 TITLE: Can You Raise Your Credit Score by 200 Points? CONTENT: Is There a Quick Fix for Repairing Credit?\n------------------------------------------\nIf you have negative items on your credit file, you might be tempted to work with a credit repair company for a quick fix.\nCredit repair companies offer to \"help\" by saying they can remove negative items from your credit reports. They do this by taking over communications with your creditors or reporting agencies, and filing disputes on your behalf. You typically pay around $50 to $100 a month for this service. If an item on your credit report is correct, it cannot be removed by a credit repair company or anyone else. And the damage credit repair companies could cause to your credit, by requiring you to stop paying your bills, is substantial.\nThe truth is that building great credit takes time. Correct information, even if it is negative, cannot be permanently removed from your reports until it's due to drop off, which generally takes seven to 10 years. During that time, the impact of negative information decreases and your scores can improve.\nIf you find incorrect information on your credit reports, the best solution is to file a dispute, which you can do for free, and it doesn't require any help from a third party. END