Your FICO score can be found on your credit report, so you first need to obtain a copy of that. There are three major reporting agencies in the US: Experian, EquiFax, and TransUnion.
Youll want to get credit reports from all three, as they may all have slightly different information on them. All three credit bureaus use credit scores, but FICO is specific to Experian and TransUnion. To get a free copy of your credit reports from all three credit bureaus, you can visit Annual Credit Report, FreeCreditReport.com (a website owned and operated by Experian), or you can call 1-877-322-8228. You can also write any of the agencies directly. Note that while the credit report is free, the companies charge $6-8 each to give you your credit (FICO) score.
The point system used technically ranges from 0 – 999, but all or nearly all actual scores fall between 330 and 850.
330 – 619: Poor credit. In banker jargon a person with a score in this range is considered a “Credit Leper.”
620 – 659: Sub-prime financing will be available to you.
660 – 720: Prime financing will be available to you.
721 – 750: Prime – x% may be available to you. That is, you may be able to get interest rates on loans that are even lower than the prime rate.
751+: Excellent credit. May enable you to get even lower prime -x% interest rates depending on the credit type youre utilizing.
The exact calculation of the FICO score is kept secret as proprietary information, but there are some general guidelines we can apply.
Approximately 35% of a credit score may be based upon payment history. A credit score is negatively impacted if bills are paid late or if there is a history of delinquent payments listed on the credit report, including matters of public record such as bankruptcy, collection accounts, etc.
Approximately 30% of a credit score may be based upon amounts owed or other outstanding debt. A credit score can be negatively impacted if the amount owed is close to the credit limit. A low balance on two credit cards may be better than a high balance on one credit card.
Approximately 15% of a credit score may be based upon length of credit history. A credit score can be positively impacted the longer that accounts have been open, especially if they are with one financial institution.
Approximately 10% of a credit score may be based upon how much new debt a consumer is incurring. A credit score may be negatively impacted if someone has recently applied for a number of new credit accounts.
Promotional inquiries usually do not negatively impact a credit score.
Approximately 10% of a credit score may be based upon the types of credit currently in use by a consumer. A credit score is usually negatively impacted by loans from finance companies.
Your overall FICO score is the culmination of years of credit experience, but even in the short run there are things you can do to raise it slightly. Always make your payments on time.
Dont carry high balances on credit cards. Ideally you would never go over half the available amount on your credit card for any extended period of time.
Serious credit problems could range from a 30-day late payment to a , judgment or Despite what you may have read on some internet sites, theres no quick fix to repair bad credit. There are, however, ways to remove inaccurate information and improve your credit over the long run.
If there is inaccurate negative information on your credit report, get it removed. Dispute the charge with the agencies by writing to them or going online to their websites. They have 30 days to respond to your dispute. If they cannot verify the negative information, they have to remove it.
If you have a 30-day late blemish on your credit you can dispute the negative information as above. If the credit bureaus cant verify the 30-day late payment with your creditor, the information must be removed.
If you have more serious credit problems such as a judgment, bankruptcy or foreclosure, it may be in your interest to seek a non-profit credit counselor or an attorney specializing in credit repair. The latter can sometimes settle your debts for less than 35 cents on the dollar and may be able to get some of the information removed. If you simply pay off the judgment for example, it is still going to stain your credit for a minimum of 10 years. For a foreclosure the term is 7 years, for a bankruptcy, 10 years; and for tax liens, 5-7. Even after that amount of time goes by you will need to aggressively go after the agencies to get the information off your credit
There is no “quick and easy” answer to this question. You should discuss your situation with a credit counselor or a bankruptcy attorney, to evaluate the costs and benefits of bankruptcy given your personal financial situation.
Not every debtor qualifies to file for Chapter 7 bankruptcy. A means test is applied to determine if you will be able to repay a substantial percentage of your debt, and if you are determined able to do so you will be ineligible for a liquidation of your debts and will likely have to engage in a repayment plan as part of a Chapter 13 bankruptcy.
The type of debt you owe can be a significant factor in whether you file for bankruptcy, as well as the form of bankruptcy you pursue. Factors which may affect your decision to file for bankruptcy protection are detailed in this associated article: Filing For Personal Bankruptcy Protection in a U.S. Court.
Your ability to rebuild credit after filing bankruptcy is better than it has ever been. After you get your discharge, you will receive many solicitations from lenders offering to finance homes, vehicles and credit cards.
If you are behind on payments and wanted to know what options are available, many time professionals forget the simple options to homeowners. For professionals in the foreclosure business, we use terms such as deed-in-lieu, forbearance, loan mod, and other terms that homeowners may not. I have come up with a few terms and options that homeowners should have available as options for available alternatives to foreclosure.
A company will attempt to stall or reduce your payment by submitting a hardship package on your behalf. Many times the lender will work with a “foreclosure assistance” company before working with an individual attempting to submit a foreclosure package.
With this option, you can actually sell your house and continue living in. Some investors offer a buy back program where they will step-in quickly, purchase your house, and allow you to rent it while you catch up on your bills and even allow you to purchase it back from them once you are “back on your feet”. (Be very careful, some companies are better then others, and of course, you have those predators out there)
Some foreclosure companies will negotiate with your lender to get your loan in good standing again. There are many options available to get a restructure approved like a separate payment plan for your delinquency or even adding the delinquency to the end of your loan. No one can guarantee to restructure your payments, so be careful.
Pay your lender(s) your entire past due payments to bring your mortgage current. This option is rarely feasible. (However I know some private money lenders that will provide homeowners up to 90% for the reinstatement amount.)
Hardly available, through traditional lenders, however some foreclosure companies have established relationships with in-house lenders who can give loans on mortgages that are in foreclosure if there is enough equity in your property available.
You may simply sell your home before the Foreclosure Sale Date. Sometimes the home owner is unable to sell the home outright at the desired sale price and this is not an option.
In this instance the lender may take less than what you owe on the loan to avoid a lengthy and costly foreclosure process.
You or a foreclosure company can arrange for you to simply give the home back to the lender and walk away with a clean slate.
This is a last resort. This will only save your home temporarily. If you miss one payment during this process the lender will put you right back into foreclosure.