Robert G. Yetman, Jr. Editor At Large Credit monitoring and identity theft services are very popular, but the significant amount of marketing that goes into promoting them tends to give customers a false sense of security. Experts in the field roundly dismiss the utility of credit monitoring as a means by which to protect oneself from identity thieves with any real vigor, but the services remain exceedingly popular. This is not to say they are devoid of any value, but the problem is that because they lack the aforementioned vigor in protecting someone from having his credit breached by an... Read more →

by Robert G. Yetman, Jr., Managing Editor, The James L. Paris Report One of the biggest mistakes people make when seeking to improve their credit scores is to focus on “fixing” the negative entries that stick out like sore thumbs on a credit report. At an intuitive level, it makes sense to try to mitigate the impact of such items by focusing on them directly…to try to settle old items in collections, or to even challenge the items repeatedly in hopes that they will eventually drop off the report. However, the reality is that negative items are not a good... Read more →

There is one topic that this blog can always rely on for a huge response from readers: Credit Repair. Major reforms have just taken place in the world of credit scoring, and it is about time. Let me make clear that all of this was the result of a settlement between the credit bureaus and regulators, chief among them the state of New York. Also brewing was federal legislation that would have contained some of the most sweeping reforms since the Fair Credit Reporting Act (1970). This was not (as it might appear to be) a purely magnanimous move on... Read more →

What To Do When You Can't Pay Your Bills It may be one of life's scariest moments. You realize that there are significantly more bills than you have money to pay them with. It might be the result of overspending for months or even years, on the other hand it could simply be the loss of a job and no emergency savings to fall back on. We don't seem to have much to offer people in such predicaments within the Christian community. Consider it tantamount to offering an exercise program or a cholesterol pill to someone having a heart attack.... Read more →

It may be one of life's scariest moments. You realize that there are significantly more bills than you have money to pay them with. It might be the result of overspending for months or even years, on the other hand it could simply be the loss of a job and no emergency savings to fall back on. The Next Six Week Christian Budget Workshop Is No Answer We don't seem to have much to offer people in such predicaments within the Christian community. Consider it tantamount to offering an exercise program or a cholesterol pill to someone having a heart... Read more →

Hackers recently infiltrated the computer network of Sony Pictures and posted online the Social Security numbers of Sylester Stallone, Conan O'Brien, and tens of thousands of current and former employees. We don't know if Rocky cried out, 'Adrian, Adrian, my identity has been stolen,' but it is likely that he uttered a few choice words. While some speculated that North Korea was behind the security breach, they have denied it (but can we believe them?). The working theory on the involvment of North Korea was that the breach was in retaliation for an upcoming comedy about Kim Jon Un. An... Read more →

These days, it’s hardly out of the ordinary for people to carry significant credit card balances. It’s not necessarily due to self-indulgent, carefree living or anything like that, but, rather, because of just how difficult it is to get by these days, in a world still characterized by economic malaise, to include rampant underemployment, which, in many respects, is worse than the outright unemployment problem plaguing the nation. One such person recently asked for my thoughts on just how to get out from under his burdensome credit card debt. His situation is not unusual: he’s a fellow with three cards,... Read more →

According to a study recently conducted by the Urban Institute, just over one-third of adult Americans with a credit file have a debt in collections. For purposes of this study, “debt in collections” refers to a non-mortgage debt/bill, like a credit card or utility bill, that is more than six months past due. Perhaps just as shockingly, according to this study, is that just over five percent of all Americans with a credit file has a credit report that reflects past due debt, which means they are between 30 and 180 days late on a non-mortgage payment. This data is... Read more →

I shared a graphic the other night on my live workshop on credit repair that I just had to make part of a blog post. If you understand what I am about to share with you, you will be in a position to very quickly raise your credit score. The chart above could not make it more clear that the real credit game is in the two largest slices of the credit scoring pie. 30% Debt Utilization Ratio Fancy term, right? But the idea is simple. On revolving accounts, points are added to your score by comparing the amount of... Read more →

There is quite a lot of confusion about the issue of how long an item can legally stay on a credit report. Oddly enough, people will really dig in their heels about what they believe to be true. There are about as many urban myths about time limits in the world of credit repair as there are Elvis sightings. The above comment is on one of our very popular YouTube videos on credit repair. Note the classic confusion and misunderstanding about the issue of statute of limitations and the length of time an item can stay on a credit report.... Read more →

One of the most common misunderstandings about credit repair is the amount of importance given to negative accounts. When most people begin to review their credit report, the first thing they are drawn to are the so called 'bad accounts.' They mistakenly believe that if they could just clear up these items they would end up with a good score. Oddly enough, tinkering with these accounts will usually do nothing to raise your score, and will many times do just the opposite. The Absence Of 'Bad Credit ' Does Not Make A Good Credit Score The misguided and uninformed will... Read more →

New Video On Credit Repair I am contacted on a daily basis by people that are not only being treated like third class citizens, their lives have been ruined due to a low credit score. A poor credit score follows you everywhere you go and has an impact on virtually every aspect of your life. Not only will you be stuck with the highest interest rates, you may not be able to borrow at all. Those with damaged credit end up renting and have given up on any hopes of owning a home. Insurance rates in many states include a... Read more →

The Internet has changed just about everything, and that includes the world of credit reports and credit repair. Consumers can now access their credit files online and even initiate disputes through credit bureau websites. If you have read our book Credit Scoring Secrets, you are well aware of your credit rights. Of course, the centerpiece of credit repair is the dispute letter. We have our own series of credit repair letters that are available for free to members of ChristianMoneyPlus.com. Today I want to address a frequent question on whether or not to use the online dispute option (now available... Read more →

Eight benefits of Peer To Peer lending and how to use this funding source to quickly pay off high interest rate credit card debt. Read more →

8 benefits of Peer To Peer lending and how to use this funding source to quickly pay off high interest rate credit card debt. Read more →