Credit Pilgrim

Navigate Your Credit Successfully

Neal Frankle
I’m Neal Frankle, Certified Financial Planner™. Credit problems are a serious business. In fact they changed my entire family life when I was 16. This site is here to help you repair your credit without getting ripped off. Read my story.
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About me - Neal Frankle

I’m Neal Frankle, Certified Financial Planner™. Credit problems are a serious business. In fact they changed my entire family life when I was 16. This site is here to help you repair your credit without getting ripped off. Read my story.

My Story

I have been a financial advisor since 1985 and I became a Certified Financial Planner™ in 1994. Since then, my business has been to help clients get their financial lives together although I don’t do credit repair work directly. And I can tell you that there is nothing more important in your financial world than having the best credit rating you can get. I know this from personal experience.

When I was 15 my mother died and when I was 17 my father was killed in an airplane crash. Before he died, my father was so distraught by my mother’s death that he ignored his financial life completely. As a result he ran it into the ground by not paying our bills.

The utility company shut off the power to our home and the water company shut off the water completely. We were visited regularly by the sheriff who served eviction notices and other payment demands. This was on top of the constant knocking on our door at all hours of the day and the non-stop calling by debt collectors.

And because my father completely trashed his credit, it was extremely difficult to find anyone who would rent us a place to live after we got thrown out of our house. It was frightening to say the least and made worse by the feeling of being completely powerless and at the mercy of my father’s creditors and bill collectors.

I am not in the credit repair business as I said. That’s not how I make my living. But I do know a lot about it because my profession demands it. And I created this site for three reasons:

  1. Education

    you need to know the real story of how credit repair works, how collectors, creditors and credit bureaus operate and how the law protects you. I took an in-depth look at all the components of the credit repair process and I break them down for you on this site. And I explain how they work in plain English so you can take your credit life back – really. There is a lot you can do yourself to vastly increase your credit history and score.

  2. No Rip Offs Please

    Credit repair is a huge industry. The companies in this business tell you that they can help you wipe your credit clean. I admit that there are some professionals out there who are for real. But mostly the field is cluttered with schemers and scammers guaranteed to waste you time and take your money.

    I’ll show you how to spot the legitimate pros from the make-believe players. Just working with the right people makes all the difference in credit repair if you decide you don’t want to do this by yourself.

  3. Credit Repair Service Sales

    As I said above, I’m not in the credit repair business but I need to know a lot about it because of the business I am in. I spent and spend hours researching this topic so you don’t suffer the same consequences I did growing up. From time to time, I may recommend using a credit repair firm if I feel they continue to be a good value for my readers. If you sign up with them, I will be paid a referral fee.

    To be frank, I think that’s fair. I spend a good chunk of time each updating this site and making sure you have the most effective credit repair tools possible. And while I honestly don’t think everyone needs professional help, what’s wrong with being paid if you decide you do want a professional on your side and I steer you in the direction of a reputable firm? Nothing.

Why not look around the site right now? There is a lot of good information that should answer many of your questions. You can also send me an email if that would be useful to you.

If you want to protect your family against the terror that I faced as a kid, I want to be part of your team. If you suffer from bad credit, you’ll find all the resources you need right here to turn that ship around. Here’s the best post to help you get a quick start on your road to fixing your credit.

All the best,
Neal

How Fast Do Your Credit Scores Change?

by Neal Frankle, CFP®

Once you put all the work into cleaning up your credit history you want to see your efforts pay off fast. That makes sense. The reality is the speed at which your credit improvements are reflected in your score can sometimes be manifest quickly and other times rather slowly. The same holds true with credit […]

How to Dispute an Error on Your Credit Report

by Neal Frankle, CFP®

You can dispute an error on your credit report. Though it’s a fairly difficult process, it is doable, but you have to be well organized and fully prepared to see it through to the end. Here’s what you need to do to dispute an error. Facing Credit Reality: You’re Guilty Until Proven Innocent If you […]

Should You Get A Credit Consultation?

by Neal Frankle, CFP®

If you have tarnished credit and have tried to clean it up, a consultation with a reputable credit repair company might be the next step to take. If nothing else, that credit counseling will help you get some direction in dealing with your credit issues. This doesn’t mean you have to hire someone. It means […]

Debt Negotiation, Debt Settlement or Bankruptcy – Which is Best to Fix Your Credit?

by Neal Frankle, CFP®

So many people wrestle with debt and credit problems, even years after the Great Recession. Maybe you’re one of them. If so, there are several different ways to try to fix your credit and get out of debt. In fact, there might be a dozen or more ways to do this. Still, most people focus […]

Can Debt Settlement Fix Your Debt and Credit Problems?

by Neal Frankle, CFP®

Debt settlement is one of several things that may help you fix your debt problems. It may not work in all cases, and it could very easily make your credit problems much worse.  But if you want to avoid bankruptcy, it’s a strategy that is certainly worth consideration. What is Debt Settlement? Debt settlement is […]

Debt Negotiation Is Likely To Have Negative Consequences On Your Finances

by Neal Frankle, CFP®

There are several ways for you to deal with your debt and credit problems, including debt negotiation, debt settlement, and bankruptcy. In this article, I want to focus on debt negotiation, since it is probably the least understood of the three. Debt negotiation is your effort to get a creditor to agree to lesser terms […]

When Bankruptcy Is the Best Solution For Credit and Debt Problems

by Neal Frankle, CFP®

The very word “bankruptcy” is intimidating. Just the mention of the word conjures up visions of living on the street and being penniless, and even of not having a future. That’s more than a bit of an exaggeration of course. But there are serious consequences involved in bankruptcy filing that you should take very seriously […]

What to Do if Your Income Isn’t Covering Your Expenses

by Neal Frankle, CFP®

Do you find it difficult to make ends meet each month? Do you shake with worry when some unexpected major expense pops its ugly head? If so, you’re not alone. An unsettling report came out back in 2011 that indicated that 64% of American households don’t have as much as $1,000 to handle an emergency. […]

How To Deal With Mean Debt Collectors

by Neal Frankle, CFP®

I remember when I was about 14 years old. There was a period of several months when my parents told me NOT to answer the phone under any circumstances. I thought it was strange at the time of course but as a good little Pilgrim, I listened. It didn’t take long to figure out what […]

When It’s Time to Get Help With Your Credit

by Neal Frankle, CFP®

It’s only natural to push off dealing with credit problems. On the one hand, it’s uncomfortable and can be a little degrading. On the other hand, there is always a chance that things could improve and that everything will work out. The problem is that every day you wait costs money. And that means that […]

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