Credit Repair Journey

[creditrepairDIY]

Good Morning all. I have been researching on the internet on how to repair my credit along with my husbands. Our goal is to be able to buy a house and get some better interest rates. We used Lexington Law awhile ago with little to no results. Decided to "fire" them. Went to see if we qualified for a home loan and was referred to another local credit specialist. 500 for both to start and 160 a month thereafter. Anyways, long story short, my bank manager told me I could do this all on my own for far less money and in the same amount of time as she could. So, here I am. We have a BK on our reports that will fall off 4/16. We also have a judgement and then of course ALL the medical bills. I am however, drawing a blank on whether we added some of them into our BK or not. I already opted out, but still have to delete addresses on our reports.

 

My questions......

When sending the letter to the CRA's, what reason should I be putting down as to why I am disputing? I have accounts showing up as paid that are still on there as well. Also, if it comes back "verified", how many days do I have to pay the OC? Am I in a position to "negotiate" for deletion or no? And before I start the process, do I need to have a nice sizable stack of cash available or can I do it one at a time?

 

Like I said, I am new to this and between all the things I have researched, I am trying to do the right thing and looking for the guidance.

 

Another problem I will run into is our insurance has changed and I don't have access to the online account where I could bring up EOB's for anything if anything does come back verified.

 

Basically, I want to know if I am just doomed and have to deal with this and let time pass or if I can actually take care of all this. My husbands report is the worst out of both of ours with the collections.

 

Thanks in advance for any and all info provided here after.

[kimbachelle]

You are far from doomed. You have no idea the magnitude of the resource you have found by coming here, congratulations

 

Your questions indicate that you don't quite yet understand the program. Make sure to do nothing on the judgement/BK while doing the HIPAA process. Only medical accounts, until it is completed. You start by opting out, getting REAL reports, and deleting old addresses. All instructions are here:

 

http://www.whychat.5u.com/GUIDEBOOK.html

 

Your real reports will show you which accounts were IIB (included in bankruptcy). But you will dispute ALL medical accounts, regardless of how they are reporting. Never add anything to Why Chat's letters. (particularly anything about IIB).

 

After you have done all of the above, you move to the HIPAA program:

 

http://www.whychat.5u.com/GUIDE%20HIPAA%20PROGRAM.html

 

Slow down, and take it ONE step at a time. Come to THIS post with any questions, and updates after EACH step. Why Chat will guide you. Don't worry if you can't pay everything right now, wait to see what accounts actually GET to that point.

 

Good luck!!

[creditrepairDIY]

Thank you for the reply. I guess I should ask this question before I go all in. We are looking to relocate by May 1st so is it wise for me to start this process now or do I need to wait?

[Why Chat]

You can start the process now, that way your current address ( assuming that most of your "baddies" are from a previous address) and your new address in May would be the only addresses on your reports. Of course, if most or all of your "baddies" are at your current address, then you should wait until you have moved, give it 3 Months after your move so you can have updated drivers licenses and utility bills.

[creditrepairDIY]

Alright, thanks for the advice. I am assuming all of the baddies are from this current address. I didn't know if I had a "time limit" to start the process. Unfortunately, I wont have utility bills in my name at all since we would be moving in with some friends. We will however have our cell phone bill but that is done all online so I don't have any paper statements coming for that.

[bjml04]

I had the same problem with the bill to prove addy. We use verizon and I just got online and printed my bill, then just sent the first page with all the info they needed (our name and addy)

[Why Chat]

Alright, thanks for the advice. I am assuming all of the baddies are from this current address. I didn't know if I had a "time limit" to start the process. Unfortunately, I wont have utility bills in my name at all since we would be moving in with some friends. We will however have our cell phone bill but that is done all online so I don't have any paper statements coming for that.

How old are these medical accounts?? If they are more than 4 years old, you can start the program now, if they are more recent you will have to wait until you move and have changed your drivers license so that you can get your current address deleted, and hopefully some or all of your "baddies".

[creditrepairDIY]

Is it from the date opened or the date reported since? If it is from date opened, then there are many that are 5 years old. As I said, some that are showing paid/closed on there too. Do I start with the older ones now and work at the newer ones after moving? And if so, can I include the ones showing closed/paid?

[bjml04]

Wait for whychat but IIRC most states its 4yrs(maybe I'm wrong and its 7 tho). Check your transunion report and see the drop off dates n

 

You always include every medical CO no matter what it says and you say what the guide tells you to say (don't add in any extra verbiage)

Edited March 18, 2015 by bjml04

[Why Chat]

The legal SOL for being sued is 4 years in most States, 3 in a few. A medical account is a service, so it has the same legal SOL as an open end credit card or a "store" account.

