Frequently Asked Questions

1. How does the New Leaf Credit system help me repair my credit score?

   The purpose of the system is to help you remove negative items from your credit report, which has a positive effect on your credit score . We help you dispute negative items using the rules established by the laws that govern credit scoring and the operation of the credit reporting agencies that collect information about you.

2. How long will it take to fix my credit?

   Many people see results quickly, in as little as 60 days. However, the actual time it will take to raise your credit score depends on your individual credit; the time varies by each person’s unique credit circumstances.

3. Is it legal to repair my credit this way?

   Yes! You have the right, by law, to dispute the negative items on your credit reports. This includes using credit repair software, such as New Leaf Credit, to repair your credit on your own.

4. What if I have a bankruptcy or judgment on my credit report?

   The credit repair process can work for all derogatory information that may be listed in your credit file, including bankruptcies, judgments, foreclosures, repossessions, collection accounts and late pay accounts (student loans, credit card, medical, charge-offs, utility bills, etc.). Keep in mind that ANY negative information, including a bankruptcy or foreclosure can only be limited for a set amount of time, according to credit law.

5. Can your company advise me on how to fix my specific situation?

   While we can’t give situation specific advice about your credit, there is an arsenal of information in your New Leaf Credit portal that will guide you through the process. The system is automated to work with the information you enter to create a strategy for your situation.

6. What if I don’t have my credit report?

   Reviewing your credit report is the first step to understanding your credit situation. As part of the credit repair process, you will be instructed on the best way to obtain your reports so that you that you become familiar with the negative items that are hurting your score.

7. Is your system guaranteed to work?

   There are no guarantees with any program that helps you repair your credit. Even full service credit repair companies cannot guarantee that the process will improve your credit score. Historically, this type of credit repair has yielded positive results for individuals that are motivated and follow the process properly.

8. How does this process repair bad credit?

   Our system instructs you how to dispute inaccurate and unverifiable negative items on your credit reports with the three major credit reporting agencies, so you can have these items removed. We provide letter templates and a system devised to help you choose the letter template to use.

9. Can I really repair my credit on my own?

   Absolutely. This system was created to help you duplicate what a professional credit repair company would do for you if you hired them to fix your credit. It is important to note that they system gives you all of the resources you need to be successful, however, it works best for individuals who are motivated to improve their credit and who make adequate time to work on it.

10. Will my credit score go up if I pay the negative items off?

    Once an account is reported to the credit bureaus as a collection account, it remains a negative item even after you pay it. So if you pay the account to a zero balance, it will simply change from being marked as unpaid to paid; it will not result in changing that account to a positive status. A paid collections account should be removed from your credit file after seven years from the date the account was paid.

11. Does my income affect my credit score?

    Not at all. Your score is not affected by the amount of money you earn. You can earn $5,000 annually or $5,000,000 annually and that fact alone will not make a difference in your credit score.

12. Isn’t everything on my credit report accurate?

    No. A recent FTC study sites that 1 in 5 consumers have an error on their credit report. The best way to ensure that all of the information that is housed in your credit report is accurate is to check your credit report.

13. Will requesting/pulling my own credit report affect my credit score?

    No. When you order your own credit report, it is recorded as what is called a “soft” pull and does not affect your credit. When a lender or third party pulls your credit to determine your credit worthiness, this is considered a “hard” pull, resulting in an inquiry that will have an effect on your credit score (although it’s usually a minimal effect).

14. Will closing my credit card accounts boost my score?

    Your credit report is a seven year history of your spending habits. A large portion of the score derived from your report is the amount of available credit you have, as well as the age of those accounts. If you have positive accounts (no late payments and credit available), they are contributing to your score in a positive way. If you close those accounts, you reduce both your available credit and the history of a positive account, and this could potentially hurt your credit score.

15. Will paying an account off boost my score?

    Utilization is an important factor in your credit score. This is the amount of available credit you are using. Your credit score responds positively when you are using between 10%-20% of your available credit, but not when you are using 0%. This is because that is that is the range that is viewed as “responsible spending habits”. So, if you have a credit card with a $1,000 limit, keeping your balance between $100 and $200 will generally result in your credit score responding positively.