See my research, posts, and articles on credit reports, including how to read them, dispute errors, and improve your score. Click the link to learn more!
TransUnion found settlement enrollees who were still current when they enrolled fell 96 points, 645 to 549, measured six months before to six months after. Here’s what it leaves out.
Paying a collection doesn’t remove it. It stays about seven years from your original delinquency, and whether your score rises depends on which model your lender pulls.
The 10-year number is real — but it’s not what you think. Here’s what actually happens to your credit after bankruptcy, and how to beat the one real catch.
Amazon just paid a record FTC penalty for hiding fraud records from identity-theft victims. The law it broke gives you a right you can use today.
Viral TikTok “credit sweeps” tell you to dispute every debt as identity theft. The FTC warned in January 2026: that’s a federal crime, not a loophole. Here’s the truth.
A 609 letter can’t erase an accurate debt. FCRA Section 609 is a disclosure right, not a delete button. Here’s the truth and what actually fixes your credit.
Labcorp’s $35M AMCA data breach settlement is accepting claims through September 3, 2026. Up to $5,000 for documented losses or ~$50 alternative payment. File at amcadatabreachsettlement.com. Plus: how to detect medical identity theft on your credit report.
A judge let a class action against TransUnion proceed over a report allegedly sold to a fake collector. The one habit that stops these calls cold.
The Gas Express / Circle K data breach settlement is for employees, not customers. How to claim by Sept 3, 2026 — and lock down your credit.
The Senate just voted down the last chance to restore CFPB overdraft fee caps and medical debt credit reporting protections. Here is what protections still exist, how to opt out of overdraft fees, and what to do about medical debt on your credit report.
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