Hi, I’m trying to rebuild my credit and would appreciate some advice on what to do next.
Right now my scores are around 610 (Experian), 612 (Equifax), and 608 (TransUnion).
My credit history includes:
Old student loan accounts (Dept of Ed/Aidvantage) that are now closed
A closed Verizon account (~$576)
Collections:
Advanced Collection (~$1,302)
Jefferson Capital (~$576)
National Credit Systems (~$4,185)
I recently saw one of the collections (Jefferson Capital) update/report again, but my score hasn’t dropped yet, so I’m confused about how that works and if it will affect me later.
I don’t currently have any active credit cards. I’ve been looking into getting one to build my credit, but:
I don’t really want to put down a large deposit ($200–$300)
I’ve considered options like Capital One pre-approval or credit builder cards, but I’m not sure what’s best for my situation..
My goals:
Raise my credit score
Get approved for a beginner credit card
Eventually get into a better financial position (car, housing, etc.)
Questions:
Should I focus on paying off collections first or opening a credit card?
What kind of card would I realistically get approved for with my profile?
Is it worth disputing any of these collections or trying pay-for-delete?
What would you prioritize if you were in my situation?
Any advice is appreciated. I’m trying to do this the right way and not make my score worse.