How to Fix Credit Problems in Ohio

You can repair your credit in Ohio -- with patience and a commitment to paying your bills on time. Ohio Attorney General Richard Cordray reported on his website in 2010 that there is no such thing as a quick fix for bad credit. He pointed out that people looking for instant solutions to their credit problems often become the victims of credit repair scams. Cordray reported how one person in Ohio paid a credit repair firm $3,500, with the agency promising to fix credit problems within 30 days. However, after four months there was no improvement to the person's credit rating.

Instructions

1

Obtain a copy of your credit report from Annual Credit Report -- a website authorized by the Federal Trade Commission to offer free credit reports under the terms of the Fair Credit Reporting Act. Visit the website to view and print your credit report order by telephone or mail.

2

Make an appointment with a nonprofit credit counselor in Ohio. Examples include Faith United Community Credit Union in Cleveland and Consumer Credit Counseling Services of the Midwest, which has branches throughout the state. Visit the website for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to find a HUD-approved counselor in Ohio. Select a counselor specializing in financial management.

3

Review your credit report with the counselor. Ask her to point out negative information on the report including late payments, accounts sent to collection agencies because you stopped making payments and any others.

4

Repair your credit by making payments to bring all open accounts current. Also contact creditors or debt collectors to pay off old delinquent debts. Correct any inaccurate information on your credit report by entering disputes online. Visit the disputes page of the individual credit bureaus' websites to notify them of errors such as accounts showing as delinquent although you have paid them off.

5

Add new credit accounts and establish a perfect payment history to help repair your credit. Apply for gas station or department store credit cards or a secured MasterCard or Visa. Obtain a secured card by depositing money into a savings account at a bank or credit union offering the cards. The amount on deposit becomes your credit limit. Make small charges on your new cards and pay them all in full each month. Continue making on-time payments to all of your accounts.