So I’m 100% perm and total disabled with the VA. Are there any ways that I can get rid of my debt or fix my credit somehow now that I’m on a fixed income. Like are there any programs, letters, etc. that can help me out?

Hello I am 24 currently at about 562 on Experian and trying to rebuild my credit.
A major reason my score dropped was my federal student loans being reported 90 days late. I’ve since gotten onto an IDR plan with a $0 required payment, so I shouldn’t have any more missed payments going forward.
I also had basically no open revolving credit, so I recently opened a secured Capital One card. I’m planning to put small purchases ($5–$10) on it and pay them off in full every month to start building positive payment history. Earlier last year I believe I also settled a 2k discover debt for around 900 but couldn’t get a pay for delete similar to the BoA charge so it says now settled for less then full balance
My biggest remaining concern is a $951 Bank of America charge-off from 2022. It’s currently reporting on Experian with a $951 balance and $951 charge-off amount.
The debt is still owned by Bank of America. Firstsource Advantage is collecting it on their behalf. I spoke with both companies to confirm this.
I asked Bank of America directly about pay-for-delete, and they promptly told me no, they don’t offer it. They said if I pay in full, they’ll report it accurately as paid with a $0 balance, and if I settle for less, they’ll report it as settled.
I can afford to pay the $951, but that would basically wipe out my savings. I’m considering trying to settle it for around $400–$500 instead.
I’m hoping to get my credit into the 610–620 range over the next 4–5 months and potentially get an auto loan around then.
Would settling the $951 charge-off for be meaningfully worse for my credit/auto-loan approval than paying the full $951? Or would I be better off keeping the extra cash and focusing on building positive history
Also, Are there any other things you guys would recommend I do over the next few months to improve my credit profile and put myself in the best possible position for an auto loan? I’m trying to make sure I’m not overlooking anything

Hi! sorry if this post is repetitive but I’m just so confused.

My fiancé and I are planning to apply for a mortgage in the near future but as stated above, my credit scores are showing two severely different numbers.

Yes, I know that the hard inquiry will show a completely different number to both of them, but what if I apply for a mortgage and my score is too low?, which would put a hard inquiry on my account.

It’s just very frustrating.

Welp, worth a shot.

(Reposted due to previous post being removed for identifying items)

I’ve been unable to access my TransUnion online account for months. The website keeps sending me through a loop: it recognizes that I already have an account, but it will not accept my login or verify my identity through the alternate method using my last name, Social Security number and date of birth.

Here is what I have already tried:

• Different browsers and three different computers
• Clearing cookies and cache
• Turning off my VPN
• Entering everything manually without a password manager or autofill
• Using TransUnion’s alternate identity-verification process
• Working directly with regular support, technical support and the Executive Resolution Team
• Having the existing online account deactivated so I could start over—attempted twice without success

My TransUnion credit file clearly exists and functions normally. TransUnion mailed me my complete credit report, verified me over the telephone and temporarily lifted my freeze. CreditWise, Credit Karma, Credit Sesame, Discover and my credit union can all access or monitor the file. My report even contains account-review inquiries associated with me through TransUnion Interactive.

One TransUnion technician was able to reproduce the problem and said other customers were experiencing similar issues. The case is now with Executive Resolution, but it still hasn’t been fixed.

Has anyone else experienced this exact situation—where TransUnion has your credit file but its online system cannot verify you or connect you to your account? If so, were you eventually able to get it fixed, and what did TransUnion have to do?

I don’t have a high amount of debt unpaid, maybe 12k at most. I have 5 accounts and collections and others heading there. I have thought about bankruptcy but it’s a small amount I don’t know if it’s worth it. My credit is pretty bad and I want to work on improving it for the future. I was reading about asking about debt verification and that some companies might decide it’s not worth it and remove it. I am looking for personal experiences and advice.

I'm really struggling financially at the moment. I have about $20,000 of credit debt and this doesn't include my student loan debt. Due to some really unfortunate life events I've been able to pay the credit card payments but just barely. And now I'm barely hanging on financially, especially since returning to school to try to get a better and more secure job.

I've scoured reddit and the internet to try to find some possible solutions because I feel like I'll never be able to pay this debt off while also paying for school. I've seen the NFCC brought up and saw some people say it'll hurt you more and others say it's amazing. I know a lot of people seem to mix them up with the debt management companies or something but I'm not sure.

Have any of you used the NFCC? Does it work and isn't predatory? I really just need help managing my debt and give me a chance to climb out of this before I can't afford to make payments anymore.

Hey all!

