There is finally some relief being shown to the American Credit Card User. For far too long we have been taken advantage of and abused by these greedy companies. Now, don’t get me wrong, the credit card companies didn’t twist our arm to take their product. No, we signed up willingly, it’s just that they had some pretty sneaky ways of charging excess fees and/or jacking up our interest rates if we did something wrong on a completely separate credit card.

   There is FINALLY going to be some new standards of accountability required of the credit card issuing companies.

   Credit card law has been a Wild West these last few years. The new rules are seen as a huge victory for consumers, but are estimated to cost the credit card industry $12 billion in annual revenue.  I don’t think that anyone one of us is going to be weeping for the credit card issuing banks. Most of them are the cause of all the bad credit scores or ruined credit that most Americans find themselves with. Wasn’t it just a few short years ago that the Credit Card  Company Lobbyists were pushing for lawmakers to make it virtually impossible to eliminate credit card debt through Bankruptcy??? Hmm, can anyone else smell the Karma???!!

   The new credit card rules, however, are a more-direct shift than the Fed lowering the benchmark interest rate. If your credit card statement has caused consternation, calls to customer service or hair-pulling, this legislation is for you.

   To find out if the cards in your wallet are up to Federal snuff, Billshrink just launched a tool that allows you to enter in the name of your credit card and see how it compares to others out there. Each card gets a score from 1-100 based on how it compares to others in terms of annual fees, purchase and transfer APRs, and other features. You can also set up email alerts to notify you nearly instantaneously if the fine print on your card changes.

   Perhaps most telling is Billshrink’s analysis of who already is meeting Fed criteria (see list here). According to them, no cards meet all of the eight main requirements. However, AmEx is winning the universal default race, with 15 cards complying; Capital One is winning with timely bills (14 cards); and Citi has the most cards offering advance notice of interest rate changes (15 cards).

  Considering the thousands of cards out there, this list is pretty dismal. And although the rules don’t need congressional approval, they won’t take effect until mid-2010–a bummer for presently panicked consumers.

Stay Tuned!

Your Credit Score Expert,

Mark

   As we come to the close of the year, I recommend to all my students and clients to get copies of their credit reports so that you can hit the ground running in January with their credit repair plan.

   The mailing addresses for the three major credit bureaus are:

   If you are like most Americans caught in the credit crunch and mortgage meltdown today, your credit report and FICO Credit Scores could stand some improvement. Ok – let’s be honest – it could use a LOT of improvement! If you plan on applying for a car loan or a home mortgage anytime soon, now is the time to start working on improving your credit.

   In this post, I want to try and give you enough credible information that will help you decide between working with a credit repair company or doing it yourself using a credit repair course.

   Note: What if everything you ever thought you knew about credit repair, credit scores, and how to fix your bad credit was just plain wrong? Would you keep doing the same things and getting the same results? Or would you try something new and radically different?

   To end the nightmare of bad credit and start living life to its fullest, go to www.CrushingTheCreditBureaus.com/ebook and get started NOW!

   We have all seen the commercials for credit repair companies. They offer to fix your credit for a low monthly fee. How much should you expect to pay? There is usually an upfront charge of $50 to $100, followed by a monthly fee of $40 or $50. That sounds reasonable, until you think it through. Since you are paying them every month, what incentive do they have to “hurry up” and fix your bad credit?

   In fact, the longer it takes them, the more of your money goes into their pockets. How much time will a credit repair company spend working on your case? It can’t be much if they are only charging $40 a month.

   How much work would you do for $40? Sure they send out letters to your lenders and the credit reporting bureaus, but they are “boilerplate” letters that you should know by now are INEFFECTIVE!

   That means they use the same letters for every client, even when they know a customized letter would get better results. The credit repair companies often claim that they will negotiate with your creditors to get your interest rates lowered.

   This is true, but what they don’t tell you is that you can get on the phone and get the same results yourself, for FREE!

   I think the Federal Trade Commission says it best: “Everything a credit repair clinic can do for you legally, you can do for yourself…” But where to start?

   Fortunately, several publishers offer credit repair kits or home study courses that guide you through the process. The best credit repair home study courses provide a variety of resources you can use to remove such negative items like:

1. Inaccurate, negative information from your credit report
2. Debt Collection Agencies or Attorney Collection Agencies
3. Negotiate lower interest rates with your lenders
4. Increase credit limits or lines of credit
5. Bankruptcies
6. Tax Liens
7. Foreclosures
8. Unpaid Medical Bills
9. Lawsuits Or Judgments
10. Charge-Offs

And the best ones can show you techniques and methods to raise your credit scores FAST!

 If there is a manual provided in the credit repair course, make sure it is updated frequently. The rules and regulations for personal credit change fast – nothing worse then using outdated techniques when fixing your credit. Plus, with everything that is going on right now with the government’s bailout of Wall Street and other fiscally irresponsible fat cats, the rules keep changing!

   Printed manuals will most likely be easier for you to use than a mishmash of linked web pages. If you are going to be paying for a manual, it should be one you can hold in your hands, highlight the important information, and turn down the pages of the best tips.

   A credit repair kit should also provide other resources to help you, such as a home study course, and even audio CDs you can listen to while commuting to work. Some of the better publishers of credit repair manuals also provide access to an online forum where you can ask questions and receive advice from experts and other forum members.

   Finally, whatever method you invest in to fix your credit, you should be able to get your money back if you are not satisfied.

   There are many more techniques you can employ to fix your problem credit. But in the end you’ll find your money goes much further when you have a good credit rating.

Let’s Talk Soon, Your Credit Score Insider,

Mark J. Garcia

Follow Me On Twitter – twitter.com/ChefMarkGarcia