Learned a TON from you guys/gals. Now I need help on a plan please.

[noMoreApathy]

Hello helpful friendly eyes,

I have always had a bad mixture of uneducated laziness and low paying employment or unemployment.  I could not settle my debt and honestly didn't even care.  Now, I have a totally different paradigm.  I want to take responsibility, follow a plan religiously, and help others a long the way.

I should say my sole reason for this (currently!) is to purchase a vehicle.  My vehicle went out a while ago (2nd engine 2nd transmission) and I would like to purchase one soon.  I will be starting a new job next week and one that actually pays pretty well.  I can borrow a car for a little while, but will need to give it back soon.  

This is not to say once I am in the (correct me here 640 range decent for decent auto loans?) that I will give up and resort to old tendencies.  I want to be and remain proactive for the rest of my life and teach others what I have learned on this journey.

That being said, please help me with a plan (Breakdown of Report Below).  What I assume to be a correct plan is this:  PFD CA's, GW CO's and OC's, become in good standing with current student loans, rehab defaulted student loans, obtain a secured CC or two, get my util's right (once I rehab they will drop significantly and so will the age of my accounts correct?).

I see PFD's usually do not work, some say don't worry about the CA's (unless you are getting a car loan correct?), how do I get my util's right mathematically?  How do I know how may secured CC's and will they even help that much or should I focus on rehab student loans more and absolutely make sure I pay my current student loans?  I know I need positive revolving history, will my old CC open my account back up if I pay the CO?

Ahhh, I just get overwhelmed because I want my score to shoot up as fast as it can, I will do anything monetarily speaking to bring it up, I tend to get obsessed with things like this and I know I need patience and I will exercise it, but I just do not know what the best possible approach/plan is for me.

Breakdown of Credit Report

Average Account Age 4 years 7 months.

Satisfactory Accounts/Good Standing

Citicards CBNA from 01/08 to 12/09, status Closed. I have no idea what this is... maybe an AU?

Express dept store charge account from 03/08 to 02/09, status Inactive. Should I get this card back and use it to my advantage or do dept store TL's not really matter? CL $590.

7 Student loans in forbearance.

Negative Standing

Not defaulted student loans:  07 (1 semester),08 ,09 ,10 - 2 per year = 7 loans.

7 Sallie Mae TU, 6 Dept of Ed/Sallie Mae and 1 Sallie Mae EQ, 6 Dept of Ed Sallie Mae and 1 Sallie Mae EX

The one Sallie Mae is not through the Dept of Ed, it shows as a private/federal loan.  In forbearance till 03/14. Balance $5,045.

The other six are Dept of Ed/Sallie Mae, they show as Dept of Ed Loans. In forbearance till 03/14. Balance $37,322.

Defaulted Student Loans

5 Loans $16,449 total.

Little confused, do the TL's need to match in some order?
Lowest loan = $875 OC MOHELA/Missouri of Higher Education EQ EX TU.
EX Recent Payment NA. TU Payment Received $1,109. EQ Actual Payment Amount $1,109.  Payment received from the government/Loan assigned to government. KHEAA/KY Higher Education CA owns the loan.  The lowest TL from KHEAA CA is $1,440 Balance EX EQ TU.

CO's

First Premier CO $335 09/2011.  I had good standing with them from 09/07 to 04/10, then back and forth 30 60 90 OK's 05/10 to 06/11 till three 120 days 07/11 to 09/11
then CO on 09/11.  This is my oldest CC, will they entertain the idea of opening the TL back up if I pay the CO?

Cap One CO $593 12/11 now $205 12/12.  Account was with their in house CA Alliance One?  After speaking with Cap One they recalled it back to them and filed a complaint because Alliance One became very "nasty".

CA's

Medical CA $170 original, $195 balance, 06/11.

Best Buy CO $782 06/11. CA Stellar Recovery $926 original, $927 balance, 12/11 to current.

Inquiries
I have a ton of inquiries from car shopping SHOTGUN blasted, FICO will see this as one correct? 18 inquiries 7/13/12 - 7/28/12.

WELLSFARGODIRSVC/WACH8/13/12notsurewhatthisinquiryis...

[noMoreApathy]

Is this too much info? Should I be more or less specific? Please, any help is greatly appreciated. Thank you in advance.

[MegaMom]

That is a lot of info to wrap my brain around.     

There is one thing that sticks out to me.  Can you get the express card back?  I think the UTL is vital for you. Stick with $35.00 or under a month. Don't ever go over.  Pay in full & DON'T BE LATE.

You have so much going on in your reports, it must seem like you will be digging out for a long time, but tackle one at a time. Time will fly by and before you know it. 

 First, try to get that card again.  It will boost the score up a little at a time. 

[RobertEG]

As an overivew, with multiple major derogs with unpaid delinquent debt, I would focus on addressing them prior to seeking any new credit.

First, they are most likely having the most negative impact on your current score, and second, they have the potential to do further damage.

New creditors frown on granting new credit when current accounts are delinquent.

The charge-off has a relatively recent DOFD, and thus most likely is still well within SOL.  That has the potential to be placed for collection or bring about legal action.

And it may also be sold after the CO, thus eliminating any PFD opportunity to the OC.  Regardless of whether they will entertain a PFD for the prior delinquencies and charge-off, it would be my primary focus while apparently still with the OC.

The collections show recent referral dates, but what is the DOFD as well as SOL status on each?

[noMoreApathy]

Thank you for the reply MegaMom.

Yes I am going to try and get the Express CC back and keep the util on that account at 7%-10%.  Is there a difference in a dept store card and a "regular" CC as far as score goes?

You are correct, there is a lot of info there.  I hope to rehab, keep current on open student loans, pfd some ca's, and either gw the co's or work something out.  

My questions at the moment are:  Where should I focus my money at first, rehab and IBR open student loans?  Should I worry about secured CC's now or focus on paying my CA's and CO's?  

I am starting a new job Monday that pays once a month, the beginning of March I will be focusing on paying what is needed to get my scores and CR's back from the grave .

[noMoreApathy]

It's very comforting to see you reply to my post RobertEG, I follow you a lot and hoped you would reply.  Thank you for your help.

"The charge-off has a relatively recent DOFD, and thus most likely is still well within SOL.  That has the potential to be placed for collection or bring about legal action."

-  Are you referring to the First Premier CO?  I am about to contact them and ask them if I could open the account back up if I payed the CO in full, is this even possible?

-  I thought you could only PFD a CA?  Then GW the OC CO and GW the paid/settled CA?

"The collections show recent referral dates, but what is the DOFD as well as SOL status on each?"

-  Medical DOFD 11/2010

-  I am in the state of Alabama, SOL is 3 years, do SOL's follow the state you live in?  

-  The Best Buy shows as CAP1/DAMARK INTERNATIONAL INC and is under Revolving Open and Negative Open EQ

-  Does this mean it is reporting twice, thus double dinging TL's?

-  DOFD 07/2010, SOL 3 years?

[noMoreApathy]

Called Express to receive a new card.  They said my account was inactive and would need to do a credit report pull.  At this time I should not do this correct?  It was opened 03/08 and I cannot see anywhere on my CR's where it says inactive.  Should I try to speak to someone else?

Thank you in advance

[MegaMom]

I would not do it if they have to do a HP.