Posted by Nathan Kerpan on November 7th, 2008 1:47 PMPost a Comment (0)

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Perfect Thoughts
November 21st, 2008 8:35 AM
"It doesn't matter which side of the fence you get off on sometimes. What matters most is getting off. You cannot make progress without making decisions."

Jim Rohn
Author and Speaker

Posted by Nathan Kerpan on November 21st, 2008 8:35 AMPost a Comment (0)

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Credit Myth #3 - Including A Credit Statement Is Helpful...
November 19th, 2008 7:48 PM

Myth #3
Including A Credit Statement Is Helpful...
   
 
 
The 100-word statements can only harm the consumer. First, as we've discussed, such personal statements are essentially never read by potential creditors anyway since the credit score is the usual qualifying determinant. Second, those statements only make it more difficult to embark upon a credit repair effort later because they serve to confirm what's already there. So, for example, let's say a consumer attaches a statement that reads something like this: "These late payments were made only because I was suddenly laid off (or sick), but that unfortunate situation changed very quickly, and we have never been late with this or any other account since."
 
That may sound responsible, but unfortunately it says only this in reality: "NOTE: yes I really was late paying these accounts. Plus I'm not smart enough to have an emergency fund to cover basic minimum payments if something goes wrong financially. Therefore, I am a bad credit risk."

Even worse, let's say a consumer subsequently learns something about credit reporting and decides to engage Lexington Law to help confront such matters legally and technically. Whoops. Any new challenges will likely be dismissed because there's no need to even take another look: After all, the answer resides right within the consumer's statement which admits fault. Remember that extenuating health or employment circumstances are viewed as little more than lame excuses within the consumer credit industry in any case.

For these reasons, consumer advocate old-timers practically always advise that the first items to be disputed are those silly 100 word statements if any were ever inserted.
                Information by Lexington Law PsychDoc...www.lexingtonlaw.com
 
Next Week:
Myth #4: Negative Items must remain for 7 years…is this really true?


Posted by Nathan Kerpan on November 19th, 2008 7:48 PMPost a Comment (0)

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Lexington Law - Myth Busting Tip #1
November 7th, 2008 1:47 PM
 Myth #1
The Nature of Credit Bureaus
 
 
Consider this myth: Credit bureaus are official
 
Even quasi-governmental agencies, and such vital American institutions work alongside your creditors to keep every adult citizen toeing the financial line.

There's so much wrong with practically every word of this fantasy that it's tough for a consumer advocate to know where to begin. To be sure, there isn't anything much official about the credit bureaus at all. Rather, the major consumer reporting agencies -- Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion -- are simply three large companies operating respectably within the private sector.

In fact, in you were so inclined, you could own a piece of Equifax and Experian yourself just by telephoning your stockbroker. (Forget about buying shares in TransUnion for now, though, as it's still privately owned.)

Sadly, too many creditors want Americans to believe that the credit bureaus enjoy an official, quasi-governmental franchise and will somehow punish consumers who dare to fight back against sloppy reporting, usurious APRs, exploitative late fees, inexplicable surcharges, unethical debt collection practices, and worse. Such creditors want consumers to believe that challenging a credit report item is like questioning a courthouse record. Fortunately, that's just not so.

So contrary to the prevailing perceptual reality, there are no official bureaus. And while most Americans perceive their credit reports to have at least the same legal standing as their driving records, the truth is that the government has no role in producing them. Put bluntly, no law mandates a credit report's existence, and such documents may be considered to be no more than a list of allegations remaining to be proven.
 Information by Lexington Law PsychDoc...www.lexingtonlaw.com 
 
Next Week:
 Myth #2:
Your credit report is reviewed carefully…True or False?
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