Another lurker here who's been reading everything I can get my mouse on here, and I want to thank all of you! I wish I'd found this place about five years ago before I got myself into the mess I've been working my way out of, but lessons learned and all that. I've still got progress to go however, and I wanted to see if any of you experts had any additional advice specifically for my situation.
In 2007 I moved due to a divorce and couldn't keep up with my finances thanks to a jerk ex, a higher-than-expected cost of living, and some really dumb decisions just-out-of-high-school me made regarding credit cards. I've gotten as much paid off as I can and am working on getting things taken off now that they're paid since I didn't know PFD existed when I started this process. I'm currently in school and have been paying tuition out pocket but won't be able to for the next two years. My intention is to do federal grants and loans up to the limit but I'd like to have my credit score high enough to get a decent rate if I end up having to take out any private loans. I'm also hoping to refinance my car before I start school in the fall and make double payments in the meantime to get it not upside down.
Good Stuff
GMAC Mortgage - Paid and Closed
01/01/2005-12/01/2007 $94,450 total
American Honda Finance - Paid and Closed
08/30-2007-09/2011 $29,304 total
Capital One Auto Finance - Paying
08/11/2012-current $18,615 left @ 7.49%
Mohela/Stafford Subsidized - Deferred
02/27/2004-current $577 left @ 1.9%
(original DoE account shows up as well as $0 balance, sold)
(will be paid off by end of March)
Mohela/Stafford Subsidized - Deferred
05/23/2003-current $1,400 left @ 1.9%
(original DoE account shows up as well as $0 balance, sold)
Mohela/Stafford Subsidized - Deferred
08/19/2002-current $1,050 left @ 1.9%
(original DoE account shows up as well as $0 balance, sold)
Mohela/Stafford Subsidized - Paid and Closed
01/31/2003-12/2012 $875 total
(original DoE account shows up as well as $0 balance, sold)
Capital One/Best Buy, originally HSBC - Open
06/22/2003-current $295 balance on $1,000 limit
(1x 30 in 2008, limit recently increased from $800 [is this worth a GW attempt?])
Capital One - Open
07/12/201-current $1,500 balance on $2,500 limit
(will be paid off with tax return)
Comenity Bank/Ann Taylor - Open
05/01/2007-current $0 balance on $1,250 limit
Comenity Bank/Maurices - Open
02/04/2013-current $0 balance on $500 limit
Bad Stuff
Direct Loans - Transferred/Sold
08/01/2002-09/01/2011 $8,634 total
(4x 60, 2x 90 lates, have requested GW)
American Express - Settled for less than full balance
Opened 08/01/2004, DoFD 11/2008, Settled 10/2011 $14,0147 total
Bank of America, originally MBNA - Charge-Off
Opened 06/01/2006, DoFD 11/2008, $6,833
(Paid in full to CA)
Bank of America, originally MBNA - Charge-Off
Opened 12/01/200, DoFD 11/2008, $7,208
(Paying in full to CA, will be paid off with tax return)
[this account was total bs, back when they were going on college campuses, convinced me to sign up and I wasn't even 18 at the time]
GECRB/Chevron - Charge-Off
Opened 03/01/2004, DoFD 09/2008, $37
(Paid in full to CA, have requested GW)
LVNV - CA Paid in Full
(CA for Chevron, have requested GW)
[honest mistake, thought this was paid off and never got a bill until I got the collections notice]
CACH - CA Paid in Full
(CA for BoA #1, will request GW after other paid off)
CACH - CA Paying in Full
(CA for BoA #2, will request GW after paid off with tax return)
Judgement
CACH #2
Filed 12/2012
[was wrongly told the other one was the one tied to the judgement so it was paid off first, will be satisfied by end of March]
Inquiries
7 listed, but 3 are auto loan apps within two weeks
CK FAKO was just under 600 a few months ago and is hovering aroun 670 at the moment. I know it's not entirely accurate but it's an okay gague. I'm giving my GW letters a couple of weeks and then I'll pull my FICO scores.
So, uh, thoughts? Thanks!
