You can find one through the National Foundation for Credit Counseling’s agency finder tool or the Department of Justice’s list of approved credit counseling agencies. If improving your credit score is one of your goals for 2025, you’re not alone. With lenders tightening approval standards and interest rates fluctuating, having strong credit is more important than ever. But the process of rebuilding your credit can feel confusing—unless you have a clear plan. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is a U.S. government agency dedicated to making sure you’re treated fairly by banks, lenders, and other financial institutions.

Conclusion – Who Is The Best At Credit Repair?

For example, they shared loan amounts, interest rates, required documentation and turnaround times for the entire loan process, including preapproval, approval and funding. Besides the wait time to speak with a representative, the call was helpful and effective. While some borrowers appreciate SoFi’s simple application and disbursement process, others are dissatisfied with communication and customer service. Borrowers are also frustrated with misleading promotional offers and how their loan inquiries were handled. Accredited Debt Relief is a legitimate debt settlement company founded in 2011. It’s accredited by the Better Business Bureau (BBB) with an A+ rating and holds an accreditation from the Association for Consumer Debt Relief (ACDR).

Step One: Start With Your Credit Reports

The first, most basic step is to download a copy of your credit report. At CNBC Select, our mission is to provide our readers with high-quality service journalism and comprehensive consumer advice so they can make informed decisions with their money. Every tax article is based on rigorous reporting by our team of expert writers and editors with extensive knowledge of tax products. We considered numerous factors in our evaluations of credit repair companies.

Credit Saint’s direct integration with Experian and TransUnion streamlines and simplifies the process of accessing your credit reports and disputing errors. While The Credit Pros’ services are robust, but can come with a higher price tag.. There’s a one-time setup fee—ranging from $119 for the basic plan to $149—which could deter those on a tighter budget.

However, thorough research is essential to ensure the legitimacy and reputation of any debt relief service. The time required to improve your credit varies based on the severity of the credit issues you’re working on and whether you’re working on them yourself or using a repair company. In creditrepair , it can take a few months to several years to rebuild your credit score.

*advanced Financial Planning Services

To calculate your credit utilization ratio, simply add together all of your credit limits from your revolving accounts to determine your total credit limit. Add together your outstanding balances from each account, and then divide them by your total credit limit. Catch up on CNBC Select’s in-depth coverage of credit cards, banking and money, and follow us on TikTok, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter to stay up to date. It’s also important to know that accurate, negative information cannot be removed. If a company says it can get every negative item removed from your credit report or that it uses tactics no one else knows about, that may be a red flag.

Create a plan for today and tomorrow with financial education that meets you where you are. Build your future with personalized protection and smart investment options. When deciding which service is best for you, consider each in the context of your specific financial goals and objectives.