Help With Building Credit

Aug 292010
 

I’m new to credit building. I have a credit card w/300.00 limit. The card is only 3 months old. How much of a increase do I need. I will have to send the money in for a credit increase on my secured card.

Paralegal Negotiating a PFD with CA

Apr 152010
 

Here’s the story on my last medical bill with a CA:

 

 

  I have one unpaid medical collection with a CA reporting to EX and TU for about 2 years.  I have the original bill from OC and know it’s mine.  I never took care of it (or completed any of the HIPAA steps) because there was a pending lawsuit regarding the accident the bill is from.

  I have now received a settlement for the car accident this medical bill is from. I let the attorneys know there is an outstanding bill of $2500 that I wanted taken care of (so it didn’t come out of my share).   I am not thinking of using the HIPAA process since the attorneys have already been in communication with the CA to negotiate the bill down.  Instead, I’m trying for a PFD of sorts.

  Unfortunately, the attorneys and paralegal I am working with know nothing about credit repair.  (They are just trying to handle the settlement award we received properly.)  I told the paralegal exactly what to put in a PFD letter to the CA, but she just communicating it all on the phone to them!  The CA has told her they agree to delete it from my credit files, but can’t send a letter stating that until the money is received.  I told the paralegal not to trust the CA’s.  She went back and told the CA that once it is deleted from my credit reports, then she will send the check. 

 

  Well, I’ve been very skeptical that any of this would work, as I do not trust the CA one bit.  I’ve been checking my reports, and to my astonishment, the TL has been completely removed from my reports with both CRA’s!!   So, the next step is for us to send the money as promised.  However, I am still worried since we still don’t have anything in writing. 

 

  Is it possible that the CA may re-report my collection (as Paid) once they receive the money?  Do you think this is likely to happen without a written PFD agreement?  Or do you think it will stay deleted, and I can breathe a sigh of relief? 

 

  Has anyone had a situation like this before, where the CA deleted the account in exchange for receiving the money, but prior to receiving it? 

 

paying but still got dunning letter

Feb 152010
 

I was directed to this forum so I am reposting my original post that was posted in the general credit forums. So read below.

 

 

 

Hi All,

 

Thanks in advance for your help. I have been searching the forums but am not finding an answer for my particular problem. 

 

I have 7 different medical bills that I am paying a small monthly amount. Some of them are mine some are my husbands. Six of them I only pay $10.00 a month on because that is all I can afford to pay right now. I have these payment set up through my bank to be automatically paid every month. Total of all bills have been paid down to $1020.00.This amount will be $920. by the end of the week because it is too late to stop the automatic payment. I foolishly thought they wouldn’t do this if they were getting something every month. I have been paying on these since Sept. ’09. I received collection letters for 3 of them today. Letters are from the same CA for the same Dr.office and hospital. Total for the 3 are a little over $400. which I can’t pay off right now. Next month I would be able to increase the payment for 2 of them as I will have 2 of the smaller ones paid off. I want to keep these off of our credit reports because we are trying to buy a house. They are not showing up yet and the letters say I have 30 days to respond. 

 

We were pre-approved to buy a house in Sept. but one thing after another has hindered us from being able to close. Now we are going to have to start the whole process over and can’t afford for our credit scores to go down. They have actually gone up since Sept.

 

So my questions are:

 

  • What is the best way to prevent these from showing up on our credit reports other than paying them off?
  • If I do manage to get the money to pay them off, should I send to the OC?
  • Do I acknowledge receipt of the collection letters in any way?
  • If I pay will they still be reported by the CA? 

Again, thanks for your help.

 

UPDATE: I called this morning and was told they could not call back from CA. I have come up with the money needed to pay this off if I need to but I need to know the correct steps to take to do this. I have read so many different things on here that it is mind boggling.

 

I was told I could find a PFD letter on here but all the links I click on says the page as been deleted. Also, is that the correct letter that I need since it hasn’t been reported yet? I think I read some where on here to send the money (cashiers check) to the OC anyway in hopes that they will cash it. Along with a letter (not sure which one now). If I send to the OC won’t the CA still try and collect and report it on my CR?

 

Also, the 30 days to respond is a joke. I didn’t get the letter until the 12th and it was dated 02.02.10 and they have to have a written resposne by the 03.02.10?