We all have heard that Cash is King. But what good is a crown, if it’s not attached to Power? According to Leslie T. Mitchell, the highly sought after, Corporate Entrepreneur, excellent credit is that ultimate power. Check out Sheen’s exclusive one on one with the Founder and CEO of MindWork Solutions.
How would you describe credit?
Credit is like your vital sign! Someone is constantly monitoring your credit. Credit dictates everything we do today. Having less than perfect credit is like being in bondage: You cannot live where you want to live, drive the car you desire, get a loan to start that business, or go on vacation.
What is your personal experience with credit?
I was someone who grew up understanding the importance of having excellent credit because both of my parents worked in the financial industry. My father taught me that you could have zero dollars in the bank but if you had an 800-credit score, you could literally get what you want. He taught me to pay my bills on time, to not spend more money than I made, and to only use my credit to build assets. So, for the most of my adult life I had a 780 or higher credit score.
But what my father didn’t teach me, was what to do when life happens. In 2013, I was out on medical leave recuperating from a major surgery when I was notified by my employer that I was being displaced. At the time, my husband and I owned 2 homes, had 3 cars, credit cards and other obligations. In less than 3 months, my credit went from 780 to 564. We had to pay some things late and it impacted our score drastically. It didn’t mean we were bad people or didn’t know how to manage our money. Simply put, life happens: losing a job, getting sick, decrease in pay or even getting a divorce, and this is truer than ever with the interruption of COVID-19.
Fast forward, I started my own business and our financial situation changed, but my credit was still in a situation and I knew I had to do something about it. I was introduced to a credit restoration program that literally changed my life and gave me my buying power back within 6 months. Now I’m on a mission to educate, equip and empower people about the importance of having excellent credit.
Why is credit important to MindWork Solutions?
Often, when your credit is in a situation, your life is too. You do not have disposable income as you are paying more for things like car insurance premiums, credit card interest rates, auto loan rates, deposits for utilities, and more. For example, during the pandemic, everyone should be looking at their credit score and looking for a way to take advantage and to supplement their income. However, having excellent credit gives you your buying power back! It allows you to leverage what I call O.P.M. (Other People’s Money) at a fraction of the cost. People often say cash is king, but Credit is POWER.
What the difference between a 600 score and a 700 score?
A credit score ranges from 300 to 850. It is an indication of your ability to pay back money that is borrowed. It illustrates to a prospective creditor if you are passing, barely getting by, or failing. A 600 score is fair; you may get approved for a loan but will have a higher interest rate, whereas a score of 700 is deemed good credit.
What can a credit repair service do that I can’t?
You can repair your credit just like you can represent yourself in a court of law, but would you? Your credit score dictates so many things in your life (approval for credit cards, home or auto loans and even employment) so wouldn’t you want to partner with experienced professionals who can help you maximize your results? “I’m not saying that people have not been successful in repairing their own credit; however, it is a tedious and meticulous process that many people are not prepared to take on, hence the fact that there are 43 million people with a 599- credit score or lower,” says Leslie T Mitchell.
I just signed up with Leslie T. Mitchell. What happens next?
Once enrolled, our legal team will do a complete analysis of your credit profiles with Experian, Equifax, and Transunion. We do what’s called aggressive disputing, which sets us apart from other companies. That means we will challenge/dispute all your negative items, whether you have 2 or 50 at the exact same time, with all three credit agencies at the exact same thing. Your dispute letters will be generated based on the Fair Credit Reporting Act and mailed or emailed to you to sign and mail. You will receive the results from the credit agency within 30-45 days. You will be able to stay on track through your client portal and learn how to plan financially. Not only do we help individuals restore their credit, we also educate you on how credit works and ways to build and maintain excellent credit.
What are some strategies to use in a dispute letter?
When disputing negative items on your credit you always want to do it in writing. Never dispute directly online with the credit agencies. When you do, you give up your rights under the Fair Credit Reporting Act. You will need to send a letter to each agency. They do not talk to one another. If you decided to go at this on your own, ensure you do the following:
- Make sure the letter is clear and concise
- Gather all your supporting documentation
- Include name of the original creditor
- Include the account number
- Reason for the dispute
- Sign and attach a copy of your identification (driver license and social security card) to verify your identity
- Send letter via registered mail
How long will it take to see improvement in someone’s credit score?
Nothing happens overnight with credit reporting agencies or with creditors. It takes time to clean up your credit. You didn’t mess it up overnight, so it’s not going to be fixed overnight. Once you dispute a negative item on your credit report, then by law, the credit agencies have 30 days to complete their investigation. If the agency finds errors in your report, the errors will be corrected immediately; however, it may take a few weeks to see a change in your actual credit score. Since every case and credit report is unique, no one can ethically predict the outcome.
For more on Leslie T. Mitchell, click here.
Follow Leslie on Social Media @leslietmitchell
Email: Info@LeslieTMitchell.com
Text “MENTOR101” to 22828 to Receive a Free ebook “ 8 Steps to Building and Marinating Excellent Credit”
All images by Spex Photography
Awesome article! Very well written. This was very informative.