Realizing that you have bad credit is never fun. However, as an Ohio consumer, you should know that ignoring bad credit won’t make it go away. Luckily, bad credit can always be fixed. It may not happen overnight, but even severely damaged credit can rebuild over time. You might compare your credit situation with the Buckeye State itself. With economic improvement and job growth, small changes in Ohio have gradually added up to significant progress. Well, the same kind of strategy can apply with your credit. By following a good credit repair plan, gradual credit score improvements will eventually lead to major credit recovery.
Can Ohio Credit Repair Companies Really Help Consumer with Bad Credit?
If you’re serious about repairing your bad credit, you may consider hiring a credit repair company. While not permitted in every state, professional credit repair services are permitted in Ohio, and many of these companies are very good at what they do. Just remember to thoroughly research a company before signing up for services. You should also keep your expectations realistic. There are certain things that a credit repair company cannot legally do, and the reputable ones will be upfront about their limitations. See this short video on Questions to Ask a Credit Repair Firm before Hiring Them.
To help consumers who are looking for a good credit repair company, Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine has offered some useful tips. Before trusting a particular service, a consumer should:
- Find out how much services will cost – the EXACT amount, and not just a ballpark figure.
- Ask the credit repair company what they can do that a consumer couldn’t do themselves. To be more precise, find out how the service can make credit repair easier and less time-consuming.
- Make sure that the company is willing to provide proof of progress along the way. Follow-up phone calls and emails are essential.
- Get verification that the credit repair company is in compliance with the Ohio Debt Adjusters Act.
- Never pay for credit repair services up front. Ask for a written contract that explains all of the details of the work and pay all agreed upon fees when this work completes.
One of the main things that a good credit repair company will do is have the errors removed from your credit reports. Most Ohio consumers don’t realize that about 80% of credit reports contain inaccuracies of some type. These errors can bring down your credit score, so having them removed is a good way to get a jump start on your credit repair strategy.
Other Useful Tips on How Ohio Consumers can Repair Bad Credit
When looking to improve a low credit score, the first thing you should do is get current with your bills and continue to make all of your payments on time. When your credit score is calculated, your payment history carries the most weight because future lenders will want to see that you can manage debt responsibly.
Next, if you’re carrying high credit card balances, paying them down will give your credit score a nice boost. Ideally, you should be using no more than 30% of your available credit at any time. If you’re using more than this, it looks like you’re relying too much on credit.
Finally, if you don’t have a credit card, you might want to consider obtaining a secured credit card to help you build credit. Even consumers with bad credit can qualify for these types of cards because of a required cash deposit. The amount of this deposit (usually between $200 and $500) becomes your spending limit. You can use a secured credit card like a regular credit card in order to build credit without incurring debt. This makes them perfect for young adults and those who are looking for a second chance at good credit.
Before getting starting with your credit repair plans, you should check your credit reports for errors and have them removed. Just go to www.annualcreditreport.com to request free copies of your credit report from TransUnion, Equifax, and Experian. If you find any mistakes that might be hurting your credit score, contact Credit Repair Lawyers of America to get a FREE credit repair lawyer who can take all the guesswork out of cleaning up your credit reports.
The Free and Legal way to Get Better Credit
Don’t let identity theft or errors on your credit reports bring your credit score down. At Credit Repair Lawyers of America, we’ve been cleaning up credit reports for consumers since 2008 for free. How do we do it? The law allows us to collect our fees and costs from the defendants in any successful action. This is why our clients pay nothing for the work we do.
Let’s start the conversation about what we can do for your credit. Set up your free consultation today by calling Attorney Gary Nitzkin at (888)293-2882 or sending him a message through our contact page.
