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I was wondering if it wouldn't be a good idea for some of the CB "Master Threads" if they could be consolidated and refreshed as we are at the beginning of a New Year. While I know it's fun to make the newbs read through 550 pages going back to 2006 (and to show their dedication to credit repair) I think it causes some folks to make critical errors when they think they found the solution on page 305, but on page 476 the process reverses and now the info they implement is terribly bad. I'm sure some will argue the information is purposely buried and must be mined to avoid any of the third parties (CA's, CRA's, OC's, etc) from discovering our "secret" processes and exploits, is it possible they already know? Perhaps, if the seasoned veterans were interested, the Master Threads could be updated something along the lines of: First Post: All the current, relevant and correct information as of the posting date (with 2015 in the title) Following posts track changes during THAT year Some of the Master threads that might benefit: AMEX *D (currently 142 pages) CRA *B (currently 550 pages) Cards Not To Get (fairly new - Thanks Mendy!) Choppage Dates (currently 142 pages) Credit Card Pre-Selector Sites (currently 32 pages) These are ALL great threads (and I'm sure I've overlooked many others!) with tons of useful information. This is something they do over at FT, and I think it seems to work. (now donning flame suit)

I have a question on wording a settlement offer for a hospital on a medical debt. I have a settlement letter that will serve as an agreement for a regular cc debt, but I don't know if I should use the same letter or add extra wording to include HIPAA rights or so on. Backstory, which you will find on my other posts: Hospital original charge $3900, been paying for over 2 years now down to $3500, sent to collections. I have spoken with the manager of the billing department of the hospital and we reached a settlement lower than original amount and they have agreed to retract the account from collections once the payment has been made (that took time to convince because he wanted to just have the collection updated as paid "claiming" once it's sent it cannot be retracted, but everyone on this board knows it can). I will fax over the settlement letters for him to sign and I will not send the cashiers check until the letter is signed and returned to me. I have copied what the letter will state. I have not include important information such as name of hospital, blah, blah, blah. Please help me in the correct way to word this so I can get it sent to him as soon as possible. Thank you! Yes WhyChat, I have gone through all your steps and I'm on the step to "insert a" and make full payment, but I can't afford full payment but have saved up enough to settle. The Letter I Will Send: Dear Creditor, This letter is to confirm the settlement offer made between myself and your customer service representative ___________________ phone number _______________ made on ________, 20__. I really appreciate the fact that your company is willing to work with me on this matter; I wanted to make an honest attempt to settle this debt. The amount your customer service representative and I agreed to settle this debt in full is $___________. In addition, you will retract this debt from Collection Agency, any references on my credit reports (TransUnion, Experian or Equifax) relating to this debt as a collection or as late payment, paid collection or charge off regarding this account are removed from my credit file. If these terms are acceptable to your company, please sign the attached letter of agreement and return a copy to me. Upon receipt of this signed acknowledged agreement, I will express you a cashier’s check in the amount stated above. Yours truly, Your name Enclosed attachments. Agreement to settle a debt This contract shall serve to spell out the terms of a settlement offer between <insert your name>, hereafter referred to as CONSUMER and <insert credit card company’s name>, hereafter referred to as CREDITOR on acct number _______________________. Upon receipt of a certified check from the CONSUMER for $______________, the creditor agrees that this balanced owed on acct number _______________ is zero and that no further payment or fees are due from the CONSUMER at any time in the future. In addition, the creditor agrees to remove any references to late payment or charge off regarding this account from CONSUMER’s credit file, and will instruct any collection agency assigned by CREDITOR or its assignees to collect this alleged debt to do the same. This contract supersedes all other contract between the debtor and creditor. _______________________________________________ Date:___________ CONSUMER I attest that I am authorized to make decisions regarding the making and acceptance of settlement offers for outstanding credit card for the <insert credit card company’s name> company. Read, Approved and Accepted by:____________________ Date:__________ CREDITOR

In 2003, I got a joint Best Buy card with my momma so I could purchase a laptop for schooling (I was over 18). We have moved multiple times over the years and the account is still active/used by my parents for big purchases. I am in the process of getting all my old addresses, names, work history, etc removed from my credit reports. The address on the Best Buy card has been changed/updated to our current address (obviously, as it's being used). This is also my oldest card, at 10 years 1 month. Did the address update for both of us for reporting on our credit reports? If I remove that old address associated with the card (the one I used to apply) will I lose all that positive information?

Some of you may have read my post about helping my friend with an issue concerning how US Bank is reporting the account history. When I compared the online credit reports, TU and EX have it differently, but a month apart. So let's use an example going back to 2011, TU has it:July (90), August (30), September (OK), October (30) while EX has it: July (60), August (90), September (30), October (OK) In other words, the Experian is always a month behind TU. As my friend has no other baddies in the last 24 months, nor do I or my GF, I have no way of knowing if this is a common thing for there to be differences on dates between the CRAs, or if this is a one of a kind issue? Anyone else see this? Also, I did not have friend's paper reports with me, so not sure if this is simply an online thing or if it holds true on paper as well.

I would assume that higher income means greater opportunity for credit, higher limits, etc. Other factors matter too, of course. My reason for asking is my GF has had a pretty meteoric rise in income the last 5 years, going from around $40K to just shy of $100K. My question is, how do creditors KNOW that other than you entering the information on applications? How would current creditors know so they might consider CLIs? Is this sort of like a tree falling in the forest, if no one knows or hears, does it really make a difference? Thanks!