Credit Repair Kit for Dummies: 5th Edition

Title Page
Copyright Page
Table of Contents
Foreword
Introduction
	About This Book
	Foolish Assumptions
	Icons Used in This Book
	Beyond the Book
	Where to Go from Here
Part 1 Getting Started with Credit Repair
	Chapter 1 Introducing Credit Repair, Credit Scores, and Your Life on Credit
		Repairing Bad Credit
			Settling debts
			Resetting your goals
			Rebuilding your credit by using it
			Using a cosigner or becoming an authorized user
			Finding sources of free help
			Dealing with collectors
		Weathering a Major Crisis
			Mortgage meltdowns
			Medical debt
			Student loans
			Car loans
		Understanding Diversity in Credit
		Filing Bankruptcy
		Protecting Your Credit and Your Identity
			Getting familiar with credit laws
			Receiving free reports and filing disputes
			Signing up for credit monitoring
			Setting alarms, alerts, and freezes
			Identifying identity theft
		Maintaining Good Credit Throughout Life
			Establishing credit for the first time
			Making credit changes at life’s stages
			Avoiding pitfalls
		Managing Credit in Today’s Unforgiving Economy
			Planning for success
			Reviewing your credit report
			Knowing your credit score
			Considering credit a renewable resource
	Chapter 2 Turning Your Credit Around
		Understanding How Your Actions Impact Your Credit Score
		Using a Cosigner to Raise Your Score
		Turning Small Purchases into Big Credit
		Maximizing Your Credit Score with Major Expenditures
			Leveraging your mortgage
			Financing your car
			Paying back student loans
		Understanding How Good Debt Builds Good Credit
			Achieving goals with the help of credit
			Sending a message to potential lenders
			Giving nonlenders a sense of how you handle responsibility
		Selecting the Best Tools for Building Your Credit
			Spending your way to better credit with a spending plan
			Tracking your progress: Paying attention to your credit report and score
	Chapter 3 Cleaning Up Your Credit Reports
		Understanding the True Value of Good Credit
		Reviewing Your Reports for Problems
		Using the Law to Get Your Credit Record Clean and Keep It That Way
		Identifying and Disputing Inaccurate Information
			Understanding the dispute process
			Correcting all your credit reports
			Contacting the creditor
		Adding Positive Information to Your Credit Report
			Asking your landlord to report your rent payments
			Adding your utility and cellphone payments to your report
			Opening new credit accounts
			Adding a 100-word statement
	Chapter 4 Getting the Best Help for Bad Credit for Free
		Knowing Whether You Need Help
			Gauging your need for outside assistance
			Handling situations on your own
		Identifying Help You Can Get for Free
			Getting help with your mortgage
			Considering credit counseling
			Working with an attorney
	Chapter 5 Coping with Debt Collection
		Handling Those Collection Phone Calls
			Knowing what collectors can do
			Knowing what collectors can’t do
			Deciding whether to answer the phone
			Preparing to answer collection calls
			Knowing what not to say
		Taking Charge of the Collection Process
			Asking for proof that the debt is yours
			Knowing when debts fade away: Statutes of limitations
			Negotiating a payback arrangement
			Keeping your promise
		Identifying Escalation Options That Help
			Asking to speak to a manager
			Approaching the creditor
			Fighting harassment
		Communicating with Customer Service Before Being Placed for Collection
			Contacting your creditor promptly
			Explaining your situation
			Offering a solution
			Covering all the bases
		Keeping Collectors in Check
			Calling in a credit counselor
			Referring the matter to your lawyer
		Freeing Up Money to Pay a Collector
			Utilizing a spending plan
			Cutting the fat from your monthly spending
		Avoiding Collectors Altogether
			Getting organized
			Stopping the paycheck-to-paycheck cycle
	Chapter 6 Working with Collectors, Lawyers, and the Courts to Manage Debt Obligations
		Getting a Handle on Charge-Offs
			So what is a charge-off?
