Card Rebate

Having a vehicle or other item repossessed can be financially, and even emotionally, devastating! Many times, a repossessed item can represent loss of freedom or income (in the case of a vehicle) or maybe loss of security or family memories (in the case of a home). These alone are bad enough; however, then comes the realization that a repossession reported on your credit report will cause your credit score to plummet!

It may seem like the end of the world, but it really isn’t! It does get better. And, when it does, you should consider beginning to rebuild your credit immediately. And, the place to start is your credit report. You should request copies of your credit report from the three major credit reporting agencies – Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion. These credit reporting agencies are legally required to provide you with one free copy of your credit history every twelve months.

Once you have all three credit reports in hand, schedule a little time to review and compare all three credit reports. Repossessions normally have associated fees, such as storage and towing charges. These related charges will be listed on your credit report along with the repossession itself. After reviewing your credit reports, you should gather together all of your repossession receipts and compare them to the fees listed on your credit reports. All amounts listed on your credit reports must be reported accurately. If they are not reported accurately, you can dispute them with the credit reporting agencies.

If you find any discrepancies on one or more of your credit reports, you should write a dispute letter to the relevant credit reporting bureaus explaining the errors and requesting removal of the repossession entry. You should include a copy of your credit report with the errors highlighted as well as the receipts which correspond with the errors on the credit report. Also, be sure to retain copies of all letters you send.

Upon receipt of your dispute letter, the credit reporting bureaus have 30 days to verify the repossession entry. The credit reporting bureaus will contact the creditor and attempt to verify that the information reported on your credit report is accurate. If the creditor cannot verify this information, for whatever reason, within the stated time frame, the credit reporting bureaus must by law remove the entry. A letter should be sent to you by the credit reporting agencies which explains what action was or was not taken and why. A repossession entry, if not removed, will remain for seven years on your credit report.

If you are unsuccessful in removing the repossession entry using a dispute letter, you could try negotiating with your creditor to either delete the entry or to improve the status of the entry. You might try writing or calling your creditor and requesting deletion of the repossession entry in exchange for partial or full payment of the debt. You should obtain in writing any agreement reached as well as both of your signatures.

Although you may feel disheartened, better days are ahead! The sooner you begin to repair your credit, the sooner things will brighten up!

Removing a repossession is possible. Discover the only legal way to remove any questionable credit repo at www.repocredit.net.

There is no doubt that accepting credit cards online is an absolute necessity if you intend to run an online business. No-one who wants to keep his online business profitable is going to only offer checks or money orders as the only way to pay for orders.

If you just place another hurdle for them to jump over, they will get fed up and leave your site. Perhaps we have become impatient, but whatever the reason, customers to any website that offers goods or services, demand an instant payment facility.

All successful sites know their customers are looking for an instant service where they can pay and expect the order to be dispatched that day. This should not stop you from organizing online payments before the website is completed.

If you don’t, you shouldn’t expect to make a go of it and you are going to find that it’s more hassle than it’s worth. As it is possible to use more than one method to accept credit cards online, many larger internet businesses use more than one to attract additional customers.

One of the systems becoming very popular with internet users is Paypal although there are others that are very similar to types you will find at any establishment that accepts cards. The rise in the popularity of Paypal is due to ebay who created the system.

A person can use their credit card in their Paypal account as it makes check out faster and easier, and some feel, more secure. Make sure you provide your visitors with a secure setting if you want to accept online payments.

This means that the transaction is encrypted so that their information is not broadcast around the Internet for those who may take those numbers for their own use. If you want to accept credit cards online you have to have this facility or your customers will most definitely think twice before they put their information in your ordering system. Your website only has one opportunity to impress and if a potential customer does not feel that their personal information is safe on your site, they will not place an order.

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I sit at my desk completely frustrated with Advanta. I opened up a business credit card with them 3 years ago and made a purchase of $6500 to help build my business credit for Rapid Recovery Solution, my Collection Agency. I have paid more then the minimum every month, on time. About 3 months ago noticed that my interest rate seemed a little high. No where on my statement did it say the actual interest rate so I called the company. After 10 min or so I get a live rep on the line and they tell me it is 36.1%. Are they kidding, this must be a mistake. I have over a 750 score and never missed a payment. They said they sent me a notice in Aug that they are doing this due to a change in there lending methods. It turns out this is the second time this year they did this. I went from 8.99% in Jan 08 to 18.99 in Feb 08 to 36.1% in Aug 08.

