Guides
Credit and Debt: Improve Your Score and Pay Down What You Owe
Guides to credit scores, credit reports, disputing errors and paying down debt, plus what to know before hiring a credit repair or debt relief company.
Your credit affects the interest rate you pay on a mortgage, a car loan or a credit card, and sometimes whether you get approved at all. Debt that grows faster than you can pay it down can limit your choices for years. The good news is that the rules for credit reports and debt collection give you real rights.
This section explains how credit scores are calculated, how to get your free credit reports, how to dispute errors with the credit bureaus, and what debt collectors can and cannot do under federal law. We also cover practical ways to pay down debt, such as the avalanche and snowball methods, consolidation and when a nonprofit credit counseling agency may help.
If you are considering a credit repair or debt relief company, read our guides first. Federal law limits what these companies can charge and promise. No one can legally remove accurate, timely negative information from your credit report, and anything a company can do for you, you can usually do yourself for free.
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