HELP me improve my fico score...please

[suchbadcredit]

I'll post the information I have gathered from my FICO report for just my EQ.

Objective: Improve my credit for potential house purchase in 10-12 months. Taking any advice to maximize my credit score.

Current: 598

Goal: 680

First and foremost I'd like to introduce myself. I am Kevin 26 years old active duty military member living in Charleston, SC. Took a bad and unresponsible course as a young teenager with my finances and now I am seeing just how important it is to pay on time anything due.

My credit history is 6 years.

Total past due is $315 on a Verizon/AFNI account

9 accounts with negative indicators: 7 of 9 are paid off in full, but still showing on my report (atleast until 2014-2015)

1 is credit card that I was past due at some point, it's current and has been current since atleast 2009.

1 is the $315 past due for Verizon/AFNI

$23944/installment loans

1) Navy Federal Auto Loan $19984

2) Personal Loan $3960

Revolving Accounts $2368

Balances

1) Military Star Credit Card $2106

2) Navy Federal Credit Card $0

3) Walmart Credit Card $262 (Just paid off in full)

3 accounts in collections with Suddenlink and all 3 accounts have a balance of $0

Any advice on how to improve my score is greatly appreciated. I've started by paying down my credit card balances because my DTI is way too high. After reviewing my information the only other solution to improve my credit besides paying down credit card balances is to pay the $315 off to Verizon. If I am wrong please let me know. Is there anything special I can do to have the $315 account removed from my credit report when I pay it off? Should I avoid credit inquiries? The reason I ask is because when i return from my deployment I had planned on purchasing a new car to replace my Nissan Maxima. It is too small for a second child which is on the way and due in Feb. I've already got 8 inquiries showing and if 1 more for an auto loan is going to reduce my score I can wait until after I apply for a mortgage loan to apply for an auto loan. Thank you!

[Shogun]

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@suchbadcredit wrote:

I'll post the information I have gathered from my FICO report for just my EQ.

Objective: Improve my credit for potential house purchase in 10-12 months. Taking any advice to maximize my credit score.

Current: 598

Goal: 680

First and foremost I'd like to introduce myself. I am Kevin 26 years old active duty military member living in Charleston, SC. Took a bad and unresponsible course as a young teenager with my finances and now I am seeing just how important it is to pay on time anything due.

My credit history is 6 years.

Total past due is $315 on a Verizon/AFNI account  Send them a PFD

9 accounts with negative indicators: 7 of 9 are paid off in full, but still showing on my report (atleast until 2014-2015)

What kind of negatives?  COs?  lates?  If they are beyond 60 day lates or COs, send  GWs for them.

1 is credit card that I was past due at some point, it's current and has been current since atleast 2009.

Again, how late?  30 and 60 day lates are minor, 90+ are majors

1 is the $315 past due for Verizon/AFNI

$23944/installment loans

1) Navy Federal Auto Loan $19984

2) Personal Loan $3960  Pay this one off

Revolving Accounts $2368 Pay down your util as you can

Balances

1) Military Star Credit Card $2106

2) Navy Federal Credit Card $0

3) Walmart Credit Card $262 (Just paid off in full)

3 accounts in collections with Suddenlink and all 3 accounts have a balance of $0

Send GWs for these

Any advice on how to improve my score is greatly appreciated. I've started by paying down my credit card balances because my DTI is way too high. After reviewing my information the only other solution to improve my credit besides paying down credit card balances is to pay the $315 off to Verizon. If I am wrong please let me know. Is there anything special I can do to have the $315 account removed from my credit report when I pay it off? Should I avoid credit inquiries? The reason I ask is because when i return from my deployment I had planned on purchasing a new car to replace my Nissan Maxima. It is too small for a second child which is on the way and due in Feb. I've already got 8 inquiries showing and if 1 more for an auto loan is going to reduce my score I can wait until after I apply for a mortgage loan to apply for an auto loan. Thank you!

 DTI shouldn't be too bad.  Garden what's good and clean what's bad.

And thank you for your service!

[suchbadcredit]

I wish I could give you that info, but it looks like I jsut get the basic info from FICO. Do you know of a good place I can get a detailed credit report?

[wHiTeSoL]

Www.annualcreditreport.com is the official site to get your free one every year. You can view them online or have them send it to you.

[suchbadcredit]

It appears I've used all 3 of them within the past year. I'll have to purchase one somewhere I guess.

[suchbadcredit]

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@Shogun wrote:

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@suchbadcredit wrote:

I'll post the information I have gathered from my FICO report for just my EQ.

Objective: Improve my credit for potential house purchase in 10-12 months. Taking any advice to maximize my credit score.

Current: 598

Goal: 680

First and foremost I'd like to introduce myself. I am Kevin 26 years old active duty military member living in Charleston, SC. Took a bad and unresponsible course as a young teenager with my finances and now I am seeing just how important it is to pay on time anything due.

My credit history is 6 years.

Total past due is $315 on a Verizon/AFNI account  Send them a PFD

9 accounts with negative indicators: 7 of 9 are paid off in full, but still showing on my report (atleast until 2014-2015)

What kind of negatives?  COs?  lates?  If they are beyond 60 day lates or COs, send  GWs for them.

1 is credit card that I was past due at some point, it's current and has been current since atleast 2009.