Now, being in the industry for over 10 years I know that I need to watch my credit. I look for charges I didn’t make and it is tough to scam me. I have seen it all but this takes the cake. They told me I am now at a high risk for default so that is why they raised my interest rate? That doesn’t make any sense. They should lower my rate if they think I will default on my credit card. How will an increase in what you are charging me keep me from defaulting. Luckily, I have the ability to pay off this card today but I want everyone to realize that these companies have you by the short-n-curly’s. Watch your statements and lookout for this scam.

FYI, In NY, the maximum interest rate is 30%. They are charging me more then the maximum allowed in my state. I will send a letter to the BBB, the NY Attorney General, the UT Attorney General and the Department of Consumer Affairs.

As a nation we are in deep trouble. If a credit card company can just raise my rate because they feel like it I am positive that 99% of their customers are also paying 36.1%. How many other credit card companies are doing this to innocent people? We need to fight back. I am going to tell as many people as I can.

Unfortunately, there is nothing we can do except payoff the card. I was told I am a high credit risk. I paid the bill in full after I realized the rate was so high and the next month I received another bill for more finance charges for about $255. I paid that bill in full. I just received another bill in the mail for $5.65 and my rate was changed to 37.99%. Another point higher.

Just for a laugh I called again to see why the rate went up again and they said “Sir, you have been classified as a very high credit risk and as a company we can’t risk you not paying your bill with us.” I said “I just paid my bill in full with your company, I have never had a late payment with your company in three years, I have one mortgage on my house for $290K, 25 years left at a fixed rate of 5.375% and it is worth over $500k and almost zero credit card debt personally. I am in the fastest growing industry right now, CNBC expects the debt collection industry to grow at 25% a year for the next decade. What else would I have to do to receive a better rate?” The extremely rude lady said “Sir, you would need to send a letter to Santa Clause and maybe he can help you out.”

The Government should put a maximum rate in place for the next year or so on all credit card debt. If the credit card companies are truly worried about consumers defaulting on their obligations, wouldn’t it make more sense to lower the rate so we can continue to make the payments? By raising the rate, it only makes it harder to pay and more likely that a consumer will default. The credit card companies are preying on the weak right now hoping you don’t pay so they can pound you with the highest interest rate. When you do default, they now have a higher balance to sell to a collection agency. In my eyes, this is a crime.

The Government doesn’t care either. Instead of giving the banks 350 billion dollars, They could have sent $1151.98 to each US citizen to pay towards credit card debt. The banks still get the money but we the people get a little break on our bill. The average family of four would receive $4607.92 to pay off a credit card. They reason that the banks need the money so they can lend money again to us? Are they crazy? All the banks did was raise the interest rates on our cards and pocket the money without ever having to say what the money went towards. No accountability!

Now the geniuses in Washington are considering giving billions to the auto industry so they can produce more shit cars that we can’t afford. How about giving the money to everybody with a current auto loan so we can pay for the car we already have. The money would still flow to the banks and auto makers via we the people.

Good luck America, your gonna need a miracle.

I feel better now. I was very upset prior to writing this blog. I hope everybody reading this realizes that if it can happen to me it can happen to anybody.

John Monderine Rapid Recovery Solution, Inc.

John Monderine is the President of Rapid Recovery Solution, Inc. a Debt Collection Agency. If you need help getting your Bad Debt paid go to his Collection Agency website for a free quote.

Three steps to freedom form debt:

1. Stop acquiring new debt.

2. Establish an emergency fund.

3. Implement a debt snowball.

Here’s how to approach each step.

Stop acquiring new debt (This step can be accomplished in an afternoon.)

This may seem obvious, but the reason your debt is out of control is because you keep spending. Stop using credit. Don’t finance anything. Cut up your credit cards.

That last part may be tough. Don’t make excuses. I don’t care that some personal finance sites say that you shouldn’t cut them up. Destroy them. Stop rationalizing that you need credit cards.

* You don’t need credit cards for a safety net. * You don’t need credit cards for convenience. * You don’t need credit cards for sky miles.

You really don’t need credit cards at all. Credit cards are like quick sand, the more your struggle, the deeper in debt you go. Later, when your debts are gone and your finances are under control, maybe then you can get a credit card. (I don’t carry a personal credit card. I don’t miss having one.)

After you cut up your cards, stop all recurring payments. If you have a gym membership, cancel it. If you automatically renew your online video game account, cancel it. Cancel anything that automatically charges your credit card. Stop using credit.

Once you’ve destroyed the cards, call the credit card companies that you just killed. Do not cancel your credit cards (except for those with a zero balance). Instead, ask for a better deal. Find an offer online and use it as a bargaining wedge. Your bank may not agree to match competing offers, but it probably will. It never hurts to ask.

