Starting My Credit Repair Journey...Overwhelmed and Need Advice

[itspnutbutterkellytime]

I have been reading through this forum for about a month now and have found so much helpful advice! I wanted to go ahead and post my own credit situation in hopes of getting more personalized adviced on where to go from here. Honestly, I'm pretty overwhelmed. I messed up my credit a couple of years ago because I was young and new to credit. Anyway, I'm in a much better situation now with a full time job. Here is a snap shot of what my current credit sitatuation looks like: 

 -CAPITAL ONE BANK USA (Collections)

Credit Card

Aug 21, 2014

Closed

7 Missed Payments

$147

 -CAPITAL ONE BANK USA (Collections paid and closed in 2012)

Credit Card

Sep 01, 2012

Closed

4 Missed Payments

$0

 -CONN CREDIT CORP (Paid and closed, Never late)

Other

Aug 01, 2014

Closed

No Missed Payments

$0

 -CREDIT ACCEPTANCE CO (This is my current car loan, current, never late)

Auto

Jan 06, 2016

 Open - Current

No Missed Payments

$6,661

 -CREDIT ONE BANK (In collections, currently paying back in montlhy payment of $190)

Credit Card

Jul 01, 2014

Closed

1 Missed Payment

$0

 -DISCOVER BANK (Current)

Credit Card

Sep 04, 2016

 Open - Current

No Missed Payments

$66

13% of Credit Limit*

 -FIRST PROGRESS CARD (Not in collections, haven't contacted them about paying the balance off)

Credit Card

Feb 01, 2014

Closed

8 Missed Payments

$131

 -KOHLS/CAPITAL ONE (One late payment in 2015)

Credit Card

Oct 01, 2014

 Open - Current

1 Missed Payment

$50

17% of Credit Limit*

  -PUBLIC SERVICE EMPLO (Defaulted on the personal loan I took out for school. Paying $100/month) 

Other

Jan 30, 2015

Closed

2 Missed Payments

$3,778

 -PUBLIC SERVICE EMPLO (Repossesed car loan - Currently paying $100/month)

Auto

Jan 20, 2015

Closed

10 Missed Payments

$7,657

 -SYNCB/TOYSRUS (In collections but have paid this off. Hasn't reflected as paid yet)

Credit Card

Oct 01, 2014

Closed

12 Missed Payments

$522

 -US BANK (Current)

Credit Card

Aug 01, 2016

 Open - Current

 $149

50% of Credit Limit*

 US BANK (This was a joint account with my ex. Paid and closed)

Credit Card

Jun 01, 2014

Closed

4 Missed Payments

$0

Account Details (Sprint Collections settled and paid. Transunion just put this back onto my report but I have disputed with them. Waiting for them to update)

Last Reported

Sep 11, 2016

Collection Agency

DIVERSIFIED CONSULTANTS INC

Original Creditor

11 SPRINT

Status

Open

Opened Date

Apr 28, 2016

Closed Date

Responsibility

Individual

Balance

$1,207

High Balance

$1,207

Remarks

Placed for collection 

Account Details (This is the credit one card. I'm paying $190/month until Dec)

Last Reported

Oct 14, 2016

Collection Agency

MIDLAND FUNDING LLC

Original Creditor

01 CREDIT ONE BANK N A

Status

Closed

Opened Date

Nov 18, 2015

Closed Date

Responsibility

Individual

Balance

$760

High Balance

$760

Remarks

Account information disputed by consumer, meets FCRA requirements 

Current FICO scores are EQ: 524, EX: 570 TU: 571     Thank you for taking the time to read this! Any advice is appreciated! 

[Anonymous]

I can give you a bit of a cheering squad. My scores were all around your EQ in early 2015. Even with taking a couple of breaks from working on credit, I still have gotten to the point of having no collections and scores from 688 to 704 now. I think of it as a mountain you are moving one stone at a time. Eventually the mountain will get moved! One think I found was that even with all those I simply paid or settled without a PFD in place almost all dropped off well before the 7.5 year mark. I don't think anyone here will recommend that as a first choice but when I was paying them I did not realize that your FICO score does not care whether or not they are paid once in collections. I am fortunate it worked so well for me. You will get more concrete advice from others, I think, but I did want you to know that you can dig your way out of this, and maybe sooner than you dared hope.

[cjane1]

If collections are paid doesn't mean they have to be removed, it is determined by your states statue of reporting, I would do GW letters, emails, or calling to try and get the paid collections removed by the CA , hopefully you can get to the right person who is nice enough to remove them but don't give up if they tell you it can't be done because it can. Plus you need to get your c/c utilization down, it is suggested between 6 to-10% at the most.

[itspnutbutterkellytime]

Thank you for the support!