You can check the SOL for your State on my website, scroll down until you see the listings of the States and click on yours.

Each State listed has all the data you need.

A medical account's SOL starts from the date of medical service, NOT from the date it was assigned to a CA

[creditrepairDIY]

I live in Wisconsin so the SOL is 6 years. Thanks for the advice. I don't know when services would have been from. Trying to handle this before another judgement comes at us for medical bills. I wish I knew about this site years ago. Wouldn't have that medical judgment on our reports now.

 

I will draft up the letters to each CA with the accounts on his reports that are dated 2010-2011 along with the paid/closed ones and start there and after we move, work on the rest.

[Why Chat]

You are NOT following the directions:

 

 

 

I will draft up the letters to each CA with the accounts on his reports

http://www.whychat.5u.com/GUIDEBOOK.html

 

OPT OUT

DELETE OLD ADDRESSES

 

http://www.whychat.5u.com/GUIDE%20HIPAA%20PROGRAM.html

 

SEND THE INITIAL DISPUTE LETTER TO THE CRAs NOT the CAs

 

http://whychat.5u.com/hipaadisp.html

 

You are correct about the 6 year SOL in Wisc. that is the ONLY State that has a longer than 4 year SOL for medical accounts.

[creditrepairDIY]

I meant the CRA, sorry. Thanks for the help.

[creditrepairDIY]

So I am looking at his Equifax report only to see the account number missing the last 4 of each account. How do I proceed with this?

[kimbachelle]

Just write the account numbers exactly as they appear, including the asterisks. Write "(account circled)" just as in the sample letter. (And then don't forget to send the copy with the accounts actually circled ) As you have no knowledge of the accounts, of course you don't know the numbers.

[creditrepairDIY]

Alright, thank you.

[creditrepairDIY]

Just out of curiosity, do the credit bureaus send you revised reports after they change/update things? If not, how do I get updated info?

[tweak]

Just out of curiosity, do the credit bureaus send you revised reports after they change/update things? If not, how do I get updated info?

 

Sometimes.

If not, you can usually request updated full reports after you receive the resolution of your dispute in the mail.

[creditrepairDIY]

So, it has been many months since I came here for guidance on trying to get my reports cleaned up along with my husbands. My journey hasn't even started yet due to some set backs with moving and such. We moved in the middle of April to some friends place and ended up moving out June 7th. We are now at my mom's place but I haven't started the process yet because I have to get our address updated on our state drivers licenses again. I know I can go online and put the change of address in for residential but I am wondering if that will work if I don't have an updated ID on hand. I want to get this process going but I want to make sure that I have the most important things taken care of first such as proper documentation when deleting old addresses and things. Should I just get them done first or can I proceed with the address that is on there now from our last place we were just at. TIA.

[Why Chat]

If you have documentation from your "last place" that will do you little good unless you are having your mail forwarded and you intend to be moving again soon.

 

If you will be staying at your Mom's for some period of time, then get your drivers licenses changed, get some kind of utility bills in your name ( perhaps a cell phone bill?) so that you can delete as many old addresses as possible.

 

http://www.whychat.5u.com/GUIDEBOOK.html

 

If you are planning on moving again in the next few Months, then I suggest you hold off doing anything until you have a permanent address.

[creditrepairDIY]

Alright, thank you.

[creditrepairDIY]

So I received two letters from a debt collector stating that accounts that were with a different agency are now with them and unless paid in 60 days they will report to the credit bureaus. I still have yet to start my process due to my living situation but if I start, would I be safe come spring to move? I want to get this going asap so I can clean both our reports up. Thanks in advance.

[Why Chat]

I don't know what to advise you. I suggest that you wait until you have a permanent address and proof of residence so that you can delete old addresses. The "threat" from the CA to report is meaningless. They are a JDB ( junk debt buyer) who have acquired the accounts from another scum scam JDB who may or may not be reporting now. All your accounts are too old to be sued on, and are approaching the obsolescence date.

 

Now, IF you have an updated drivers license and proof of your current address, AND if all of the derogatory accounts are from a prior address, AND if you are now able to follow the program and delete old addresses ( after opting out) and getting your real credit reports, and sending the initial dispute letters, you have a good chance of getting your credit cleared up before Spring.

[creditrepairDIY]

I do have updated licenses for both my husband and myself and I can print off a cell phone bill with the current address on as well. My reports are from March when I wanted to start all this so I don't know if that will be too old now.

[Why Chat]

Start over, if your reports show all your old addresses AND have ID #s you can use them for your address deletions.

http://www.whychat.5u.com/GUIDEBOOK.html

 

Once you have your old addresses deleted ( check the back doors) you can start with your disputes.