Taking action to repair your credit is the first move in the right direction. If you are like most people, you may be unsure how to begin. Many people take the “free” route and attempt to repair their own credit. While this works for some, the drawbacks of going solo can be larger than you realize. Below are a few reasons why a credit lawyer may be beneficial to you and your credit score.

  1. General knowledge. Do you know your rights under the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FRCA)? Do you know how to draft a dispute letter once you do? Unless you have a strong urge to immerse yourself in the long and arduous task of learning federal law in your spare time, navigating the important first steps to credit repair can be confusing. A lot of background knowledge is required before a single dispute letter can be drafted.

    Hiring a credit lawyer to help you navigate the laws may be your best option. Attorneys with experience in credit repair have a thorough understanding of the current credit and consumer protection laws. They also know how to apply these laws to help you assert your consumer rights.

  2. Tracking paperwork and correspondence. Unless you are an organizational guru who loves categorization and filing, tracking correspondence between yourself and the credit bureau can be an overwhelming and draining experience. You can also expect to spend time and money at the post office; any letters to the credit bureau must be sent through USPS with a return receipt requested. You also need to find a way to track emails, phone calls, and other forms of contact.

    Law firms have established methods when it comes to keeping records and tracking correspondence. Having an attorney serving as your go-between also saves you the effort of deciding how to categorize a brief phone call or a message on your answering machine.

  3. Sacrificing your time. Learning federal credit laws and wading through paperwork is a full-time job, and you probably already have one of those. You can’t drop everything to look up legal terms and run to the post office during business hours. You don’t have several hours each week to devote to your credit file and the expertise it takes to repair it. This is why many people hire a credit lawyer. Even if they have the expertise to fix their own credit, they may not have the resources or time. As a result, they cannot pursue their credit repair as aggressively as they should, and the process becomes lengthier.
Author's Bio: 

Ann Hudson is an advocate for consumers understanding their credit and their credit rights.