The total American household debt is over $18.20 trillion as of 2025. That number includes all debt types, including credit card debt, student loans, and mortgages. While there may be such a thing as good debt, all debt becomes bad if you do not pay it off. When people struggle with their debt, their credit scores are lower. People with lower credit scores often turn to repair services to help repair their credit and report inaccuracies. However, not all of these firms are reputable, so you must ask questions about their services. Most importantly, if you are looking to fix mistakes on your credit report, none of them will be as effective as McCarthy Law.
What Should I Ask a Credit Repair Service?
Since all credit repair companies work differently, you must do thorough research before hiring one. Some companies might offer a free consultation, and it’s a good idea to speak with multiple companies so you know what your options are. Reading reviews online can only get you so far in formulating your opinion.
Ask the following questions.
What Do You Charge?
Some companies will likely push a monthly program to maximize their profits instead of providing you with an effective service as quickly as possible. Some may offer a fixed price for their services. A reputable law firm, such as McCarthy Law, can charge you absolutely nothing out of pocket. How is it possible to charge nothing?
You may be thinking: isn’t that counterintuitive? Wouldn’t a lawyer be expensive? How do you work for free? The answer is because of how the law is set up. When a credit reporting agency or a creditor makes a mistake in how they report your credit information, the law requires them to pay for your attorney’s fees for having to fix it. So we can take your case on a contingent basis, meaning that we only get our fees paid if we’re successful on your behalf, and then the creditor or the credit reporting agency pays us. That makes sense, as they’re the ones who messed up your credit. Win or lose, we don’t charge you a dime. Non-attorney credit repair services can’t do this because the law is only set up to compensate attorneys for their time.
Can You Guarantee an Improvement?
Ask this question to see if you are dealing with a legitimate company. Credit repair services cannot tell a client that they will get a specific score improvement. Instead, they can only tell you the general score improvements from past clients. For example, a salesperson may say their clients receive a 70-100 point improvement. If a salesperson says they can increase your score up to 750, do not hire them. No one can guarantee any specific results.
What Do You Actually Do to Help Fix My Credit?
This is an important one. Many credit repair companies will just send letters to the credit bureaus to dispute information on your behalf. That’s a good first step, but what if it doesn’t work? Many companies will not do anything else. Maybe they’ll send another letter and try again, but what if the credit bureau ignores it or refuses to fix the error? Then you’ve left out the money you paid to the credit repair service without anything to show for it. At McCarthy Law, we can take the next step on your behalf and hold the credit bureaus accountable by filing a lawsuit against them.
How Long Does it Take Before I See Improvement?
This will differ in every case. Just like no one can guarantee a specific result, no one can guarantee a specific amount of time it will take. It all will depend on how the credit bureau or the creditor responds. Sometimes they may be quick to fix a problem, and you may see improvement in as little as one month. At other times, they may drag their feet, and we may need to utilize the legal process in court to its fullest extent, which can sometimes take a year or more. What we can guarantee is that we will do everything we can to get you the best result possible. But like anything, sometimes it takes time to do it right.
How Do You Handle Inaccurate Information on My Credit History if the Credit Bureaus Simply Refuse to Correct It?
This is where the line is drawn between a standard credit repair company and a law firm. Many services can send dispute letters to a credit bureau for you. But if the credit bureau investigates and decides the negative information is correct — even when it is not — the process often stops there. The company you paid has no further recourse. They cannot force Equifax, Experian, or TransUnion to do anything. You are left with a damaged credit score and less money in your pocket.
Our approach is built for this exact scenario. We use the full power of the law. The Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) gives you specific rights. If a credit bureau or creditor fails to conduct a reasonable investigation or continues to report false information, they are breaking the law. We can then file a lawsuit on your behalf.
Filing a lawsuit changes the entire dynamic. It compels the credit bureau to take your claim seriously. They must now answer to a judge, not just ignore your letters. This legal action can not only force the correction of your credit report but also potentially recover monetary damages for the harm caused to you. This might include being denied a loan, a mortgage, or paying a higher interest rate because of their error.
Will Using Your Legal Services Put Me at Any Risk of Violating Credit Repair Laws or Getting into Other Legal Trouble?
You are right to be cautious. The credit repair industry has its share of scams, and federal laws like the Credit Repair Organizations Act (CROA) were created to protect people from them. These laws target companies that make false promises, charge illegal upfront fees, or advise clients to misrepresent their credit history.
Working with a licensed law firm like ours is a completely different matter. As attorneys, we are governed by state bar associations and a strict set of ethical rules. Our actions are based on enforcing your legal rights, not trying to find loopholes or commit fraud. We will never ask you to lie, create a new identity, or do anything that could put you in legal jeopardy. Our entire strategy for correcting your credit history is built on holding the credit bureaus and your creditors accountable to the laws they are already required to follow.
How Do I Track the Progress of My Case or the Dispute You Have Filed for Me with a Credit Bureau?
We believe in keeping you fully informed. You will not be left wondering what is happening with your case. Our team maintains direct communication with you and provides regular updates as we move forward. You will see copies of the legal letters and documents we send to the creditor or credit bureau.
You will also be able to see the results for yourself by monitoring your credit reports. We will guide you on how and when to check your credit history for changes. When an inaccurate negative item is successfully removed, you will see it disappear from your report. We provide a clear and tangible measurement of our progress and its direct impact on your financial standing.
Related: Check Out Our Credit Report Guide
What Happens if My Negative Accounts Are Actually Accurate? Can Your Law Firm Still Provide Any Help for My Situation?
This is a very important question. If a negative mark on your credit report is accurate — for example, a credit card debt that you did fall behind on — we cannot legally dispute it as an error. It would be unethical and illegal for any attorney to file a frivolous dispute. We operate within the bounds of the law, while some companies may promise to remove anything, which is a red flag.
However, just because the negative information is accurate does not mean you are out of options. This is where our work with debt settlement becomes a powerful tool. The core problem is the actual debt itself. Our attorneys can negotiate directly with a creditor on your behalf. We look to reach a debt settlement agreement where you pay a reduced amount to resolve the entire debt.
Once a settlement is paid, the account is reported to the credit bureau as “settled” or “paid in full for less than the full balance.” While not the same as a perfect payment history, this is significantly better for your credit score than an open collection account or a charge-off. It shows you have taken responsibility for the obligation and resolved it. It is a practical, legal path forward when you are dealing with real debt, like a student loan or past-due medical bills, and need a solution that improves your long-term financial health.
Contact the Debt Attorneys at McCarthy Law
We can help fix mistakes on your credit report, whether you have other debt or not. But fixing these mistakes can only take you so far if there are other unpaid debts that are reporting accurately. Meaning, your credit score will likely continue to decline if you do not pay off your debts. If you find yourself struggling to do this, contact the attorneys at McCarthy Law.
Whether you have a business, credit card, or mortgage debt, we have the experience to help. As we help you settle your debts, we can make sure that your creditors are reporting your payments accurately. And if they make any mistakes, we can hold them accountable and get your credit fixed. To learn more about our services, schedule a free consultation by giving us a call or completing our online contact form.