If you are looking for ways to repair credit, you are not alone. Many Americans are finding that they are left with a damaged or negligent credit file due to circumstances that are simply beyond their control – such as job loss or layoff, illness, injury, or other misfortunes that gave them no alternative than to be late on a few payments. Perhaps you have accounts in collections, judgments, liens, and charge-offs on your credit report and need a quick way to pull yourself up from the mess you are in. Let’s look at strategies that work to repair credit:

Repair Credit Strategy: Pull Your Credit Report and Carefully Examine Your Accounts

Many people who are looking to repair credit are shocked to learn that a large number of credit reports actually contain erroneous information that can be deleted by a simple dispute. How accurate is your credit report? Find out by pulling yours from Trans Union, Equifax, and Experian.

Why pull all three? Different bureaus often have a different account of your credit performance and pulling all three helps you halt damaging errors in their tracks. Examine all of the information that is being reported about you- not just the accounts that you have or have had – but the personal information that is on record, as well. Perhaps your name is John Doe and your record contains information for three other John Does – only a careful examination on your part will unearth inaccuracies, duplications, and errors that can raise your score substantially if deleted.

Repair Credit Strategy: Explain Yourself

Obviously there are items on your credit report that are accurate, perhaps even all of them. But one of your rights as a borrower and a consumer is the right to attach a letter of explanation to the item that is on file.

This letter should be carefully composed and it should outline and detail the circumstances of your financial situation, including any extenuating circumstances, that you would like potential creditors and lenders to be aware of when evaluating your creditworthiness. Although the act of explaining yourself formally will not raise your credit score, it will give you an opportunity to shed light on your financial situation that might appeal to certain lenders.

Repair Credit Strategy: Maintenance of Open Accounts

Maintaining your current accounts is important – especially for older accounts that you have established for a long period of time. Maintain these older accounts by making small purchases and paying the purchases off each month. This is a great way to lengthen the average length of credit history, which is an important factor in your credit score.

Repair Credit Strategy: Work with Collectors

If you have accounts in collection, always make your best effort to arrange for payments that you can afford. Many debt collectors are looking to resolve the issue of your collection amicably, which can work to your advantage if you will agree to send in a budget-friendly payment each month that will keep them from causing more damage to your credit report.