The credit repair handbook : everything you need to know to maintain, rebuild, and protect your credit

Every year, millions of people find themselves in a financial predicament—unable to qualify for a mortgage or a school loan, get hired for a job, or realize their family’s financial and life goals—all because they have poor credit due to medical bills, overspending, or identity theft. Others are faced with lower credit limits and higher fees and interest rates, which can compound already difficult financial situations. In The Credit Repair Handbook, trusted consumer debt and bankruptcy expert John Ventura counsels readers on how to identify problems with their credit, rebuild their credit histories and boost their credit scores, and protect their credit from identity thieves. Comprehensive, thorough, and up-to-date, this is the only guide readers will need to get their financial lives back on track. Learn what your credit reports say about you—and how that information affects your life; Rebuild your credit after serious money troubles; Raise your credit score; Avoid credit-repair scams; Avoid credit-repair scams.

every Year, Millions Of People Find Themselves In A Financial Predicament—unable To Qualify For A Mortgage Or A School Loan, Get Hired For A Job, Or Realize Their Family’s Financial And Life Goals—all Because They Have Poor Credit Due To Medical Bills, Overspending, Or Identity Theft. Others Are Faced With Lower Credit Limits And Higher Fees And Interest Rates, Which Can Compound Already Difficult Financial Situations.

in the Credit Repair Handbook, Trusted Consumer Debt And Bankruptcy Expert John Ventura Counsels Readers On How To Identify Problems With Their Credit, Rebuild Their Credit Histories And Boost Their Credit Scores, And Protect Their Credit From Identity Thieves. Comprehensive, Thorough, And Up-to-date, This Is The Only Guide Readers Will Need To Get Their Financial Lives Back On Track.

• learn What Your Credit Reports Say About You—and How That Information Affects Your Life
• rebuild Your Credit After Serious Money Troubles
• raise Your Credit Score
• avoid Credit-repair Scams
• protect Your Good Credit Against Identity Theft

Contents......Page 4 Introduction......Page 6 Credit Reporting and Credit Scoring......Page 10 1 Understanding How Credit Reporting Agencies Affect Our Lives......Page 12 2 Finding Out What Your Credit Report Says About You......Page 34 3 Correcting Errors in Your Credit Records......Page 52 4 What You Need to Know About Your FICO Score......Page 70 Rebuilding Your Credit After Serious Money Troubles......Page 80 5 Credit Rebuilding Preliminaries......Page 82 6 Going Through the Credit Rebuilding Process......Page 102 7 Getting Credit Rebuilding Help If You Need It......Page 118 After You Finally Have It: Protecting Your Good Credit......Page 132 8 Avoiding Financial Problems in the Future......Page 134 9 Minimizing Damage to Your Credit When You’re Having Money Problems......Page 170 10 The Dangers of Identity Theft......Page 190 Resources......Page 218 Index......Page 224 About the Author......Page 238 Shows how to obtain and understand a credit report, correct errors in a credit history, build new credit after serious financial troubles, raise a credit score, protect against identity theft, and avoid future money problems