlement.

If you find inaccurate information, be sure to dispute the information. If you need help, reach out to us for help in the process. We may also be able to obtain a settlement for you.