After reading a fair share of misleading credit repair advice on the web, we found this article by Examiner.com to be a refreshing review of the right things to do when it comes to do-it-yourself credit repair:

You see, at Veracity, we approach everything we do with complete transparency. We do not claim to do anything that you cannot do yourself. We do however, for the most part, have greater experience with the information and tools needed to repair credit.

If anything, we think Leslie Davis sums up DIY credit repair pretty well when she says:

It is possible to fix your own credit if you have the tenacity, diligence, stubbornness, patience and time to harass all three bureaus endlessly.

Yep. That’s about right (although we don’t recommend “harassing” anyone). And that is precisely why credit repair services like Veracity exist in the first place. Law allows for you to repair your own credit, to request credit reports and file disputes with the three bureaus. However, knowledge doesn’t always equal time. And you need plenty of that to put in all the work required to repair your credit.

What Ms. Davis tells you about credit reports is true: You are entitled to a free one every year (which, as she mentions, can be obtained at AnnualCreditReport.com). Once you’ve deciphered your credit report, then you can approach credit repair DIY-style by beginning to file disputes and awaiting responses.

But don’t be surprised if credit repair is a bit overwhelming by yourself. After all, your credit took a long time to get in the shape it’s in, so repair isn’t going to happen over night. Veracity has the diligence and experience needed to deal with the credit bureaus and get the best results.

Ms. Davis gives a 12-step summary concerning credit repair that is both informative and very accurate, including one of Veracity’s tried-and-true pieces of advice: paying your bills on time. As Ms. Davis points out:

Most people with high 700 or low 800 scores pay off the balances religiously. In doing so they avoid the interest associated with using the credit and boost their scores.

And she goes on in the next step:

If you have existing debt, the best way to get the scores up is to pay down the debt. If you do carry credit card balances, spread out the debt over multiple credit cards. Opening new lines of credit involves credit inquiries. This will have an impact, but it will be offset by the benefit of low balances, assuming that is possible. Sometimes there is too much debt involved to pursue this tactic. If you are already close to the limit on several cards, it is not a good idea to apply for additional credit. It would do more harm than good.

This second section goes beyond the “pay your bills” common sense advice, bringing up another good point. If you are having credit issues and you are trying to repair your credit, think twice before applying for new lines of credit. While it will increase your overall balance, there is the initial negative that comes with your credit report being pulled (which will happen any time you apply for new credit) and the fact that, if you’re already in debt, you probably don’t need more.

Ms. Davis’ advise and 12 steps to credit repair are something that we, at Veracity, can get behind. But if you find DIY credit repair to be too much, just contact us and we can help you through the process and get you on your way to financial freedom.