I am in the process of starting my credit repair and want to make sure I am creating a viable papertrail that will aid in any court case I may pur-sue (haha). Any advice on the different things I need to make sure I capture and the best way of capturing them? I'm not a detail oriented person, so if you can also offer advice on organizing all of this stuff so I don't miss anything important I would appreciate it.
Get some files, file labels, and accordion files. On the inside cover of each file (your left side), I like to keep the telephone numbers for the company or any other telephone numbers. I also staple my handwritten notes on the left side and make a note with each call that I make. You may wanna keep a separate "handwritten note" file, depending on your preference. Label your files with the labels and keep a separate accordion for each subject...this will fall into place. At first you will have a file for each CRA in one accordion. Eventually, you will have a separate accordion for each CRA..or maybe a few accordions for each CRA. When you send mail to a CRA, you should get some type of proof of mailing. Certified Mail is preferred, but I have used Certificate of Mailing to some extent as well. If you have a fax machine, that is great, save fax confirmation sheets and staple them to the back of your copy of each letter. I also staple my proof of mailing to the fax confirmation sheet. That should get you rolling.
I keep 1 manilla folder for each creditor, each bureau, and one for credit reports. On the left side of the folder I keep a paper with the dates of all activity. EXAMPLE: 9/15 disputed dipshit collections acct# 3040540 "not mine" 9/20 called to remove address spoke to carol 9/22 received green card back for disput #3040540 GOOD LUCK!!!
I bought one of the one-drawer filing cabinets for $20 at Staples, 2 boxes of hanging file ($8 a peice) and used the labels included with the files. My folders have increased to one per CA and one per CRA. (Plus other pesonal stuff.) Also, it helped me to cross-file. For example, if I disputed a CA account with EQ, I put a copy of the dispute in the CA file and the EQ file so it would be easy to find. Attempting to stay organized is key, or you will miss some very important details. I started out with just a stack of papers on my desk, and I finally got frustrated having to shuffle through 50 papers to get the one I want.
Papertrail? More like paper path! I hear ya. I got a plastic file cabinet thingy to put in the closet, and started out with 100 manilla envelopes. Thus far, I have greatly reduced my aggrivation in hunting for papers, and green cards by spending an hour a day, cleaning out the junk drawers, coffee table, hutch, bookcase...etc. Highly recommended. I spent about $30 for the cabinet, hanging folders, and manilla folders. It's saved my butt several times.
