Help getting credit back on track

[Anonymous]

So at a young age I made some really, really dumb moves involving my credit. I had no accountability and didn't pay anything besides my vehicle loan. My parents are far worse off and they passed their lack of responsibility on to me. I wish I would've recognized this problem earlier, but now I have to pay for it.

I make roughly $2500 a month, with $700 in bills. That's car/insurance/phone bill, but it'll probably be a little lower once my insurance lowers(Yay! 25years old.)

Here's a list of all the negative accounts on my account according to Transunion.

CKC(Bank Account) - Past Due $258 Removal date - 9/2015

Comcast(Cable Bill) - Past Due $398 Removal date - 01/2021

Time Warner(Internet) - Past Due $102 Removal Date - 02/2020

GLA Collections(Medical) - 4 accounts in collection totaling $396 Removal date - 01/2021

Merchants Credit Guide - Paid in full Removal date - 10/2015(Goodwill letter being sent)

MSCB - Past due $511 Removal Date - 04/2020

EOS CCA - Past due $102 Removal date 02/2020(Offered a to pay the debt in full over the phone, with removal upon completion of payment. Refused to do so stating that it's in their contract with Time Warner that they can't remove accounts from credit reporting.)

With the CKC and Merchant accounts, will it be alright just to let them fall off?

I realize I have to pay the other accounts so they're paid in full. Would it be best to pay in full and just let them sit, or try to get a pay for deletion?

My last big problem is a student loans. They've taken my taxes the last two years, and according to the federal student aid website, they're "defaulted." What's the best course of action to get these back on track and reflecting well on my credit report? I'm past due with the amount of $5488, so I think I can do some real damage to this one over the next 6 months.

Sorry for the lack of organization, I just think I needed to be pointed in the right direction to succeed in getting my credit back on the right track.

 After calling the federal student loan office, I have a payment arrangement of $310 monthly. Paying that for 9-11 months and it will be completely removed from my credit report. After 18 months it'll be completely paid off.

[Anonymous]

If I were you I would try to get PFDs.  You should try to get your student loan into a rehab program.  Once it's been rehabbed the default status will be removed and you will have a new TL with no lates.  If the old late still remain on the old TLs you can try to dispute them off or send GW letters.   Do you have any current CC?  If not try to get three right away and garden them until your collections are resolved.

[Anonymous]

It doesn't look that what you owe adds up to a lot.  You should be able to get this stuff paid and clean up your reports nicely.  I would say offer PFD's and if at first they don't accept then try again.  

Best of luck to you!! 

[Anonymous]

The student loans are in a rehab program. I have to pay the agreed $310 monthly for 9-11 months, and then they'll go back to good standing.

After some research, the 4 GLA accounts seem to be the easiest to get removed. Hopefully that'll bump my score up a little. 

By getting three cards, would you suggest getting three secured cards? My score is 580s across the board, so I think i'll only qualify for a secured card.

[Anonymous]

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@Anonymous wrote:

So at a young age I made some really, really dumb moves involving my credit. I had no accountability and didn't pay anything besides my vehicle loan. My parents are far worse off and they passed their lack of responsibility on to me. I wish I would've recognized this problem earlier, but now I have to pay for it.

I make roughly $2500 a month, with $700 in bills. That's car/insurance/phone bill, but it'll probably be a little lower once my insurance lowers(Yay! 25years old.)

Here's a list of all the negative accounts on my account according to Transunion.

CKC(Bank Account) - Past Due $258 Removal date - 9/2015 Call Transunion and ask for an EARLY EXCLUSION on this now, they most likely will do it

Comcast(Cable Bill) - Past Due $398 Removal date - 01/2021 Try for a Pay For Delete and keep trying until they agree

Time Warner(Internet) - Past Due $102 Removal Date - 02/2020 Try for a Pay For Delete and keep trying until they agree

GLA Collections(Medical) - 4 accounts in collection totaling $396 Removal date - 01/2021 Try for a Pay For Delete and keep trying until they agree

Merchants Credit Guide - Paid in full Removal date - 10/2015(Goodwill letter being sent) Call Transunion and ask for Early Exclusion now

MSCB - Past due $511 Removal Date - 04/2020 Try for a Pay For Delete and keep trying until they agree

EOS CCA - Past due $102 Removal date 02/2020(Offered a to pay the debt in full over the phone, with removal upon completion of payment. Refused to do so stating that it's in their contract with Time Warner that they can't remove accounts from credit reporting.) Work on the Pay For Delete with Time Warner and if you can get that, then this account will no longer exist.

With the CKC and Merchant accounts, will it be alright just to let them fall off? Early Exclusion should take care of these now at least on Transunion, if they tell you no, then try again.

I realize I have to pay the other accounts so they're paid in full. Would it be best to pay in full and just let them sit, or try to get a pay for deletion? Pay for deletion always best, if at all costs you cannot get it, then paying them should improve the accounts, but they will remain.

My last big problem is a student loans. They've taken my taxes the last two years, and according to the federal student aid website, they're "defaulted." What's the best course of action to get these back on track and reflecting well on my credit report? I'm past due with the amount of $5488, so I think I can do some real damage to this one over the next 6 months.

