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Bankruptcies can hang on your credit report for up to 10 years and can butcher your credit score by hundreds of points. But by using these tactics, you could improve your credit score and become creditworthy several years before the bankruptcy drops off your credit report.

Repairing your credit score after a bankruptcy is far from being not burdensome. “Filing bankruptcy is supposed to be a fresh start,” says Stephen Snyder, credit expert and author of “Credit after Bankruptcy.”

After a bankruptcy discharge, make sure your credit report is correct. After all, your goal is to increase your credit score hastily, and inaccurate information will only draw out the time it takes to score high enough for conventional credit. You are entitled to one free credit report every 12 months from each of the three national credit bureaus. Credit bureaus generally have 30 to 45 days to investigate your claim.

One of the most productive ways to boost your credit score after bankruptcy is to procure a secured credit card, she says. Secured cards are credit cards secured by a deposit account (usually a savings account) owned by the cardholder.”Those cards were designed for people with bad credit to remain in very low-credit-limit situations for a long period of time at a high interest rate,” says Stephen Snyder, author of “Credit after Bankruptcy.”Having more than one type of credit line will help boost your credit score.

“The point is most people with great credit scores probably have two credit cards from well-known, well-respected banks, a house payment, maybe a boat payment, and they keep those balances below 15 percent [of available credit] every month.”About 10 percent of your credit score is calculated based on the types of credit you use (i.e., credit cards, mortgages, installment loans and retail accounts), according to MyFICO.com.

Another 10 percent is based on new credit accounts ” which can include credit lines established after your bankruptcy. Although the FHA program does not officially use credit scores to qualify a loan, individual lenders may. Some credit-repair and credit “doctor” companies make grandiose claims that they can clean the slate and repair your credit file, often for a substantial fee. Only time will cause those entries to drop off your credit reports.

Mallory Megan works for a collections agency that works with a debt collection lawyer. Also, she composes stories on business and finance, consumer spending and collections agencies.

The monthly mortgage payment is one of the most expensive debts most of us pay each month. Unfortunately, the recent housing and economic crisis has left many homeowners struggling to keep up with their mortgage payments. If you are on a tight budget, there a number of ways you can reduce your monthly mortgage payments and alleviate the overwhelming financial stress. Below are a number of tips on paying and reducing monthly mortgage payments.

1. To counter the effects of the housing crisis and prevent foreclosures, the Federal Government and mortgage lenders have come up with mortgage programs that allow homeowners to take advantage of reduced mortgage interest rates. If you are having troubles paying your mortgage, this is a good time to approach your lender about refinancing your mortgage for a better rate. By refinancing, you will have a lower monthly mortgage payment.

If possible, try to get a long term fixed mortgage such as a 30 year mortgage because a fixed rate will not fluctuate if the markets start to decline. As well, if you are shopping your mortgage around for a good refinancing deal, check to see if a real estate agent or lender will waive such fees as the application fee. Getting a low interest rate and avoiding extra fees are key factors to getting a good mortgage refinancing deal.

2. A helpful tip on paying your mortgage payment is to pay a significant amount on the principle of the balance owing. If you pay a large amount on the principle, you may be able to get rid of the mortgage insurance payment which will decrease the amount you pay each month.

3. The longer you have a mortgage, such as a 30 year fixed rate mortgage, the less you will have to pay monthly. If you are applying for a mortgage or refinancing, try to get a long term mortgage. As well, if you can afford it, put a large chunk of money down on the mortgage as it will lower your monthly payments.

4. Often people find them in situation where they cannot make their mortgage payments because they have too much debt. For instance, credit card bills, student loans, medical bills, and the bills racked after purchasing homes for sale and etc, can be financially overwhelming. One solution is to get a debt consolidation mortgage loan. When you consolidate all of your debts into one loan, you will only have one monthly payment and one interest rate. You could end up saving thousands of dollars.

5. Always pay your mortgage on time so that you can maintain a clean credit report. Remember, a clean credit report is valued by lenders and will stay with you through life. It will also help you get a better refinance deal. If you have outstanding debts on your credit report, try to pay them off. Consider debt consolidation as a way to clean up your credit rating.

If you find your self in a situation where you are having problems paying your monthly mortgage, there are many steps you can take to avoid foreclosure. By doing so, you will be able to get some much needed financial relief.

Vic Singh is a real estate Brampton agent and specializes in offering some of the lowest commissions with no conditions. When searching for Brampton condos or homes, be sure to check out his real estate advice at his personal blog and website.

If you have college bound kids, you should be informed of the 529 college savings plan, which is one of the best ways, to prepare for your children’s educational future. The 529 college savings plan is a tax-free mutual fund for any college or university in the country.

Many parents are not sure the issue of whether the 529 is the best option but a calculator should be able to help you determine that. You can compare your estimated earnings in your taxable account with what you might earn with a 529 college savings plan. Depending on how much time you have prior to starting college you have the option to come ahead with the 529 college savings plan.

Weigh your options. Before you begin using an estimator, there are a few things to keep in mind. First, most calculators are only designed to work with college savings plans. So consider prepaid tuition plans if you are certain that the one receiving the benefits of the plan will be attending a 529 friendly school. The 529 guarantees tuition rates for our future and withdrawing from your prepaid plans are tax-free.

