If you have information on your credit report you believe is erroneous, you have a right to write to the credit reporting agencies and request an investigation. The credit reporting agencies, in turn, must either verify that the information is correct or remove the information from your report. They do not have to remove information that is accurate. You cannot force them to remove accurate negative credit reporting, but they are required by federal law to remove anything that is inaccurate or which they cannot verify.

1. • 1

     Request a copy of your credit report from each of the three major credit reporting agencies: Experian, Equifax and TransUnion. You can do so at the free Annual Credit Report website.

     Read more »

A credit report is a record of your credit history. It tells potential creditors, landlords and sometimes employers how you pay your debt obligations. There are three major credit bureaus --- Equifax, Experian and TransUnion --- that handle the majority of credit-reporting activities. You can request a copy of your report by mail, but you must provide certain information in your request letter so the credit bureau can positively identify you as the person named on the report.

1. • 1

     Write the date at the top-left side of the paper. Write the name and address of the credit bureau you are requesting a credit report from. Address the letter "To whom it may concern" or "Dear Sir or Madam."

     Read more »

Mortgage loans are often jointly owned. These home loans are often quite costly and long term, and require a strong dual income to support the mortgage payment. In many cases, the two signers on the mortgage are married couples. In other cases, joint tenants are boyfriends and girlfriends, siblings or children and parents. However, if the time comes to split the mortgage, the process can be challenging. Unfortunately, the mortgage cannot be split evenly--instead, there is only one option: refinance.

1. • 1

     Review the divorce agreement with your attorney, your ex-spouse and your attorneys, if you are getting a divorce. It is important to consult the agreement to make sure that you are following the orders of the divorce judge. Divorce court tries to be equitable--either requiring the house be sold or requiring one party to buy out the other. Consult this document before approaching a mortgage split.

     Read more »

Having a lien on your credit report can greatly impact your finances. It will be more difficult to get future credit from creditors. There are different types of liens that can affect a credit report such as mechanical liens and IRS tax liens. You cannot get tax liens erased from your credit report until seven years after you have fully paid the taxes.

1. The Process

   • 1

     If the taxes are still outstanding, hire a reputable tax attorney to assist you with dealing with the IRS. The tax attorney will help you to show any financial inability to pay the tax lien and offer the IRS a compromise to pay an amount that is reasonable. The attorney will be able to negotiate on your behalf.

     Read more »

Learn how to remove late payments on your credit report. This will raise your credit score and make it easier to get loans.

1. • 1

     Get your credit reports. You can get a free copy of your credit reports from the site listed below or from any free credit report website. You can also get a copy from any lender that has recently denied you credit. You may also request one from the credit bureaus if you have been denied credit recently.

   • 2

     Find late payment errors. Review your credit reports for any late payments that could be erroneous or inaccurate. 79% of all credit reports have errors and 25% of those errors are severe enough to deny you credit.

     Read more »

The primary reason to refinance an auto is to lower the interest rate and decrease the monthly payment on the vehicle. Qualifying for a refinance is similar to qualifying for financing a vehicle, so the lender is going to check your credit, ask for employment information and evaluate the value of the vehicle.

1. • 1

     Collect your credit report and score. One of the primary factors that determines your qualification for a refinance is your credit score. You can order your credit report and score from each of three credit agencies --- Experian, Equifax and TransUnion.

   • 2

     Obtain a payoff on your current auto loan. Call the current financing company for the vehicle and request the payoff amount. The payoff amount includes the total you owe, including interest, up to the date that the payoff amount is issued.

     Read more »

Even though a variety of lenders exist, from low interest-rate manufacturer's financing to subprime lending, banks require the same information for approval. Contrary to public opinion, an excellent credit score is not always the answer for financing approval. While most banks want to see is that you have a decent income and have established time with your employer and at your address. Before applying for a pre-approval or loan, learn which information the banks require.

1. • 1

     Determine the contact name and number at your job you'll use on your application so that the bank can verify your information about length of employment. In addition, you'll need to figure out your year-to-date income, which banks generally prefer over $22,000 per-year. Find your most recent paystub for proof of income (or two years worth of tax returns for the self-employed); the bank requires this information for the application.

     Read more »

Through the years, real estate has been one of the best investments for both individuals and commercial institutions. Rental property can be a particularly valuable investment, since it combines the potential for long-term appreciation with current cash flow. But no matter how promising the investment, it is important for property investors to screen potential tenants carefully. Getting rid of a bad tenant is time-consuming and costly, so the best strategy is to check a potential tenant's credit carefully before allowing him to move in.

1. • 1

     Ask the potential tenant to complete a rental application. You can obtain sample rental applications from a number of sources, including the Internet, but it is always a good idea to have a rental agreement for your property drawn up by a qualified real estate attorney. Everyone's situation is different, and having an attorney create the application is the best way to protect your property and your interests.

     Read more »

If you suspect you have bad credit or have just been turned down for something you have applied for due to your credit, it is important to actually research what that means. If you need to repair your credit to increase your score you will need to understand how bad it actually is.

1. • 1

     Order a copy of your credit report. According to the Fair Credit Reporting Act, you have the right to a free credit report once a year from all three of the bureaus. You can order a tri-merge report with all of your credit information and scores together or individually from TransUnion, Equifax and Experion.

     Read more »

Placing a fraud alert on a credit report will help prevent and protect you from future identity theft crimes. A fraud alert is a valuable tool in fighting identity theft. Here are steps to protect yourself from identity thieves with the help of a fraud alert.

1. • 1

     Call the national credit bureaus immediately if your identity has been lost, stolen or released onto an unsecure website. The three major credit bureaus are Experion, TransUnion and Equifax. Guard your personal identity which includes your social security number, name and address, birthday, and account numbers.

   • 2

     Don't wait to report a discrepancy to the credit bureaus. Clearing your name from the actions of identity thieves will be difficult if too much time has past without protesting the charges.

     Read more »