Assuming you already have a copy of your annual credit report you may have already found some errors that should be removed. Errors should always be a big concern because they can and probably have affected your credit score, also called a FICO. You can repair your credit with a little bit of help.

It may seem like a lot of work but it’s really easy. The hardest part is actually sitting down to do it. You’ll need to check all three credit bureaus to make sure the same error isn’t on all three but if you just have one credit report, start with that one.

First make a list of any and all errors that you find on your personal credit report. These could be in the form of personal information such as birth date or more likely there will be information that you know not to be true such as late payments or no payments recorded etc. If you think there is any possibility that you could be wrong check your past history with the creditor in question first.

You want to make sure you are right before you make the request to have any information removed from your credit report.

You will be sending the letter only to the credit bureau mentioned on the report, which would be Esperian, Equifax or TransUnion. You don’t want to sound angry in the letter, just be matter-of-fact, straightforward and business-like. Just outline the facts – name of creditor, dates, and the error(s) or problem(s) you’re finding on the credit report.

Here is a sample letter:

Date:

To whom it may concern at Esperian (or other credit bureau):

I recently acquired a copy of my credit report and found some errors that I’d like to dispute. I am enclosing documentation to prove the information is incorrect and would like a correction. I value my good standing and good credit history and want to maintain a good credit rating and credit score.

Name the creditor along with the reference date including the month, day and year if possible.

The error(s) I have found are:

I’m including copies of my payment record, with a (cancelled check or online payment print-outs or any other documentation that you have).
I would appreciate any attention to the matter as I would like my credit report to be accurate. I’m sure you understand that credit bureaus need to include only information that is accurate in my file.

Thank you for taking a look at my letter and file and hopefully making the necessary corrections so I can continue to maintain my good credit standing. Please let me know that my file has been reviewed and what action has been taken. I would also like a copy of my corrected credit report sent to the enclosed address. Thank you.

Sincerely,

Besides your full name as shown on the report, include you mailing address, a copy of the report that you have, your social security number, driver’s license photocopy and any other documentation such as a cancelled check or online payment confirmations.

Make a copy of the letter for yourself and a copy of any enclosures with the letter. Send the dispute letter by certified mail with a ‘return receipt’ requested. Then make sure to get the free credit reports from the other two main credit bureaus or reporting agencies to make sure they don’t have the same incorrect information. You can get free instant credit reports from the other two online.

There are right ways and wrong ways to effectively achieve fast credit report repair. Unfortunately, a lot of the advice that is out there is either wrong or more complicated than it needs to be. That is because for the most part, fast credit report repair information is provided by agencies that offer their service to help you fix your credit. If they provide information that is ineffective or complicated, they hope you’ll realize that you need the help of a professional. However, it doesn’t need to be that difficult to improve your credit score.

After you have determined what your credit score looks like, the first thing you need to do is understand what is causing it to be where it is. Are there mistakes on your report, do you have a history of not paying your loans back on time, or did you try to apply for too many loans too quick? You have to review your credit report and closely analyze it to make sure you fully understand what is causing your rating to be where it is.

Once you have identified the problem areas, create a list that ranks the items that are having the greatest impact on your credit rating. This will help you decide where you need to focus your attention. For example, if you have a bankruptcy on file that should not be there, along with a few misspellings of your employer and your previous address, you’ll want to focus all of your effort on removing the bankruptcy from your file and worry about the minor details later. This will allow you to work fast and get the cooperation you need from the reporting agencies when you request an adjustment to be made.

Obviously bankruptcy on your file is going to have a big negative affect on your credit worthiness, but you also want to look at your available credit to debt ratio, your repayment history, closed accounts that should be open, and accounts that do not belong to you. When you learn how to have these removed from your credit report, you can instantly increase your score without the help of a professional.