topic Re: Repairing credit for someone in prison? in General Credit Topics

Repairing credit for someone in prison?

Schoolbuskid — Sat, 05 Jan 2019 22:49:12 GMT

Is there a way that i could help someone repair their credit while incarcerated?

Re: Repairing credit for someone in prison?

DaveInAZ — Sat, 05 Jan 2019 23:47:09 GMT

Well, not very easily - they obviously can't use their prison address to apply for credit. If they have a home address that relatives or friends can accept their mail and take it to prison for them they might try starting with a secured card, but then it would be hard to use in prison.

Re: Repairing credit for someone in prison?

Ardecko — Sun, 06 Jan 2019 00:00:54 GMT

Is there some sort of power of attorney document that would grant a person the legal privilege to open and use cards for another person?

Yes, I understand this requires trusting that person to do so responsibly, but, maybe it's an idea that would provoke a better idea.

Re: Repairing credit for someone in prison?

calyx — Sun, 06 Jan 2019 01:12:20 GMT

I am *not* a lawyer.

If they need help getting things removed or repaired on their credit, you can help draft letters for things like debt validation letters. Cleaning up someone's credit doesn't necessarily require any POAs if you want to just advise them. It's more complicated because of communication restrictions (visits, phone calls, letters instead of meeting over coffee), obviously.

Applying for cards would be harder - they need to apply unless there is some sort of POA (as mentioned above) to apply for them, and they'd still need a permanent address. I can't imagine that they have an income, though, which could be a significant obstacle.

As a long shot, if it's a credit score thing, maybe adding them on as an AU could help? I don't know what this person is to you, or what they might be in prison for, so you (or whoever else) would need to realistically evaluate if that's a reasonable or safe option.

Re: Repairing credit for someone in prison?

355F1 — Tue, 08 Jan 2019 03:01:51 GMT

Deleted.

Re: Repairing credit for someone in prison?

Anonymous — Tue, 08 Jan 2019 16:34:44 GMT

Perfect time to garden.

Re: Repairing credit for someone in prison?

Remedios — Tue, 08 Jan 2019 17:02:14 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:
Perfect time to garden.

Bad

Re: Repairing credit for someone in prison?

Schoolbuskid — Tue, 08 Jan 2019 17:05:12 GMT

It’s my sister. I can add her as AU. I’m more concerned about removing the baddies. How that would work. I guess I could mail her all correspondence and anything that I would need her signature on.

Re: Repairing credit for someone in prison?

calyx — Tue, 08 Jan 2019 18:02:26 GMT

@Schoolbuskid wrote:
It’s my sister. I can add her as AU. I’m more concerned about removing the baddies. How that would work. I guess I could mail her all correspondence and anything that I would need her signature on.

What I would do (with the caveat that I would check with a lawyer):

Draft letters to the credit bureaus (starting with the big ones: Experian, Transunion, and Equifax - later on, to the smaller ones - Innovis, Sagestream, etc) requesting her free annual credit report. Send it to her to sign and then mail (with any requied identification/documentation). Get these reports and correspond with her to identify any incorrect information and work with her (via mail or visitation) to get letters written and signed by her disputing any incorrect information (with documentation). I don't think y'all would need anything "legal" for that, as long as she's involved (please check with legal counsel to be sure).

For anything that needs to be paid or negotiated, I would see about getting something (a letter?) drafted authorizing you to act as her agent/representative for these matters.

She and you should look into whether there are any low-cost or legal aid clinics that could help with this (I didn't know I had access to legal services through work until someone happened to mention it, you might have more resources around you than you realize). If you act on her behalf, you will definitely want to make sure everything is correct, not just for you, but to make sure that any progress doesn't get lost based on any legal issues. I don't know how appropriate it would be to take her credentials to set up accounts with online access (through the bureaus), but if you can get authority to do that, it might be the easiest way to deal with things.

Whatever you do, good luck to the both of you! This is challenging enough without the restrictions you are both under.

Re: Repairing credit for someone in prison?

SOGGIE — Tue, 08 Jan 2019 19:32:07 GMT

@Schoolbuskid wrote:
It’s my sister. I can add her as AU. I’m more concerned about removing the baddies. How that would work. I guess I could mail her all correspondence and anything that I would need her signature on.

