In today's world, good credit is essential. We all use credit almost every day in some form. If you have any kind of credit card, have a car payment, or make a mortgage payment, you are using credit. Most people do not worry about their credit rating until they run into a problem with it. The most obvious way to find that you have a credit problem is to get turned down for a loan. Some not so obvious ways to find that you have a credit problem is to get turned down on store financing, not being able to pay deposits on utilities, and having problems renting property. It is essential to take steps to fix poor credit as quickly as possible.

Here is Step One to Fix Poor Credit: Get A Copy Of Your Credit Report

This first step is crucial. You need to be aware of what all the institutions are reading about your credit history when they consider you for any kind of credit. All credit information from banks and other institutions are passed along to the credit bureaus who in turn hold the key to credit repair. The big three credit bureaus are Equifax (equifax.com), TransUnion (transunion.com), and Experian (experian.com). You can get a copy of your credit report by writing and asking for a copy accompanied with a photocopied ID. The easiest way to obtain all three reports simultaneously is to go online and pay a little money to receive them. Just go to any search engine and type in "credit report."

Your goal to fix poor credit begins by taking a detailed look at your credit report. Look for any inaccuracies. Many times you will find mistakes on your file or your credit information has been confused with someone else of the same name. Many times a company will report that you missed a payment when you really didn't! If you find such inaccuracies, you can fix your poor credit by requesting, in writing, that the credit bureau investigate the disputed items. If you have any supporting documentation, include copies of it. If the credit bureau cannot verify the information you are disputing, by default it must be removed from your file. If the bureau doesn't respond to your request for an investigation within thirty days, the information in dispute must be removed. Make sure to dispute even the smallest discrepancies.

If your credit report lists debt that has not been paid and this is actually the case, you must immediately make arrangements with the entity owed. If you delay too long the bad marks will stay on your report for many years. Call and try to make payment arrangements. Ask to have them remove any negative remarks on your report in exchange for some prompt payments. Anything is negotiable, so give it your best shot! This is the first step in the quest to fix poor credit.