			Making sense of unpaid charge-offs
			Making charge-off payments
		Coming to a Debt Settlement Agreement
			Considering a debt settlement offer
			Hiring a debt settlement firm
			Reaching expiration dates on debts
		Finding Out about Judgments and What They Mean to You
		Understanding Wage Garnishments
			Dodging wage garnishments
			Figuring out how much can be garnished
		Stating Your Case in Court
		Managing IRS Debts, Student Loans, and Unpaid Child Support
			Handling IRS debts
			Educating yourself about student loans
			Putting your kids first: Child support
Part 2 Reducing Credit Damage from Major Setbacks
	Chapter 7 Reducing Credit Damage in a Crisis
		Assessing the Damage from a Mortgage Meltdown
		Understanding How Mortgages Differ from Other Loans
			Spotting a foreclosure on the horizon
			Counting to 90
		Knowing Where to Turn for Help
			Finding good help for free
			Working with your mortgage servicer
			Avoiding help that hurts
		Alternatives to Going Down with the Ship
			What to do first
			What to do for more serious problems
			What to do to end matters
			Managing a foreclosure
			Strategic default: Stopping payments
		Dealing with Deficiencies
		Preparing for “Credit Winter”
		Curing Medical Debt
			Understanding new reporting and scoring rules
			Reviewing your options for paying medical bills
			Discovering how insurers get your medical information
			Monitoring insurance claims for errors
			Dealing with denied medical claims
		Managing Student Loans
			Default timelines
			Loan forgiveness programs
			Where to get help
			The impact of the CARES Act on student loans
		Avoiding Car Repossession
			Repossession: What you can do
			Dealing with auto loan default deficiencies
		Coping with So-Called Acts of God and Other Things That Are Not Your Fault
	Chapter 8 Filing for and Recovering from Bankruptcy
		Deciding Whether Bankruptcy Makes Sense for You
			Deliberating the bankruptcy decision
			Adding up the pluses and minuses
			Considering a debt management plan first
		Understanding Bankruptcy, Chapter and Verse
		Qualifying for and Filing for Bankruptcy
			Qualifying for Chapter 7
			Qualifying for Chapter 13
		Managing Your Credit After a Bankruptcy
			Telling your side of the story
			Reaffirming some debt
			Repairing your credit score
			Establishing new credit
			Moving forward with a game plan
	Chapter 9 Repairing Credit Damage in the Wake of Identity Theft
		Taking Fast Action When Identity Theft Occurs
			Communicating with the right people
			Protecting your identity through the FACT Act
			Sending out a fraud alert
			Blocking fraudulent credit lines
		Getting and Using Credit After Identity Theft
			Closing and reopening your accounts
			Altering your PINs, passwords, and radio transmissions
			Changing your Social Security number and driver’s license number
Part 3 Rebuilding Credit, No Matter Where or When You Begin
	Chapter 10 Starting or Restarting Your Credit in Real Life
		Debunking Misinformation about Banking and Credit
			Why you need credit
			Why credit is safe
		Obtaining Credit: Starting Out on the Right Foot
			Establishing a credit file without a Social Security number
			Setting goals before you set out
			Establishing a relationship with a financial institution
			Using prepaid and reloadable cards
			Fattening up your credit file
			Avoiding high interest, fees, and scams
		Overcoming Credit Fears and Mistakes
		Qualifying for First-Time Cards and Lending
			Getting a credit card
			Using savings for credit
		Considering Credit for Students and Military Members
			Giving credit to students
			Following military credit rules
	Chapter 11 Ending Life’s Negative Credit Surprises
		Keeping Your Credit from Hurting Your Job Prospects
		Dealing with Rental Application Checks
			Knowing what’s on your reports
			Taking action
		Qualifying for a Mortgage
			Ordering your credit report and score
			Looking at your credit file like a lender
		Preparing to Purchase a Car
			Arming yourself with information
			Reviewing what to consider when you’re at the dealership
		Unveiling the Relationship between Your Credit and Your Insurance Premiums
			Understanding insurance scores
