Rebuilding Credit FAQ

Questions:

• Where do credit reports and credit data come from?
• How can I get a copy of my credit report?
• How long can negative information stay in my credit report?
• What should I do if I find mistakes in my credit report?
• What can I do to rebuild my credit?
• I've been told that I need to use credit to rebuild my credit. Is this true?
• How many credit cards should I carry?

Answer:

What can I do to rebuild my credit?

Start by cleaning up your credit report. Then, build credit by adding positive information to your record. Here are two suggestions:

• If your credit report is missing accounts you pay on time, send the credit bureaus a recent account statement and copies of canceled checks showing your payment history. Ask that these be added to your report. The credit bureau doesn't have to add this information, but often will.
• Creditors like to see evidence of stability, so if any of the following information is not in your report, send it to the bureaus and ask that it be added: your current employment, your previous employment (especially if you've been at your current job fewer than two years), your current residence, your telephone number (especially if it's unlisted), your date of birth, and your checking account number. Again, the credit bureau doesn't have to add these, but often will.

For more information, see Nolo's article How to Clean Up Your Credit Report.