You need not suffer the effects of bad credit, no matter how you wound up with credit problems. Whether you have been personally damaged by economic conditions, victimized by dishonest lenders or even were simply too carefree in your spending, you deserve better credit. You can turn things positive on your credit report by starting with these steps.

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If you have credit cards where the balance is more than half of your credit limit, pay these down right away. When balances are over 50%, your credit rating goes down significantly, so try to either spread out your debt or, ideally, pay off your credit cards.

An installment account is a great way to increase your credit score. You are required to meet a monthly minimum, so be sure that you can make the payments. Your FICO score will rise over time, if you responsibly manage this type of account.

If your debt includes large amounts for interest charges contact the debt collector and see whether you can pay the original debt and avoid some of the additional interest charges. It is important to know the terms of your original agreement for the debt you incurred. Usually if you agreed to the terms the terms will be upheld as legal. If you believe the charges are excessive and your debtor will not negotiate down the interest and other additional charges, state laws might provide you with additional avenues to pursue a reduction in these charges. Federal law provides that when you are billed by a collection company the fees and interest cannot exceed the amount of the original debt. Remember that you agreed to pay that interest when you signed the contract. You may wish to make a legal claim that the interest rate charged exceeded your state’s statutory limits.

It can seem impossible to repair your credit score, but just knowing what the steps are and making a plan can make it seem much less intimidating. The information given in this article is sure to lead you to a higher level of financial security.

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