I am paying bills and making money but my score is still low.

REAL PERSON
Bo,
I am finally making good money, and really never paid attention to my credit score in College. Now that I am finally done with what I wanted to accomplish I am stuck at a 541 credit score as of last week.

I was at a 479, so I have come up a little bit. What I am not understanding is I have paid off and been in touch with everything in collections. I have worked very hard at trying to get this up over the last 3 years.
I bought a brand new car, never have been late EVER on my car payments. I have lived in the same place for the last 2 years and NEVER late on Rent. The items that are left over are a collections in Boulder CO. and some other little bills. I had a student loan in default and was able to pull it out of that status as of November 2005. Now that I have done everything I could think of that was hurting my score I am still stuck.

I sent over to experience a final sheet 2 days ago, of the 2 items that have been paid, to see if they could take them off. I have read your site information and it is so helpful..

I just don't know what I am doing wrong and I really want this so bad. I just want to be one of those that has a credit score of even at least 651. Can you help, I have done everything I can and I am still stuck..
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Is the car payment reported to bureaus?
Do you have any more new and current credit?
Do any of your credit entries say that you owe over 80% of your available balance.
Is any of your new or current credit local finance company credit?

Try to lower balances
Try to dispute with bureaus old or inaccurate accounts. Say not your account.
It is very hard to tell you what to do with out seeing your credit report.


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Bo,
Thank you for responding, I have been so frustrated. I am going to answer your questions the best I can.


Is the car payment reported to bureaus? I am with Americredit, I know that they do. I have seen my statement and it says, never late and then the balance.
Do you have any more new and current credit? No that is the problem, in order to get a credit card you have to have a good credit score. Let me ask, I have been told by my credit union. That if I get a credit card about a 500 dollar balance, keep it always going, buy the little things gas etc... Pay it on time, and keep it at a 5 or 10 in balance that this would be the way to go? Your thoughts?

Do any of your credit entries say that you owe over 80% of your available balance. No

Is any of your new or current credit local finance company credit? I don't know if I am getting this question right, I have a local personal loan with my credit union. I have had 2 late payments, got the loan in 2005. Now I have not been late for 9 months now..

Try to dispute with bureaus old or inaccurate accounts. Say not your account. I just did a discrepancies report
and was mentioned to take a very Nieman Marcus account off. I have contacted their company and they said we will send the bill so you can pay it. They never do, I went to their location in Cherry Creek mall, and they have no record of me at all. So I mentioned for them to take it off.

I guess at this point I am just confused. If you look at my credit report everything that has gone to collections says paid in full and closed paid in full. There is one pending that I will have paid off next month. Its these little balances that have killed me like 200 there and 150 there. I got a premier bank card, a credit card that allowed me to use and then pay back, they were so horrible I closed the account and paid the whole thing off. If I could get away with even doing a Visa with a 500 limit that would be golden.

I so appreciate your help, again I really do not understand this crazy and strange system. And as time has gone by I have heard this is right and no that is wrong etc...
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Just because it shows balances and payments on your statement do not "assume" that means they "REPORT TO BUREAUS".

You should do that with the credit card for sure. Pay for gas and pay extra each month to help your credit even more. Ask for a raise of you limit after 6 months and good pay time. The card has to be open for 12 months to get a rating on your report. Same with any loan. 12 months or no rating.

They cannot take something off they have no record of. So if you dispute the record it should fall off.

I assume you have a copy of your credit report. If not get one fast.
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Bo,
Thank you for the advise, do you know of a card that works with people who have bad credit.

I just need to make sure I do all of these steps. Yes I just ordered another one from my credit union, I have a loan with them already. I was asking for them to up the loan amount so I could take care of these last bills.
They turned me down and yes I forgot to add. I had a judgement, I have paid it off completely, the day the papers came to my door. How long does it take to get that off your credit, even though its paid.
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Seven years.
Send in some money with your application to get the credit card. It really looks bad to borrow money to pay bills or other loans. So never say that to a lender.
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