Tax-free withdraws for those qualified college expenses from a 529 college savings plan are considered gifts for federal tax purposes. This is applicable to annual contributions less or equal to 12,000 for individuals and 24,000 dollars for married couples provided they make joint contributions. Also, you can make a lump payment equal to five years worth of contributions which would be 60,000 dollars for individuals or 120,000 dollars for married couples.

Bear in mind that you must prepare a new plan for everyone you get it for but remember limits would apply to each account respectively.

Gains related to your investments from your 529 are open to the lower capital gains rate, if held for over a year. Also applying for dividends that qualify. However, short-term gains along with interest are taxed at your regular tax rate.

How the tax savings calculator works

As a rule, most tax savings calculators will ask for this information: the number of years remaining until the child enters college, the rates surrounding college funds in the event that you invested in a taxable account rather than a 529 plan. No matter if you make one large payment or instalments and the amount of time you want to contribute and the average return expected.

The results will return the value at college age, estimated after-tax value at college age as well as what you have and the gain from investing in a 529 college savings plan.

In the end estimates are just what they are – estimates so you will not know the exact amount until you begin investing. However, educating yourself before you decide on a plan will help you determine better what you should get.

To find out exactly how you can get saving for college 529 help visit my coverdell education savings account website.

One of the main benefits to working with many collection agencies is that you only pay them when they successfully recover your money. This means if the collection agency fails to collect money on your behalf, you don’t owe a penny. Debt collection agents operate on a commission, usually collecting about one third of the commission.

Notwithstanding, this isn’t always the case. If you have a few smaller debts ranging form $10 – $500 each, the collection agency could require a fixed fee to handle those small accounts to make it profitable for them.

Collection agencies earn their money by taking a percentage of the money the debtor owes upon successful collection. This percentage can range from 10% to 50% with the most common percentage being between 25% and 40%.

The amount the agency keeps is typically based on the age and the dollar amount of the claim. The older the debt the more difficult it is to collect and the agency will require a much higher fee to go after that debt. You should factor in how difficult it will be to collect. Certain debts are riskier to collect and therefore require a higher the percentage.

You may also be responsible for several other charges related to their collection efforts including fee-based background checks, travel, filing fees, and long-distance phone calls.

Before any collection agency will work even a single claim, they will write up an account release form that details the terms of your working arrangement including their responsibilities, the fees, any additional expenses, and customer service policies.

As with any contract make sure you read it over carefully for any fine print or contract language that seems confusing. If you notice discrepancies in the contract, make sure the agency fixes the problems immediately before asking you to sign it.

Mallory Megan works for a collections agency that works with a debt collection lawyer. Also, she composes pieces on business, finance, consumer spending and collections agencies. Don’t reprint this exact article. Instead, reprint a free unique content version of this same article.

Ten Tips on how to collect debt:

PREPARE: Review the paperwork on the debtor before making the call. Know the history of the account, credit record, the promises kept/broken. Have all records in front of you, ready for reference.

ATTITUDE: Adopting a straight, professional, business-like attitude is important. You have a contract or you delivered the goods, money is now owed and you have the right to expect payment. Do not let it become personal. Don’t yell or raise your voice; and NEVER curse. Don’t make idol threats; legal action is your recourse.

CONTACT: It is important that you are talking to the decision maker. Do not let any individuals brush you off with “You’ll have to talk to the bookkeeper.” Identify the person who can cut you a check. If you can not get through after several calls, let the secretary know that you know your calls are being screened. Tell her the purpose of your call and if necessary give a deadline.

CONTROL: Always control the conversation. Keep it focused on the debt and on the repayment schedule. Do not let the debtor sidetrack you with personal history, excuses, etc. Remember, the objective of your call is to collect money, or get a commitment to pay not to become friends with the debtor or win arguments.

FLEXIBLE: Always be prepared to adjust to any situation. Think about the kind of customer you are dealing with and adapt to meet the circumstances. Be prepared to accept a reasonable payment schedule, and a willingness to deal with a customers circumstances.

NOTES: Try to Keep detailed, accurate notes of every single contact with the debtor. Always probe for additional information on the debtor. Notes of these contacts will help you in later phone calls, and may be invaluable if litigation is needed. Great notes will also help in credit decisions in the future or in cases where skip tracing may be needed.

PRODUCTIVE: Keep calls brief and to the point. This is a business call only, not a social one. Try to view your efforts on a ratio of time expended to results achieved. Long conversations usually mean the customer is stalling for time or trapping you in the buddy syndrome.

PRECISE: Never leave a call open ended, such as “Well talk next week,” or “Ill send what I can.” Every single call should result in a commitment to some kind of payment, You need a specific amount, by a specific date, even the check number the customer is using to pay the promise.

TIME: The longer an account is outstanding, the less likely it is that it will be paid. If payment is not arranged or a payment plan is not established within 90 days, place the claim with a collection agency or start legal proceedings.

PLACEMENT: Try to choose an agency that does not have to pay to get your information. Just type in “Collection Agency” to any search engine and pick a firm that ranks organically.

Mallory McGuinness is employed by a collections agency that works with a debt collection lawyer. She also does articles on business, finance, the credit industry and collections agencies. You are welcome to reprint this article – but get your own unique content version here.