OP that is a nice of you to assist with credit repair. If I were to take on such a task (credit repair assistance only), I would:

1) First, enter into a legally binding agreement (notarized Power of Attorney) to protect myself,

2) Using a scanner, scan her signature (black ink) from a white sheet of paper to create a clean grahic image file to be inserted in correspondence (document files),

3) Use the scanned digital image file to purchase (online) a self-inking rubber stamp bearing her signature, for forms or other paper docs that require a signature.

4) Establish an email account to be used specifically for credit repair or credit-related purposes if not already done.

5) Always use her signature instead of my own because I've been given the power (as an Agent) to do so.

Using a digital signature and a signature stamp would reduce time and money needed for postage--by eliminating the excess mail deliveries involving you sending docs to her to be signed, and her returning the signed docs to you to be mailed to creditors (some presumably via USPS Certified Delivery). I hope my suggestion is helpful.

Good luck to you both!

Re: Repairing credit for someone in prison?

calyx — Tue, 08 Jan 2019 19:35:12 GMT

OP, SOGGIE'S suggestions are pretty good. If you take on duties like that, I would also suggest sending quarterly (or however often is most convenient) updates on your actions on her behalf, so she stays informed, both for her sake, and yours.

You can never have too much in writing.

Re: Repairing credit for someone in prison?

SOGGIE — Tue, 08 Jan 2019 20:06:21 GMT

I might also add, as a security measure, when sending her copies of updated documents that bear her Soc Sec Number, redact all or most the the digits. Some penal institutions have unscrupulous staff and/or inmates processing/handling inmates' mail. You can provide her with the actual un-redacted documents upon her release.

Re: Repairing credit for someone in prison?

Anonymous — Tue, 26 Feb 2019 11:03:05 GMT

OP, it is gonna depend on the state you are in because regulations are different by state for prison rules. As for cleaning up inaccuracies, let that wait and she can do that later herself. I would worry about providing good history for her by making her an AU and then using the card in her stead, or have her execute a power of attorney to you authorizing you to act and sign on her behalf. Then go online and apply for a joint card. Use it responsibly, and it will provide her a sufficient beginning. These can be located in the law libraries or in the relevant state statute books. Do not discuss it with staff or in mail, as prison staff will always think the worst, because a great deal of fraud is committed by those incarcerated. They've been known to lock inmates up for way less. They always seem to think the worst.

Re: Repairing credit for someone in prison?

RobertEG — Tue, 26 Feb 2019 22:09:12 GMT

Have the inmate execute a limited power of attorney that gives you the legal right to represent them in any matter that is specifically identified in the power of attorney. A sample power of attorney would, for example, give you the right to represent them in any manner before any creditor of the inmate, any debt collector attempting to collect on a debt of the inmate, or any credit reporting agency to which credit information of the inmate has been reported.

Re: Repairing credit for someone in prison?

Anonymous — Wed, 27 Feb 2019 08:10:29 GMT

A key question is how long she's in for. If she's in for awhile a lot of credit problems are actually going to resolve on their own. Time is the ultimate magic in building credit, and that's one thing she has in this situation. People laughed at the garden comment, but really! It's true!

I would get her report as suggested and then look through and identify which issues even need addressing. If some stuff is going to drop off her report before she's out, or shortly after--who cares? Focus on the ones that will still be around. Pay down or dispute only those accounts.

Then if you can get her set up with any kind of an account, AU on something, any kind of secured card, no matter how limited--she'll be building up credit history.

Re: Repairing credit for someone in prison?

Schoolbuskid — Sat, 20 Apr 2019 16:35:31 GMT

Thank you all for your responses! I will let her know to make me a power of attorney.

Re: Repairing credit for someone in prison?

Anonymous — Sun, 21 Apr 2019 00:01:44 GMT

OK good. Since you have made the decision to execute a power of attorney, allow me to add a couple pieces of advice: First, it MUST be notarized; it must also have 2 witnesses in most jurisdictions. Failure to do this renders it void. Doing this, even if unnecessary harms nothing.

Also be aware some FIs will require you to use their specific POA. Some are finicky; You can always go elsewhere.