			Getting a copy of your insurance score and insurance claim report
			Figuring out what to do with your newfound knowledge
			Taking other factors into account
	Chapter 12 Protecting Your Credit During Major Life Challenges
		Tying the Knot in Life and in Credit: A Couples’ Guide to Building Good Credit
			Engaging in prenuptial financial discussions
			Considering joint accounts
			Managing joint debt
			Avoiding money conflicts
		Protecting Your Finances in a Divorce
			Taking precautions when a split-up looms
			Preparing your credit before heading to court
			Protecting your credit in a divorce decree and beyond
		Keeping Credit Strong While Unemployed
			Preparing your credit for the worst-case scenario
			Using credit when you don’t have a job
			Protecting your credit lines
		Curing Medical Debt
			Reviewing your options for paying medical bills
			Discovering how insurers get your medical information
			Monitoring insurance claims for errors
			Dealing with denied medical claims
		Resolving Credit Issues After the Death of a Spouse or Partner
			Understanding what happens to joint credit when you’re single again
			Knowing exactly what your liability is
			Building your credit record on your own
		Fitting Credit into Retirement
			Budgeting on a fixed income
			Using credit for convenience
Part 4 Making Sense of Credit Reporting and Scoring
	Chapter 13 Discovering How Credit Reporting Works
		Grasping the Importance of Your Credit Report
		What Is a Credit Report, Exactly?
			Revealing the facts about your financial transactions
			Providing insight into your character
		The Negatives and Positives of Credit Reporting
			The negatives
			The positives
		Your Credit Report’s Numerical Offspring: The Credit Score
			Cracking credit score components
			The reasoning behind risk factors
	Chapter 14 Understanding Credit Reports and Scores
		Getting Copies of Your Credit Reports
			Where to get your reports
			What you need to provide
			When to get copies of your credit reports
		Tracking Down Specialty Reports: From Apartments to Casinos to Prescriptions
		Perusing Your Credit Reports
			Identifying information: It’s all about who you are
			Accounts summary: An overview of your financial history
			Bankruptcy public records: The most serious element in a credit report
			Credit inquiries: Tracking who has been accessing your file
			Account history: Think of it as a payment CSI
			Your optional 100-word statements: Making sure your voice is heard
		Correcting Any Errors You Find
			Contacting the credit bureau
			Contacting the creditor
		Getting and Understanding Your Credit Scores
			Ordering your score
			Telling a good score from a bad one
			Connecting pricing to your credit score
			Knowing the reason for reason statements
	Chapter 15 Monitoring Your Credit Reports and Scores
		How Credit Monitoring Really Works
		Understanding the Types of Monitoring Services Available
		Making a Case for and against Third-Party Credit Monitoring
			Monitoring on your own
			When paid monitoring may be worth the time and money
			Recognizing the protection you have already
		Getting Your Money’s Worth from Monitoring Services
		Setting Alarms, Alerts, and Freezes
			Alarms
			Fraud alerts
			Credit freezes
Part 5 Successfully Managing Your Credit for Life
	Chapter 16 Putting Yourself in Control of Your Credit
		Determining Your Credit Style
		Balancing Spending, Savings, and Credit Use
			Spending on your terms
			Saving for financial emergencies
			Using credit to enhance your life
		Remembering the Importance of Planning When It Comes to Your Credit
			Zeroing in on the plans others have for your money
			Developing your own plans for your future
	Chapter 17 Taking a Sustainable Approach to Your Credit
		Going Green: Treating Credit as a Renewable Resource
			Recognizing your credit environment
			Taking a closer look at the parts that make up your credit ecosystem
		Sustaining Your Credit Ecosystem for Life
			Funding college
			Home sweet home
			Credit on wheels
		Steering Clear of Credit Pollution
			Endangering your payment history
			Clear-cutting your credit in bankruptcy
			Outlasting a long, cold credit winter
		Surviving and Reviving After a Credit Catastrophe
