In February 2011, the IRS announced a set of new policies called the “IRS Fresh Start” program regarding unpaid taxes in an effort to “…Help Struggling Taxpayers Get a Fresh Start…” One of the changes will directly affect credit reports and possibly raise credit scores.

Everyone, it seems through mass media coverage, knows how to dispute negative credit listings on your credit report. This is a good thing. However, many people are foiled in their disputes because of the way the credit bureaus “investigate” the disputes.

Consumer credit transactions are regulated both at the Federal and the State level. While there is considerable variation among State laws governing consumer credit transactions, most are based on Federal laws and various versions of State laws covering several standard areas.

There are many advantages to having a good credit score. Qualifying for lower interest rates, ability to get approved for loans and lines of credit, and paying less on loans for items such as homes and automobiles to name a few.

If you have been using credit irresponsibly and finally decided to do something about it, you can start by getting a few secured credit cards to rebuild your credit history.