Again, how late?  30 and 60 day lates are minor, 90+ are majors

1 is the $315 past due for Verizon/AFNI

$23944/installment loans

1) Navy Federal Auto Loan $19984

2) Personal Loan $3960  Pay this one off

Revolving Accounts $2368 Pay down your util as you can

Balances

1) Military Star Credit Card $2106

2) Navy Federal Credit Card $0

3) Walmart Credit Card $262 (Just paid off in full)

3 accounts in collections with Suddenlink and all 3 accounts have a balance of $0

Send GWs for these

Any advice on how to improve my score is greatly appreciated. I've started by paying down my credit card balances because my DTI is way too high. After reviewing my information the only other solution to improve my credit besides paying down credit card balances is to pay the $315 off to Verizon. If I am wrong please let me know. Is there anything special I can do to have the $315 account removed from my credit report when I pay it off? Should I avoid credit inquiries? The reason I ask is because when i return from my deployment I had planned on purchasing a new car to replace my Nissan Maxima. It is too small for a second child which is on the way and due in Feb. I've already got 8 inquiries showing and if 1 more for an auto loan is going to reduce my score I can wait until after I apply for a mortgage loan to apply for an auto loan. Thank you!

 DTI shouldn't be too bad.  Garden what's good and clean what's bad.

And thank you for your service!

---

Alright since I am new to this I am going to ask a few questions. What exactly is a PFD and GW and a CO?

-6 Accounts show 120+past due all with a $0 balance. I've paid these off over the past couple of years hoping they would be removed from my report and they are still showing and obviously weighing my score down.

-1 account is 120+ past due and has a balance of $315 for AFNI- Bloom. You mention sending them a PFD, what exactly is this?

-1 Account shows in collection status, but $0 balance for a Bank of America Credit Card from 2006.

-1 Account says it's past due and my guess is 60 days in the year 2009. It is current with 0 late payments since that reporting.

-1 $3960 Loan I will do my best to have it paid off in the next 5 months.

- Revolving Accounts are being paid down as much as possible.

I hope this helps you some.

[guiness56]

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@suchbadcredit wrote:

---

@Shogun wrote:

---

@suchbadcredit wrote:

I'll post the information I have gathered from my FICO report for just my EQ.

Objective: Improve my credit for potential house purchase in 10-12 months. Taking any advice to maximize my credit score.

Current: 598

Goal: 680

First and foremost I'd like to introduce myself. I am Kevin 26 years old active duty military member living in Charleston, SC. Took a bad and unresponsible course as a young teenager with my finances and now I am seeing just how important it is to pay on time anything due.

My credit history is 6 years.

Total past due is $315 on a Verizon/AFNI account  Send them a PFD

9 accounts with negative indicators: 7 of 9 are paid off in full, but still showing on my report (atleast until 2014-2015)

What kind of negatives?  COs?  lates?  If they are beyond 60 day lates or COs, send  GWs for them.

1 is credit card that I was past due at some point, it's current and has been current since atleast 2009.

Again, how late?  30 and 60 day lates are minor, 90+ are majors

1 is the $315 past due for Verizon/AFNI

$23944/installment loans

1) Navy Federal Auto Loan $19984

2) Personal Loan $3960  Pay this one off

Revolving Accounts $2368 Pay down your util as you can

Balances

1) Military Star Credit Card $2106

2) Navy Federal Credit Card $0

3) Walmart Credit Card $262 (Just paid off in full)

3 accounts in collections with Suddenlink and all 3 accounts have a balance of $0

Send GWs for these

Any advice on how to improve my score is greatly appreciated. I've started by paying down my credit card balances because my DTI is way too high. After reviewing my information the only other solution to improve my credit besides paying down credit card balances is to pay the $315 off to Verizon. If I am wrong please let me know. Is there anything special I can do to have the $315 account removed from my credit report when I pay it off? Should I avoid credit inquiries? The reason I ask is because when i return from my deployment I had planned on purchasing a new car to replace my Nissan Maxima. It is too small for a second child which is on the way and due in Feb. I've already got 8 inquiries showing and if 1 more for an auto loan is going to reduce my score I can wait until after I apply for a mortgage loan to apply for an auto loan. Thank you!

 DTI shouldn't be too bad.  Garden what's good and clean what's bad.

And thank you for your service!

---

Alright since I am new to this I am going to ask a few questions. What exactly is a PFD and GW and a CO?  PFD - Pay for Delete.  You pay for them to delete the TL if they are willing to do so.  GW - Good will letter - asking for removal of late payments or a paid account.  CO- Charge Off - the creditor has written it off believeing they will never get paid.  It is still a valid debt.  A CO is an accounting term.

-6 Accounts show 120+past due all with a $0 balance. I've paid these off over the past couple of years hoping they would be removed from my report and they are still showing and obviously weighing my score down.  Send GW letters asking they be removed.  Are they OC or CA?

-1 account is 120+ past due and has a balance of $315 for AFNI- Bloom. You mention sending them a PFD, what exactly is this?

-1 Account shows in collection status, but $0 balance for a Bank of America Credit Card from 2006. That means they sold the debt to someone else and you would need to deal with the new lender/collection agency.

-1 Account says it's past due and my guess is 60 days in the year 2009. It is current with 0 late payments since that reporting.  Send a GW asking for removal of the lates.

-1 $3960 Loan I will do my best to have it paid off in the next 5 months.

- Revolving Accounts are being paid down as much as possible.

I hope this helps you some.

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[suchbadcredit]

Alright I'll start on these letters. Is there a higher success rate of actually sending in letters or would it work calling and asking them on the phone if they could remove the lates?

[guiness56]

You can do either.  Some like to have confirmation in writing so you could also send emails.

[suchbadcredit]

So I was able to successfully get a response from just ONE company listed in my initial post. The AAFES military star card was the only people to respond and they said they notified all 3 bureus to remove the 60 day notice. They told me it would take up to 30 days for it to reflect in my report. Does anyone know how much just this change could increase my score?