Plan your disputes before you mail anything

Step 1: Research your reports

Start with all three reports: Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion. You can get them free at AnnualCreditReport.com. Each bureau can show different information, so an error on one report may not be on the others.

For each negative account, compare every field across the three reports. Write down anything that does not match your own records or the other reports.

• Date of last activity
• Date of first delinquency (the date you first fell behind)
• Balance and past-due amount
• Payment history, month by month
• Date last paid
• Account status, such as open, closed, charged off, or in collection
• Date last reported
• Your name, addresses, and other personal information

Step 2: Decide what to dispute

Dispute only information you believe is wrong, incomplete, or that cannot be confirmed. Disputing correct information does not make it go away, and it can slow down the errors that matter.

Recent negative items usually affect scores more than older ones. Many people start with errors on items from the last 24 months, then look at errors from about the last 4 years.

• Pick one clear, factual reason for each account, such as a wrong balance or a late mark for a payment you made on time.
• Use the exact facts from your report: the company name, the last few digits of the account number, and the field that is wrong.
• Gather copies of anything that supports you, such as bank statements or payment confirmations.

Step 3: Plan your follow-up

A bureau generally has 30 days to investigate after it receives your dispute. Many disputes come back as "verified," which means the company that reported the item said it is correct. That is common, so plan your next step before you mail.

• If an item is verified, you can ask how it was checked, dispute directly with the company that reported it, or send new facts and documents.
• If nothing comes back, record that and send a follow-up letter.
• Our guide "What to do after a bureau responds" walks through each result.

Step 4: Send your letters

Mail is not the only way to dispute, but it gives you a paper trail. Send each letter by certified mail with return receipt so you can show when it arrived.

Bureaus handle large numbers of form letters. A dispute that copies template wording, or does not say what is wrong, can be treated as frivolous or as if it came from someone else. Your own facts, taken from your own report, work better than boilerplate.

• Give one clear reason per account in each letter.
• Keep each letter short. Avoid listing a large number of accounts, such as 20 or more, in one mailing.
• Sign each letter yourself and mail it from your own address.

Keep a folder for each bureau

Good records make every later step easier, including a complaint if you ever need one.

• A copy of every letter you send
• Certified mail receipts and return receipts
• Every response you get, with the date it arrived
• The credit report you used, and your next report after the dispute
• A simple log of dates: mailed, delivered, response received, and what changed

Letters that can help

• Request your credit file, to see everything a bureau has on you
• Dispute errors with a bureau, with one factual reason per account
• Dispute a hard inquiry you did not authorize
• Correct your name, address, or other personal information