Newbie with a few questions

[SML515]

I’ve been reading this board for a few years now. And I kept putting off working on my credit because it just all seemed so overwhelming. I decided that this was the year I was going to get serious about doing it. There are things that I want in the not too far off future and to get them I need to start working on building my credit.

I think I have read too much though and I’m on information overload. I just don’t want to screw up on my first try. So I have a few questions.

I pulled my credit report last week and was glad to see that 4 accounts have already fallen off. I have 3 more accounts falling off between May and Aug this year. Then I have 5 other accounts falling off next year. On the accounts that are falling off next year, should I just be patient and wait or should I try disputing them? I don’t want to mess up and wake up any sleeping giants.

I also have a Time Warner Cable and AT&T (home service) collections. I’m ready to pay both of these accounts. I called AT&T last week because I could have swore that I gave like a $200 deposit, so I thought that would have gone towards my final bill of $168. They only showed I paid $50 and that it was applied to my final bill. I don’t have anything with how much deposit I made. So I’m just going to pay it off. While on the phone with them the rep told me she could take a payment of over the phone to take care of this. Would it be better to write the CA to get a PFD? Or should I deal with the actual utility company? I just want to go the best route with this since I might need to use them again later on in the future. But if I’m paying these I want to make sure they are deleted.

There are a few other things on my report, which I’m working on.

- I have a judgment which is being taken care off. It shouldn’t have been a judgment as I paid the Apt the same day they went and place the judgment.

- I have an account on EQ that is actually not mine, which I’ve already wrote a dispute for.

- This one I was really confused about. I had two TXU account with different amounts on them and the account # had one # that was different. I know I only had one account with TXU, but I wasn’t sure how to go about checking this. In talking to my mom we remembered that I had paid this account. This account was paid at a grocery store, but the check was returned. When I got the letter for the returned check I went and paid it to the grocery store. But now TXU shows it as unpaid and shows two accounts. I know I have the receipt of payment of the bad check. I’m in the process of trying to find it. Once I find that I’ll come up with a game plan to fight this one.

- I do have two accounts that still have about a year left of the SOL. So those two I don’t want to touch.

I have three accounts in good standing: a car loan, student loan, and a small installment loan.

Any input would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

SML

[Fizzle1979]

Welcome to CIC my fellow Texan! Texas has good consumer protection laws. I would suggest reading up on the Texas Finance Code, which can be found in my signature.

If the accounts falling off next year are at their end of their credit reporting period then you shouldn't be worried in my opinion. The SOL for debt in TX is four years from the date of last payment. I would contact both TW & ATT in writing and request a pay for delete. You can search the forum for Pay For Delete.

I'll let someone else tackle the check question.