Cleaning Up Your Credit Report

[crabcakes]

Is it possible for transunion to not find my credit report after BK? I needed a copy of my report after my case was discharge but was told that they cannot find it . I got a letter in the mail today that looked suspicious because the letter appeared like it came from transunion and it was asking me for some information about my driver's license, bank statement, cancelled check. Any advice. It even told me to go their website.

[garyp15]

I would dispute it with Experian first, not Amex.

Amy,
will do and thanks again

[Amy26]

I would dispute it with Experian first, not Amex.

[garyp15]

No, if it says Charge off on it you need to dispute it. The debt wasn't charged off it was included in your bankruptcy. Also make sure they don't have any delinquency dates listed on it after your file date.

Amy,
Thanks for the info...I guess I will have to dispute it with AMEX..are there any form letters that can be used? Also, is there anything that points out the legality or lack of, in reporting an amount as a charge off when it was included in a bk.?

[Jmotr]

Question for you guys, I checked my credit report post chapter 7 discharge and found that I had 10 credit report pulls from collection agencies and or Collection Attorneys. I did not authorize any of these pulls and this of course pulls my FICO score down even further. Are those disputable and or removable?

[Amy26]

No, if it says Charge off on it you need to dispute it. The debt wasn't charged off it was included in your bankruptcy. Also make sure they don't have any delinquency dates listed on it after your file date.

[garyp15]

I'm a bit confused. On my experian report for AMEX it states "Included in Chapter 7 bankruptcy" and below that it states "Charge off"...and shows a 0 balance. Is this ok? If not what needs to be corrected.

[Amy26]

How long should I wait after my bk discharge to check my credit reports for inaccuracies. I mean, how long does it take for the correct information to show up?

I started a week after I was discharged. My discharged showed up on my reports days after it happened and I wasted no time getting in there and repairing it. My mentality was why wait for the creditors to get their acts together for months and then have it hurt my score that whole time when I could get in there and be proactive and personally I think it paid off well... I've been able to get my score up significantly.

[LSUTiger32]

Hi
I recently pulled my credit report from Equifax. All my BK accounts are showing correctly. In 2007, I co-signed a GMAC loan for my nephew. In Sept, 2008 he bought another vehicle and rolled my co-signed loan into his own loan, so the loan I had with him is paid off. The description for the loan says closed/zero balance, but the current status says 30 days past due, which is saying it is a negative indicator. I'm sure at one point he was probably late with the payment. Does anyone know how long the current status will remain 30 days past due or if I would be able to dispute it to get it removed?
Thanks for any help!

Dispute it. It's incorrect. Like you said, he may been late once, but that should be under times late not the current status. Don't mention anything other than the current status is being incorrectly reported.

[treehuggie]

Hi
I recently pulled my credit report from Equifax. All my BK accounts are showing correctly. In 2007, I co-signed a GMAC loan for my nephew. In Sept, 2008 he bought another vehicle and rolled my co-signed loan into his own loan, so the loan I had with him is paid off. The description for the loan says closed/zero balance, but the current status says 30 days past due, which is saying it is a negative indicator. I'm sure at one point he was probably late with the payment. Does anyone know how long the current status will remain 30 days past due or if I would be able to dispute it to get it removed?
Thanks for any help!

[backtoschool]

Although waiting several months will not really hurt you, buying a credit report right away and disputing what is incorrect will speed up the process of repair. Some trade lines can be disputed pretty much immediately after discharge. Some trade lines will take longer to report zero balances and a discharged bk. Ymmv.

[LSUTiger32]

How long should I wait after my bk discharge to check my credit reports for inaccuracies. I mean, how long does it take for the correct information to show up?

Wait at least a month, but most people suggest waiting even longer (6 months). I think two months is a good middle ground, you want to make sure they have had time to report. Most places report only once per month.

[backtoschool]

How long should I wait after my bk discharge to check my credit reports for inaccuracies. I mean, how long does it take for the correct information to show up?

I would check a couple of weeks after discharge and start disputing, and then dispute for the next couple of months as well. Once you are officially discharged you can put that discharge date in your dispute when you dispute the inaccuracies. The sooner you fix the inaccuracies, the sooner you can repair and rebuild your score.

[BankruptinNJ]

How long should I wait after my bk discharge to check my credit reports for inaccuracies. I mean, how long does it take for the correct information to show up?

[curiouscat]

Thanks for the good info here. I have a slightly different variation of a credit reporting question: Soft and hard inquiries that are run after you have filed (stay in place) should have to be removed, shouldn't they? They are no longer permissible purposes and are attempts to collect debt. The TU people (in India) didn't have a clue what I was talking about and argued that it is a "permissible purpose".