			Understanding what happened
			Rebuilding your credit ecosystem
	Chapter 18 Safeguarding Your Credit with a Spending Plan
		Appreciating the Benefits of a Solid Spending Plan
		Deciding on Goals: Imagining Your Future as You Want It to Be
			Setting the stage for planning
			Categorizing your goals
			Putting your goals in order
		Building Your Vision of Your Future
			Step 1: Counting up your income
			Step 2: Tallying what you spend
			Step 3: Making savings part of your spending plan
			Step 4: Managing your credit to improve your spending plan
			Step 5: Looking at your insurance options
			Step 6: Planning for the IRS
			Step 7: Planning for retirement
		Using Cool Tools to Help You Build and Stick to a Spending Plan
			Web-based financial calculators
			Budgeting websites
			Smartphone apps
			Spending plan assistance
		Adjusting Your Priorities and Your Plan
	Chapter 19 Understanding Equity and Diversity in Credit
		Benefitting from Financial Inclusion
		Participating in the Financial System
		Taking or Retaking Control of Your Credit
		Educating Yourself on How the System Works
		Tackling Debt
			Student loans
			Payday loans
			Collections
			Bankruptcy
		Working Toward the Goal of Homeownership
	Chapter 20 Knowing Your Rights to Protect Your Credit
		Why You Have the Right to Credit Protections
		The CARD Act: Shielding You from Credit Card Abuse
		The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau: The New Cop on the Financial Beat
		Safeguarding Your Credit Data through the FACT Act
		The FDCPA: Providing Protection Against Debt Collectors
			Controlling the contacts
			Finding out about the debt
			Stopping a collector from contacting you
			Spotting prohibited behavior
			Suing a collector
		The CROA: Getting What You Pay For
			Knowing what credit repair organizations must do
			Understanding what credit repair companies can’t do
		Exploring Other Protections
			The ins and outs of payday loans
			The details of debt settlement
			The scoop on the statute of limitations
	Chapter 21 Protecting Your Identity
		Keeping Thieves at Bay
			Getting on the technology train
			Looking out for phishing scams
			Safeguarding your computer data
			Keeping passwords secret
			Protecting your mail
			Storing financial data in your home
			Putting your credit information on ice
			Shielding your credit card number
		Catching Identity Thieves in the Act
			Watching for early-warning notices
			Early warnings from the IRS
			Handling a collections call
			Detecting unauthorized charges
			Being denied credit or account access
			Noticing missing account statements
Part 6 The Part of Tens
	Chapter 22 Ten Consumer Protections Everyone Needs to Know
		The Fair Debt Collection Practices Act
		The Bankruptcy Abuse Prevention and Consumer Protection Act
		Your Lawyer
		Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act
		Statute of Limitations Laws
		Your State Attorney General
		The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau
		The Credit Card Accountability, Responsibility, and Disclosure Act
		The Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act
		The Federal Trade Commission
	Chapter 23 Ten Strategies for Dealing with Student Loans
		Knowing How Student Loans Are Reported Differently Than Other Loans
		Dealing with the Collection Process
		Identifying the Best Repayment Option for Your Situation
		Taking Your Loans to Bankruptcy
		Dealing with the Prospect of Default
		Gaining Student Loan Forgiveness
		Lowering Your Bill While You’re in School
		Keeping Up with Your Loans After You’re Out
		Setting Limits During the Planning and Application Process
		Getting Help if You’re in the Military
	Chapter 24 Ten Ways to Deal with a Mortgage Meltdown
		Knowing When You’re in Trouble
		Knowing How Your State’s Laws Treat Foreclosures
			Nonrecourse or recourse
			Judicial or nonjudicial
		Deciding Whether to Stay or Go
			Walking away
			Working with the lender to exit
			Staying the course
		Tightening Your Spending to Stay in Your Home
		Prioritizing Your Spending to Build Cash
		Lessening the Damage to Your Credit
		Knowing Who to Call
		Beware of Scams
		Beefing Up Your Credit
		Consulting an Attorney
Index
EULA