Settling With Former Creditors For A Lower Amount Whenever a person settles his or her former debt with a former creditor at a much lesser amount, this actually does more damage to your credit score. Because you ve settled with your former creditor for an amount less than what you actually owe them, the creditor eventually reports the remaining balance which you weren t able to pay, to the credit reporting agencies, and this will get noted in your credit report as a deficiency balance . You ll also be able to immediately notice if ever there are any inconsistencies, inaccuracies or flaws within your report. By immediately finding out any numerical or typographical errors, this allows you to quickly file disputes to correct any inaccuracies. Aside from alerting you of any fraudulent activity or inconsistencies, a credit monitoring service can also help you effectively manage your credit. From here, you can link to the three major credit bureaus. Credit experts however frown on going to sites like the Free Credit Report, because despite their name, they actually charge monthly fees for their credit monitoring service. Once you re in the site, choose your state from the pull-down menu, and start filling your information. Correct All Errors In Your Credit Report Once you get hold of your credit report, check it thoroughly, just like using a fine-tooth comb for removing any tangles in your hair. Be on the lookout for any inconsistencies or errors, and carefully read all three of your credit reports. Once you see any errors, dispute those figures, and have them corrected or removed within thirty days. By monitoring your business credit score, you'll be quickly notified whenever your score needs to be improved. The easiest way for improving your business credit score includes paying your obligations and loans ahead of schedule. Once you get a score of 80, this will indicate that your business is paying its loans on time. When evaluating this section, find out if you see any clues about how your company uses credit, and find out whether your company' has a number of assets put up as collateral on existing loans, or if your business has a large number of relationships with other business, to determine whether your business may be overextended.