Credit Repair » (Book & CD-ROM, Ninth Edition)

Robin Leonard is a former attorney who gave up the law to become a rabbi. She is the author of many Nolo books including Money Troubles: Legal Strategies to Cope with Your Debts and Credit Repair. She aslo helped write How to File for Chapter 7 Bankruptcy and A Legal Guide for Lesbian and Gay Couples.

Margaret Reiter was a consumer investigator with the Los Angeles County Consumer Affairs Department for four years and worked for 20 years as a consumer prosecutor with the California Attorney General's Consumer Law Section. She has investigated or prosecuted businesses engaged in consumer fraud including foreclosure "consultants," mortgage lenders, debt settlement companies, vocational schools, living trust mill/annuity sellers, prepaid phone card companies, and tax refund anticipation loan providers. She has drafted consumer protection legislation, advocated for stronger consumer protection before regulatory agencies, trained other prosecutors and investigators, and prepared consumer alerts and spoken to the public on Truth-in-Lending, telephone slamming and cramming, truth in phone billing, bankruptcy, and vocational schools, among other consumer topics.

Perhaps you've had problems with credit. Or perhaps you haven't, but your credit report says you did anyway, nearly 70 percent of credit reports contain errors.

Either way, a less-than-flattering report can hurt your chances of qualifying for a credit card, mortgage or any other kind of loan, it can even get in the way of renting an apartment or finding a job.

But a bad credit report can almost always be improved or corrected. In plain English, Credit Repair shows you how to fix your credit situation quickly, easily and legally. Learn how to:

avoid overspending
• establish a realistic budget
• get out of debt now
• build a financial cushion
• read and understand your credit report
• get mistakes on your credit report fixed
• protect your social security number
• avoid credit discrimination
• get positive information added to your credit report
• negotiate with creditors

This edition of Credit Repair provides new information about your liability when your credit card is used without your permission, and how to close a credit card account properly. It also includes sample credit reports and lists of agencies and organizations to turn to for additional help.

About the Author

Attorney Robin Leonard has been featured as a money and credit advisor on Good Morning America and CNN, and in publications across the country, including Kiplinger s Personal Finance Magazine, U.S. News & World Report, Money, Forbes and the Los Angeles Times. She is the author of many Nolo books including Money Troubles: Legal Strategies to Cope with Your Debts, Credit Repair, Take Control of Your Student Loan Debt, and Bankruptcy: Is It the Right Solution to Your Debt Problems? and co-author of How to File for Chapter 7 Bankruptcy and A Legal Guide for Lesbian and Gay Couples.

Deanne Loonin is a staff attorney with the National Consumer Law Center (NCLC) in Boston. She also works with Nolo on debt and credit issues. Prior to joining Nolo and NCLC, she directed Bet Tzedek Legal Services senior consumer fraud unit in Los Angeles. Deanne is co-author of Nolo's Money Troubles: Legal Strategies to Cope With Your Debts, Take Control of Your Student Loan and Credit Repair.

Washington Times

A helpful guide for people who have sunk into debt, the book offers ideas for setting up a budget and repairing credit history.

Introduction to Credit Repair
1. Assessing Your Debt Situation
2. Avoiding Overspending
3. Handling Existing Debts
4. Cleaning Up Your Credit File
5. How Creditors and Employers Use Your Credit Report
6. Building and Maintaining Good Credit 
Appendices
A1: Resources
A2: Federal Credit Reporting and Credit Repair Laws
A3: Forms and Letters
A4: How to use the Forms CD