How to Improve Your Credit after Getting Reporting Agency Credit Reports

A Credit Article Contributed by Brandie King

How to Get Your Agency Credit Reports

Getting all three of your agency credit reports is a fairly simple and straightforward process. There are two options for getting them. If you meet certain requirements you can get your credit reports for free. Otherwise you will have to order them, which costs $8 to $10 each depending on the credit reporting agency.

You have to meet one or more of the requirements on the following list to be able to claim free credit reporting agency credit reports: you've had an application for credit denied in the past 60 days, you are currently on public assistance and receiving welfare, you do not have a job right now but are actively looking for one, you have been a victim of credit fraud.

If you meet one of the above requirements then send a letter requesting a free copy of your credit report and include proof that you do meet the requirement. If you do not meet one or more of these requirements you can visit the three websites below to order your credit reports from each of the three major credit reporting agencies.

Equifax http://www.equifax.com

Experian http://www.experian.com

Trans Union http://www.transunion.com

How to Remove Errors from Your Agency Credit Reports

Once you have all three of your credit reports in front of you, whether you got them for free or had to order them, it is time to sit down and closely examine them. You need to look for errors, inaccuracies, and incorrect information in both your personal information, all of the credit accounts listed, and the way in which the accounts are listed (Ex: paid accounts not showing as paid). You should also look to make sure that there aren't any accounts you have that aren't listed.

If you find any errors you need to dispute them and it is your right under the law to do so. If you ordered your credit reports from the above websites then you can use their online dispute forms. Otherwise you will need to mail a letter to each credit reporting agency disputing the errors. You can find a sample letter at http://www.creditinfocenter.com/forms/index shtml.

Other Ways to Improve Your Credit on Your Agency Credit Reports

Although your credit reports may currently show that you have made a lot of late payments, you should still immediately start sending your payments in on time. By doing so you will eventually show that you have changed and can now make your payments, and potential creditors will start looking at the most recent positive payment information instead of the older information. If you have trouble doing this check into paying your bills online.

If you have accounts that have been sent to collections then contact the collection agencies and discuss the possibility of settling those debts for a smaller amount than you owe. Since having a lot of inquiries on your credit report drags your score down, don't apply for credit any more than you have to.