If you had kept a record of who you owed money to then perhaps your debt could have been avoided. But now it is time to work on fixing your score for a solid future. Follow this advice to improve your credit score quickly.

Credit Card Balances

Keep your credit card balances below 50 percent of your credit limit. If your credit card balances exceed 50% of their limits, it will lower your credit score, so spread your debt over multiple cards, or better, pay down the balances.

A secured credit card might be a good option for the person with a poor credit score. This card will be more than likely be granted to you, however you must fund the account ahead of your purchases as a sort of “insurance” to the bank that your debts will be paid. If you use a credit card responsibly, you will go a long way in repairing your credit.

Negative-but-correct information cannot be removed from your credit report, so be wary of promises from unscrupulous companies who promise to remove it from the credit reporting agencies. If the information is correct, it will remain as part of your report, in most cases, for seven years. Be aware, however, that incorrect information can indeed be erased from your record.

Begin paying your bills to repair your credit. You can’t just pay whatever you want whenever you want. You need to pay your entire balance when it’s due. Your FICO score will begin to increase immediately after you pay the bills that are past due.

Good credit isn’t worth much if you are in lockup. There are many different places that claim they can help you get a new credit profile. This tactic is not legal, and you face serious repercussions if you are caught. Penalties can include large fines and possibly even incarceration.

When beginning your credit repair journey, remain wary of companies pledging to get negative credit report entries deleted, especially if those entries are accurate. Unfortunately, this negative information stays on your credit record for at least seven years. However, if there is incorrect information, you can have it cleared up easily by yourself.

Credit Score

Prior to agreeing to a debt settlement agreement, find out how that process is going to impact your credit score. Research all of your options, make an informed decision about the method you chose, and only then should you agree to the settlement. They do not worry about how your credit score looks; they want to get money.

You should examine any negative entries on your credit report thoroughly if you want to fix your credit problems. Even if the negative report is true, if you can locate an error in the report, it may be possible to get it removed.

In order to start repairing your credit, you need to start paying your bills. Even more important than just paying your bills, is to pay off the entire balance, and pay them on time. Your credit rating will quickly rise as you settle up your overdue bills.

If you notice credit reporting errors, always file a dispute. Send a dispute letter along with supporting documents to the credit agency that recorded the errors. Mail your dispute documents to the agency using certified mail and a return receipt so that you can prove the agency received them.

As this article has spelled out, fixing your credit is not rocket science, and it may be easier to do than you think. By following the information here, you will be able to finally get your credit repaired.