Hey all, long time lurker! Thanks to your collective help, I've already disputed my credit reports, signed up for Quizzle and FICO Score Watch accounts, and paid off many of my debts. I’ve gone from 570 to 617 (FICO)/660 (Equifax)/627 (Experian) in a matter of months! But now I’m stuck – what would be the next step to improve my score? I’ve included my credit snapshot below. I was planning on sending Goodwill letters to all accounts to see if I could get some of these dropped off, but would love some more advice. Thank you! My Story: I was a college student and had taken out my first credit cards in 2006. By 2010, both parents had lost their jobs and so had I - and I was forced to drop out (yay, recession!). I had to take a hit on those credit cards (which I used to pay for classes, textbooks) because I simply couldn’t pay. Flash forward to 2014, where I’ve graduated from college, have a full-time job, and went through the process of going through those old debts and trying to fix my credit. I have been paying all of my student loans and obligations on time – so I won’t include those in my credit snapshot below, but they do factor in (used your advice to get goodwill account corrections – 2-3 late payments entirely dropped off!) Open/Positive Accounts: ecrb/Care Credit Mar, 2014 (Revolving health care credit card) Status as of Mar, 2014 Date opened Jul, 2013 Loan type Charge Account Credit limit $3,000 Largest past balance $0 Account Type Revolving Account holder Individual Industry Sales Financing Balance Current Status $0 Pays account as agreed Seven year payment history 30 days late 0 times 60 days late 0 times 90+ days late 0 times Collections: Collection on debt to: _________ Apartments The collection agency "491YC99798" (???) was hired to collect a debt of $424 originally owed to "_____Apartments" on account number "XXXXXXX". Collection agency 491YC99798 Original balance $424 Current balance $0 Date assigned Jun 02, 2009 Original lender Brandywine Apartments Account number XXXXXXX Account holder Joint Account descriptions Consumer disputes this account information – I had to end my lease early and move back to my parents’ home, but left money with my roommates to cover my share of the rent. They didn’t pay the rent in full, but they did settle with collections. Worth sending a goodwill letter, since it’s been paid? Account paid for less than full balance Collection on debt to: Midland Funding Llc A collection agency was hired to collect a debt of $773 originally owed to "Midland Funding Llc". Original balance $773 Current balance $0 Date assigned Jul, 2012 Original lender Midland Funding Llc Account holder Individual Account descriptions Consumer disputes this account information Paid collection – in full (ugh they were nasty) – planning on sending goodwill letter, when disputed they just “updated it” – info is exactly the same Public Records Charge-offs (Paid Through Collection Agencies): Chase - Pier 1 Mar, 2014 Status as of Mar, 2014 Date opened Jul, 2008 Date of last activity Sep, 2008 Loan type Charge Account Credit limit $300 Largest past balance $307 Account Type Revolving Account holder Individual Industry National Credit Card Cos. Descriptions Paid charge off – through collection agency, worth sending goodwill letter? Contact Information 201 N Walnut Street 90+ days late 24 times (Nov 2010, Oct 2010, Sep 2010) Bank Of America Mar, 2014 / Paid Through Asset Acceptance (which I got deleted from my report! – would sending a GW letter & proof of payment to collection agency help?) Status as of Mar, 2014 Date opened Jul, 2007 Date of last activity Dec, 2008 Loan type Credit Card Credit limit $0 Account Type Revolving Account holder Individual Industry National Credit Card Cos. Descriptions Charged off account Contact Information 4060 Ogletown/Stanton Rd De5-019-03-07 Newark, DE 19713 (800) 421-2110 Balance Current Status $0 Charge-off Chase Bank Usa, Na Mar, 2014 (paid, plan on sending GW letter) Status as of Mar, 2014 Date opened Oct, 2007 Date of last activity Sep, 2008 Loan type Credit Card Credit limit $500 Largest past balance $1,054 Account Type Revolving Account holder Individual Industry National Credit Card Cos. Descriptions Paid charge off In Progress Campus Partners Mar, 2014 (Currently paying in debt rehabilitation, account will change to paid as agreed in October 2014) Status as of Mar, 2014 Date opened Aug, 2006 Date of last activity Jul, 2011 Account number XXXXXXXXXX1408 Loan type Education Loan Largest past balance $3,000 Account Type Unknown Scheduled Payment Amount $40 Industry Other Descriptions Fixed rate Contact Information Ndsl-Cb Analyst Po Box 3176 Winston-Salem, NC 27102-3176 (336) 607-2351 Balance Current Status Past Due Amount $3,000 Contact member for status $1,171