Sorry for the lack of organization, I just think I needed to be pointed in the right direction to succeed in getting my credit back on the right track.

 After calling the federal student loan office, I have a payment arrangement of $310 monthly. Paying that for 9-11 months and it will be completely removed from my credit report. After 18 months it'll be completely paid off. Great news!! Make paying this your #1 priority.

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[Anonymous]

Thank you for all of the advice!!!

I called transunion and got a representative that couldn't understand me. Once we got past the language barrier, we talked about the two accounts set to fall out this year. When I asked for an early exclusion, he said he didn't know what I was talking about and said the accounts wouldn't be fall off until the date it says it will. He said because they're collection accounts, they can't be removed early.

Offered me to dispute them, but I stopped the phone call. Wasn't sure what else to do from there. 

Also, I just applied and deposited $200 for a capitol one secured card. Any other suggestions which other two cards I should get next?

[Anonymous]

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@Anonymous wrote:

Thank you for all of the advice!!!

I called transunion and got a representative that couldn't understand me. Once we got past the language barrier, we talked about the two accounts set to fall out this year. When I asked for an early exclusion, he said he didn't know what I was talking about and said the accounts wouldn't be fall off until the date it says it will. He said because they're collection accounts, they can't be removed early.

Offered me to dispute them, but I stopped the phone call. Wasn't sure what else to do from there. 

Also, I just applied and deposited $200 for a capitol one secured card. Any other suggestions which other two cards I should get next?

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Ok, you have a couple different options on the negatives on Transunion that are close to falling off. Either you can try calling again and hope that you get a rep that will agree to the early exclusion. Maybe try once a day for a few days and see what happens from there. Here is the other option, with Transunion they have an option on their online dispute form for "too old to report" or something along those lines. When I got some derogs removed from them, some of them were removed this way. I got onto their online dispute section and checked the box "too old to report" and I typed in the comment box "requesting early exclusion, not disputing" and that went well for me. I will caution though if this would be mistaken as a dispute rather than a request for early exclusion the collection account may update and look fresh. This really is your call, I am just telling you what worked for me. Hopefully some others will chime in with their thoughts and experiences with this, but in the meantime it doesn't hurt to keep calling them and try to find a rep that will help.

As far as secured cards, the only secured I have is Capital One, so I can't really be helpful in pointing you to the next one, but if I were to get another secured I think I would look into OpenSky a little more, what I've seen about them didn't look to bad and it looks like very good chances of approval for most.

[camera_jen]

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@Anonymous wrote:

The student loans are in a rehab program. I have to pay the agreed $310 monthly for 9-11 months, and then they'll go back to good standing.

After some research, the 4 GLA accounts seem to be the easiest to get removed. Hopefully that'll bump my score up a little. 

By getting three cards, would you suggest getting three secured cards? My score is 580s across the board, so I think i'll only qualify for a secured card.

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I started cleaning up my credit with my scores in the high 400's and was able to get 2 unsecured cards.  Credit One and Capital One.  I would go with Credit One first because they approve everyone who applies.  It isn't a great card, not going to lie, but it's a start.  After I got that card I received a prequalified offer from Cap1 which IS a good card.  They don't have high limits, but they are unsecured.  Just having something good reporting has boosted my scores substantially (I had a lot of baddies through my divorce 7 years ago then absolutely nothing new).

[Anonymous]

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@Anonymous wrote:

Thank you for all of the advice!!!

I called transunion and got a representative that couldn't understand me. Once we got past the language barrier, we talked about the two accounts set to fall out this year. When I asked for an early exclusion, he said he didn't know what I was talking about and said the accounts wouldn't be fall off until the date it says it will. He said because they're collection accounts, they can't be removed early.

Offered me to dispute them, but I stopped the phone call. Wasn't sure what else to do from there. 

Also, I just applied and deposited $200 for a capitol one secured card. Any other suggestions which other two cards I should get next?

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Try a local credit union and ask if they have a secured card that will graduate to unsecured after a certain time.  Unless that bank account you listed in your op has you on chex.  Also after you use that secured Cap1 for a couple months they will probably give you an unsecured card.  

[Anonymous]

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@Anonymous wrote:

Thank you for all of the advice!!!

I called transunion and got a representative that couldn't understand me. Once we got past the language barrier, we talked about the two accounts set to fall out this year. When I asked for an early exclusion, he said he didn't know what I was talking about and said the accounts wouldn't be fall off until the date it says it will. He said because they're collection accounts, they can't be removed early.

Offered me to dispute them, but I stopped the phone call. Wasn't sure what else to do from there. 

Also, I just applied and deposited $200 for a capitol one secured card. Any other suggestions which other two cards I should get next?

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It's a long shot, but go to the Cap One prequal site and see if anything comes up.  You might get lucky.  Even if nothing comes up apply for a platinum and Quicksilver One.  If you can get one of those you'll be in good shape.  Don't worry about the HPs.  I would also try to get a B of A or Discover secured card because they will unsecure if you use them responsibly.   Check with your local credit union.  They may be able to give you a secured card that unsecures, plus you'll be building a relationship with them. Don't deal with Credit One or First Premiere.  You don't need to waste your money on their ticky tack fee structure.