Credit repair services have a variety of uses, but the most common is helping consumers remove inaccurate negative information from their credit reports. This is essential because many lenders rely on a consumer’s credit scores to determine whether or not a loan will be approved, how much the loan will cost, and more.
Regardless of the type of credit repair service you choose, it should be able to help you improve your score in a reasonable amount of time. However, the exact number of points that your credit score will increase will vary based on the types of items that are removed and how they are removed. You should also keep in mind that credit repair isn’t a magical cure-all, and it takes time and commitment to see results.
The most popular fast credit repair services are Sky Blue, Lexington Law, and the Credit People. All three of these companies offer a variety of plans, starting at around $79 per month, depending on the plan that you select. In addition to their monthly plans, these companies often charge a one-time fee when you sign up or for account setup.
These credit repair services will typically start by obtaining copies of your credit report and reviewing them for errors that may be lowering your score. They then send dispute letters to the credit bureaus on your behalf and track changes to your report through an online account. They will update you about any successful disputes, but it can take up to a month or more for new data to appear on your credit report.
Another service that some credit repair companies provide is a rapid rescore, which is an expedited version of the standard rescore process. This service can be useful if you need to improve your credit quickly for an upcoming financial event, like applying for a mortgage or getting a car loan. This service will increase your FICO score by adding in positive data that was previously excluded.
Aside from providing quick credit repair, these companies can also help you develop a debt repayment plan and give you access to financial tools for budgeting. They can also help you save thousands of dollars in interest by improving your credit score, enabling you to qualify for lower mortgage and auto loan rates.
While there are alternatives to credit repair services, such as paying off debts and adopting responsible financial habits, most of these methods can take a lot of time and effort to achieve. Aside from these options, you can also hire a non-credit repair agency to work on your behalf. These companies can be more expensive but can still help you get your credit score back on track in a timely manner.
Before choosing a credit repair service, you should understand how it works and what to expect. There are also a few things to know about credit “boosting” services, which can give you a temporary bump in your score by factoring in on-time bill payments or other items that don’t normally affect your FICO score.