Credit Repair Frequently Asked Questions
Honest, straight answers to the questions we hear most often at Maximum FICO Score. If your question isn’t here, call us at (661) 505-8085 — we’re happy to help.
Is Credit Repair Legal in California?
Yes, credit repair is completely legal in California and all 50 states. The federal Credit Repair Organizations Act (CROA) governs how credit repair companies operate, requiring written contracts, no advance fees, and a 3-business-day cancellation right. California also enforces the California Credit Services Act, which adds state-level protections on top of federal law. Any company operating under these rules is engaging in fully legal, regulated activity. What is illegal is making false statements to the bureaus, creating a new credit identity, or charging fees before services are delivered.
How Long Does Credit Repair Take?
Credit repair timelines vary based on what is on your report. Most clients begin to see results from their first round of disputes within 30–45 days — this is the standard investigation window credit bureaus are required to meet under FCRA Section 611. Simple cases involving a few inaccurate or unverifiable items can often be resolved in 3–6 months. More complex profiles involving multiple collections, charge-offs, or late payments from multiple creditors typically take 6–12 months of consistent, methodical work. There is no honest answer faster than this — any company claiming to “fix your credit in 72 hours” is either misleading you or using legally risky tactics.
What Does the FCRA Allow Me to Dispute?
The Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) gives you the right to dispute any information on your credit report that you believe is inaccurate, incomplete, or unverifiable. This includes: accounts that do not belong to you, incorrect balances or credit limits, wrong payment status (showing late when you paid on time), re-aged accounts (where the delinquency date has been manipulated), accounts past their seven-year reporting window, duplicate entries, and accounts belonging to someone with a similar name. The FCRA does not allow you to dispute accurate, verifiable information — if the debt is genuinely yours and correctly reported, it cannot be legally removed simply by disputing it.
What Is the Difference Between a FICO Score and a VantageScore?
FICO and VantageScore are two separate credit scoring models that use the same credit report data but produce different scores — often 20–50 points apart. FICO scores are used in over 90% of U.S. lending decisions, including virtually all mortgage approvals. VantageScore is the model most commonly displayed by free apps like Credit Karma and Credit Sesame. The score you see on a free app is almost never the score a mortgage lender will use. For home purchases, lenders use mortgage-specific FICO models: FICO 2 (Experian), FICO 4 (TransUnion), and FICO 5 (Equifax). At Maximum FICO Score, we work with your actual FICO scores — not approximations from consumer apps.
Can You Guarantee My Score Will Increase?
No — and under the Credit Repair Organizations Act (CROA), no credit repair company legally can. We cannot promise a specific number of points or guarantee that any specific item will be removed. What we can promise is honest, diligent work: we review your reports thoroughly, file targeted disputes on every item that appears inaccurate, incomplete, or unverifiable, and keep you informed at every step. We back this with a 90-day money-back guarantee — if we do not remove any items within 90 days of enrollment, you receive a full refund. Results vary by individual credit profile.
Do You Charge Fees Before You Start Working?
No. Federal law under CROA explicitly prohibits credit repair organizations from collecting fees before services are performed. Maximum FICO Score charges no advance fees. Your initial credit assessment and first consultation are always free. Ongoing credit repair is a paid service, but you only pay for work that has been performed. We will explain the full cost structure — and what is free versus paid — before you make any commitment.
What Is a Section 623 Dispute?
A Section 623 dispute is a dispute sent directly to the original creditor or debt collector — not the credit bureau. Under FCRA Section 623, data furnishers (the creditors and collectors who report information to the bureaus) are required to investigate disputes they receive directly from consumers and correct any inaccurate information they are furnishing. This is separate from a standard bureau dispute under Section 611 and is often more effective for accounts that have survived one or more bureau disputes because it goes straight to the source of the information rather than relying on the bureau to relay your dispute.
How Long Does a Collection Stay on My Credit Report?
Under the FCRA, most collection accounts can remain on your credit report for seven years from the date of original delinquency — which is the date the original account first went past due, not the date the debt was sold to a collector. This seven-year clock runs regardless of whether the debt has been paid, settled, or left unpaid. Paying a collection does not restart the clock and does not automatically remove it from your report. However, it will update the status to show a $0 balance, which can affect how lenders view the account. If the collection is past the seven-year window or contains inaccurate information, it can be disputed and should be removed.
What Is a Rapid Rescore?
A rapid rescore is a service available through mortgage lenders that updates your credit score at the bureau level within 3–5 business days after a verified change is made to your credit report — rather than waiting for the standard monthly reporting cycle. For example, if you pay down a credit card balance to lower your utilization, your lender can submit documentation of that payment and request an expedited score update. Rapid rescore is not available directly to consumers — it must be initiated by your lender. It is particularly useful when you are a few points below a qualifying score threshold and have made a specific, documentable change to your credit profile.
Is Credit Repair Legal in California?
Can You Remove Accurate Negative Items From My Credit Report?
No. Under the FCRA, credit bureaus are prohibited from removing accurate, verifiable information before its legally mandated removal date. If a late payment, collection, or charge-off is genuinely yours and correctly reported, it cannot be legally removed through a dispute. We will always tell you this honestly upfront — before you spend money on services that would not be effective for your specific situation. What we can do is ensure that every item on your report is being reported accurately, and challenge anything that contains errors, inaccuracies, or cannot be verified.
Do You Serve Clients Outside of Bakersfield?
Yes. While our office is located at 4646 Wilson Road in Bakersfield, California, we serve clients in all 50 states. Our entire process can be completed remotely through our secure client portal, phone, and email. Local Kern County clients are always welcome to visit in person. We also offer bilingual service in English and Spanish.
What Is the 90-Day Money-Back Guarantee?
If Maximum FICO Score does not successfully remove any items from your credit report within 90 days of enrollment, you will receive a full refund of fees paid. This is a refund guarantee based on performance — it is not a promise that specific items will be removed or that your score will reach a specific number. The 90-day window begins on the date you officially enroll and we begin filing disputes on your behalf. Results vary by individual credit profile.
Have a question not answered here? Contact us or call (661) 505-8085. You can also start a free credit assessment — no obligation, no cost, just honest answers about your credit situation.
Important Disclosures: Maximum FICO Score operates in compliance with the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA), Credit Repair Organizations Act (CROA), and California Credit Services Act. We do not guarantee the removal of any specific item or any specific score increase. You have the right to dispute inaccurate information with the credit bureaus directly at no cost. Results vary by individual credit profile.