Quick update to my situation. You may remember I said I'm trying to clean up my credit and had sent out a few validation letters to CA's. My next step was to get my CR. I did that today at myFICO, along with the 3 CR's. FICO is 534. Yech! A LOT of judgements on there that I don't recall from 98-99. They could be valid, my wife paid the bills at the time and kept me in the dark about the finances. That's my own fault. There are also a lot of collection accounts for medical bills (she's had a lot of medical problems, and we didn't have insurance for about two years). Not really asking any questions, just needed to vent. Most of the CA accounts are from 1998 and 1999, so I've got a ways to go before the drop off the CR. I guess I'll just validate and dispute and see what happens. Not sure what to do about all the judgements. Also, there is a credit card reporting a charged off account on me. I swear, I don't think I ever had this card! I certainly never received any bills. Dispute with CRA as not mine, I suppose. Thanks for listening.
Yes, dispute as not mine. All of them. I do not have insurance either. I understand that hardship factor. I have heard so many stories of couples and finances and one or the other taking advantage or having control and the eventual nightmare that ensues. I really believe that just becase people are married they do not have to have joint credit/accounts. Maybe one joint CC, one joint checking and one joint savings, especially if you have kids. BUT then each can have their own of each, too! Much simpler and safer, even if credit limits would be lower! I am no longer married. But when I was married the only joint account we had was one checking account. I shudder to think how much more complicated things would have been in the end. Especially since we were citizens of different countries and he went back home. Luckily neither of us tried to make things more difficult than they already were, in the end, after all. I feel for you. But all is well and there is hope and lots of support for you here
Judgments - first step get all the old addresses associated with those judgments off your credit reports. Second step - I would head down to the courthouse and get copies of those to see whats up.
Going down to the courthouse not really an option for me. I've moved three times, each time to different states, since these judgements were filed. Don't know if I can get that sort of thing by mail... I should also mention I have student loans that have defaulted, and are being sent by the Dept. of Ed. to a CA. My plan is to resume making payments and rehabilitating these loans in an effort to convert them to positive tradelines. There will still be some bad history on the CR's from these, I'm sure...but there really is no getting around the Federal Government when they guarantee your loans.
Agreeing with jlynn - the 1st step is to call the CRAs and casually tell them the old addresses aren't valid - no need to offer a reason, just tell them you never lived there. Afterward, you can dispute the judgements as "not mine". Don't dispute them while you're removing the addresses, though. (By the way, TU will let you dispute/delete personal info on their website - just have a recent copy handy and start the online dispute.) You might also consider waiting to dispute until right after Thanksgiving. You'll start seeing a lot of "CHOD" references on the board soon. Basically, it's a blitz of disputes to the CRAs during the holidays, when they and many businesses are understaffed due to holiday vacations. I was able to drop 2 judgements off one CRA by removing the addresses and disputing later, during CHOD. I had disputed them many times previously but hadn't deleted the old addresses beforehand. Good luck !!