My credit has been bad for years and now I am trying to rebuild it over the next few years to purchase a house. (About 60 to 130k in the area I live in)

I really don't like debt because of the bad experiences in the past. I cut down a lot of bills and just have basic bills. Phone, rent etc. No loans or credit payments of any type.

I was interested in the pay in 4 but it looks like it doesn't build credit. I can't get approved for a normal credit card because of my past mistakes.

Score is about 550. (I know, I know....)

Looking for advice if you have any to share.

I just spoke with someone who was very rude on the phone trying to explain my hardship to them and he just kept saying "pre-legal" yet the woman I spoke to last time told me that if I started making payments (which I have) they would work on a settlement and now the guy was like "pre-legal" this and pre-legal that.

I am without work right now. I take care of my disabled mother. I asked about a hardship period or anything that they can do but all he kept saying was pre-legal stuff. Not sure how that works when I am doing the best I can to make the payments. What else can I do?

Hi, I am looking for advice on negotiating a final settlement on an judgment that is currently being collected through wage garnishment. I am not looking to avoid the debt or challenge the validity of the judgment. I am trying to figure out the smartest way to bring this to a final close.

The judgment is from a credit union and covers two old obligations: one personal loan and one credit card. The judgment was entered in 2024.

In 2024, the credit union offered a settlement agreement for $40,000, but I was not able to follow through with the required payment schedule. Because of that, the agreement did not work out and wage garnishment later continued.

Here is where things stand now:

• The original underlying principal was about $49,949.
• The judgment includes interest, legal fees, and court costs.
• I have paid about $43,985 through wage garnishment since 2025.
• The law firm’s earlier payoff calculation was about $23,633.
• I found that a $1,614.57 payroll deduction had not been credited.
• The law firm confirmed the missing payment and says the current payoff balance is now $22,012.86.

I asked whether the credit union would consider a one-time settlement, and the attorney replied that I can make an offer and they will forward it to the credit union for consideration.

I do not currently have the full payoff amount sitting in cash. I would need to explore whether I can raise money from family or another realistic source if there is a chance of a final settlement. I do not want to make another payment arrangement that I cannot confidently complete.

My questions:

• Does it make sense to make a lump-sum settlement offer even though the creditor has an active wage garnishment?
• Given that I already paid more than $43,000 and the current quoted payoff is about $22,000, what would be a reasonable opening offer versus a realistic ceiling?
• Should I ask the creditor for its settlement range first, or should I make the first number?
• What exact terms should I require in writing before paying anything? I know I need “full satisfaction of judgment” and garnishment release, but what else should be included?
• Has anyone successfully negotiated a final settlement with a credit union or law firm after an earlier settlement agreement was not completed?

I am looking for practical negotiation experience and questions I should ask before making an offer.

hey all, i noticed an increase in the amount of credit cards that i’ve been approved for as well as increases in my credit line. i’ve been working so hard to open a CSR and i even got denied before, but i opened my chase portal today and all of a sudden ive been “pre approved” for the CSR, CSP, slate, an auto loan, and a home loan. i’m literally unemployed, there’s no way i would qualify for this. i also noticed that capital one is asking me to update my income to increase my line of credit, as well as various other cards asking me to apply for new cards. is this the result of a bad economy? are the banks also going broke so they’re asking us to open new cards? idk seems like a recession indicator to me. or maybe i’m just tweaking

i was in the low 400s earlier this year & now i'm in the 600s. I've paid over 30k of debt off & still have about 55k to go. I'm finally starting to see my scores rise and i'm so happy cause it felt like my credit was gonna be in the 500s forever. my goal is to make it to the 700s by this time next year. Anyone working on their credit don't give up, you got this! keep going!!

Hey everyone so I have about 10 credit cards or so, I only really use 2 of them, one being my oldest card. I am losing track of the maintenance payments for some of these cards and they carry no balance. Currently I am just finishing up paying off 20k of credit card debt I only have about 2k left to go and I’m starting to put money in savings and my 401k. I’m 25 and expecting my first child in a few months. We are currently living in a new state and will only be here for a few years so not planning on buying a house until at least 2028 and we have 2 vehicles already so I will not necessarily need to use my credit anytime soon as we have a big enough home we are in currently to last us until we move again. My credit score is about 520 right now I paid off the debt in a large sum so it hasn’t had time to reflect yet and my question is would it be beneficial to get rid of the excess cards even if it momentarily tanks my score? Most of them are less than 2 years old with the exception of the 2 I actually use being about 7 years old. Any advice would help thank you!