Getting divorced can come with plenty of heartache, paperwork, and even financial burden. But one of those struggles does not have to include a dip in your credit score just because you signed divorce papers.
Be proactive. Take the following steps to evaluate your personal credit and those accounts that are shared jointly with your ex-husband or wife. If there are errors on your report, dispute them by sending a letter to the credit bureau(s). It is important to maintain a report with accurate information.
Obtain current credit reports
Write to Transunion, Experian and Equifax for a current copy of your credit files. You are entitled to one free copy every twelve months. You may have to pay a fee if you want to receive a copy more frequently.
Review your credit reports
Although the credit bureaus share information about your credit history, the actual information reported from one bureau may differ from another. Obtain a copy from each bureau and review the listings.
Dispute Errors on your report
Send a written dispute to the bureau(s) that list inaccurate information on your credit file. Be sure to enclose documents that support your claim of an error on the report. The credit bureaus have 30 days to respond to your dispute. If the information is not corrected, you may need to send a second, or sometimes third, dispute to the credit bureau.
Get Legal Help
Flitter Milz is a consumer protection law firm that represents victims of inaccurate credit reporting. Contact us for a free evaluation of your reports and correspondence you’ve had with the credit bureaus. If your consumer rights have been violated, you may have a lawsuit to bring against the credit reporting agency.