Establish an emergency fund (This step will probably take several months.)

For most, this is counter-intuitive. Why save before paying off debt? Because if you don’t save first, you’re not going to be able to cope with unexpected expenses. Do not tell yourself that you can keep a credit card for emergencies. Destroy your credit cards; save cash for emergencies.

How much should you save? Ideally, you’d save $1,000 to start. (College students may be able to get by with $500.) This money is for emergencies only. It is not for beer. It is not for shoes. It is not for a Playstation 3. It is to be used when your car dies, or when you break your arm in a touch football game.

Keep this money liquid, but not immediately accessible. Don’t tie your emergency fund to a debit card. Don’t sabotage your efforts by making it easy to spend the money on non-essentials. Consider opening a savings account at an online bank like ING or Emigrant. When an emergency arises, you can easily transfer the money to your regular checking account. It’ll be there when you need it, but you won’t be able to spend it spontaneously.

Implement a debt snowball (This step may require several years.)

After you’ve finally stopped using credit, and after you’ve saved an emergency fund, then attack your existing debt. Attack it hard. Throw everything you can at it.

Some experts say to pay your highest interest debts first. There’s no question that this makes the most sense mathematically. But if money were all about math, you wouldn’t have debt in the first place. Money is as much about emotion and psychology as it is about math.

There are at least two approaches to debt elimination. Psychologically, using a debt snowball offers big payoffs, payoffs that can spur you to further debt reduction. Here’s the short version:

1. Order your debts from lowest balance to highest balance. 2. Designate a certain amount of money to pay toward debts each month. 3. Pay the minimum payment on all debts except for the one with the lowest balance. 4. Throw every other penny at the debt with the lowest balance. 5. When that debt is gone, do not alter the monthly amount used to pay debts, but throw all you can at the debt with the next-lowest balance.

I’m a huge fan of the debt snowball. It still takes time to pay off your debts, but you can see results almost immediately.

Supplementary solutions

You can do other things to improve your money situation while you’re working on these three steps.

First, focus on the fundamental personal finance equation: to pay off debt, or to save money, or to accumulate wealth, you must spend less than you earn.

Curb your spending. Re-learn frugal habits. (Frugality is something with which most college students are all too familiar.) You can find some great ideas on the internet. Also check Frugal for Life.

While you work on spending less, do what you can to increase your income. If possible, sell some of the stuff you bought when you got into debt. Get an extra job. (But don’t neglect your studies for the sake of earning more. Your studies are most important.)

Finally, go to your local public library and borrow Dave Ramsey’s The Total Money Makeover. Don’t be put off by the title – this is a fantastic guide to getting out of debt and developing good money habits. I rave about it often, but that’s because it has done so much to help my own personal finances. After you’ve finished, return it and borrow another book about money.

The most important thing is to start now. Don’t start tomorrow. Don’t start next week. Start tackling your debt now. Your older self will thank you.

Mallory Megan is employed by a debt collection agency. Also she writes pieces about finance and business, consumer spending and collection agencies.

You should call in a credit collection agency sooner rather than later. The longer you wait to begin the collection process on overdue accounts, the less of a chance you’ll have at recovering your money.

The day after an account becomes overdue, you should place a polite phone call to the customer who owes you money. If that doesn’t work, you may want to send a few past-due letters yourself, or you may want to go directly to a credit collection agency. Base your decision on how much money is owed to you and the history of your relationship with the customer. If it’s the first time you are doing business with them, you’ll want to call in a credit collection agency earlier than you would with a 10-year customer with a solid credit history.

Most companies call in a credit collection agency once a debt is 60 days to 90 days past due. If you wait much longer than 90 days to begin collecting unpaid receivables, your chance of collecting drops dramatically.

If you discover that your account has gone out of business, find out what type of business it was – a corporation, a partnership, or a proprietorship. If it was a corporation, don’t even bother calling for the help of a collection agency. It is doubtful that you, or any one else, will be able to squeeze the last few nickels out of that client. If the company is a partnership or a proprietorship, you may be able to get the individual owners of the company to pay you out of their own pockets.

If you try to recover an account and fail, consider that bad debt a tax-deductible item (Tax Code IRC 166, Reg. 1.166). You will be able to deduct the cost of the goods sold (but not paid for) as an ordinary business expense. You can’t deduct any lost profits from the sale, nor can you deduct the money owed for services rendered.

Mallory Megan works for a debt collection agency. She also composes pieces about finance and business, consumer spending and collection agencies.