Is Bad Credit Holding You Back?

Have you ever wondered why you were turned down for an apartment? Or why you didn't receive a job offer you applied for, even though you thought you had nailed the interview? Perhaps it was due to your credit record. Yes, you read correctly -- credit record.

What a lot of people do not realize is that landlords, insurance companies, and employers -- not just banks -- check credit records. Your credit report allows these companies to look into your personal spending habits, your payment history, whether you have been sued, and whether you have declared bankruptcy.

All too often consumers are penalized because of ignorance to what's contained in their credit reports.

One way you can avoid this kind of unexpected surprise is to annually request a copy of your credit report from each of the three major credit bureaus. You can generally get a copy of each of your reports instantly online just by answering a few security questions at annualcreditreport.com. There are no hidden charges and nothing to sign up for when ordering the report from this site. It's absolutely free.

You can also complete the Annual Credit Report Request Form and mail it to: Annual Credit Report Request Service, P.O. Box 105281, Atlanta, GA 30348-5281.

With advance knowledge of what's on your credit report you can head off embarrassing and/or costly consequences before they occur.

If you discover that you have negative or erroneous items listed on your credit report, don't panic. To fix bad credit their are specific steps you can take. The real secrets are knowledge, & persistence. Most people if they are willing to do the work can repair bad credit and improve their credit scores.

More than anything else the process relies on knowing the "rules of engagement." These rules include the FCRA (Fair Credit Reporting Act), FDCPA (Fair Debt Collections Practicing Act), FCBA (Fair Credit Billing Act), FATA (Fair and Accurate Transactions Act), and HIPPA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act).

For those who either do not have the time, or do not want to do the work consult a professional credit report repair service.