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Debt Help

From the Mid-600s to 825: The Credit Habits That Did the Work

A mid-600s score and no income once meant needing a cosigner for law school loans. Just over seven years later, that same borrower's score read 825 on the 300-850 scale. Here's what each of those levers actually does, and how fast it works.

Debt Help

DIY Credit Repair: What the Free Steps Cover, and What They Can't Fix

Federal law gives you a free copy of your credit report from each bureau every week, and credit bureaus have 30 days to investigate a dispute. Here's what fixing your own credit actually involves, from pulling reports to utilization math, plus the parts that only time resolves.