Best Credit Repair Companies in California
Updated on : August 6th, 2021
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You are probably here because you did a Google search for “best credit repair companies near me.” If you’re just looking for our number one pick, then it’s Credit Saint. With a 90-day money-back guarantee, an A+ rating from the BBB, and fast customer service, Credit Saint is the best option.
California is home to some of the best weather in the world, as well as thriving tech and entertainment hubs like Silicon Valley and Hollywood. It also happens that California is consistently ranked one of the highest cost of living states in the country.
Perhaps the biggest contributing factor to this is housing. In fact, in 2015, the average home cost $444,000, well above the national average of $180,000. More recent data from Zillow suggests that the average California home price has surged to $683,000 in 2021.
This means you must have a good credit score to be able to secure mortgages and other loans to live comfortably in California.
On average, Californians seem to be doing pretty well. According to 2020 data from Experian, the average FICO score in California was 716. There are extremes on both sides of this average:
- Cities in the South Bay Area (Los Altos and Saratoga) have some of the highest average credit scores in the nation, at around 782.
- The iconic city of Los Angeles has a median credit score of 675. This is the 38th percentile in the country.
- San Bernardino has the lowest credit scores in the state, at around 631.
In California, you’ll ideally want to push your credit score to at least the 740 or 750 mark. This can help you secure the best rates on loans and save you thousands of dollars.
As an example, suppose you’re buying an average home in California for $683,000. You put 20% down and get a 30 year mortgage for $546,400.
- At a 3% interest rate, you’ll have a monthly payment of $2,304. Your total mortgage cost, including interest, is $829,312.
- At a 4% interest rate, you’ll have a monthly payment of $2,609. Your total mortgage cost, including interest, is $939,095.
As you can see, a small 1% interest rate difference can result in over $100,000 in savings over 30 years! You could secure a better rate with a better credit score.
If you have damaged credit in California, credit repair is a prime option. However, you may be overwhelmed by all the options, and it can be difficult knowing which services to trust.
In this article, we’ll take a look at our top recommendations for credit repair in California, including 3 online-based services and 10 local offices. Read on if you’re in California and looking to boost your credit score.
Is Credit Repair Legal In California?
Yes, credit repair is legal in California. Under the California Credit Services Act of 1984, all credit service organizations (CSOs) must register with the State of California Department of Justice before conducting business.
In addition, all credit repair agencies in the nation must abide by the Credit Repair Organizations Act (CROA) and the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA). These acts make it illegal for agencies to demand advance payments and promise credit score increases unless made in writing.
How Does Credit Repair In California Work?
In California, companies usually take the following three-step approach towards credit repair:
- Free consultation: Over the phone or in person, a representative will help you obtain your credit reports, analyze them for errors, and come up with a plan to improve them.
- Dispute errors on your behalf: The company will then write dispute letters to the credit agencies to correct reporting errors.
- Recommendations going forward: Once the errors are removed, the company may suggest additional ways for you to build up positive credit.
Different companies may take a slightly different approach, but this is how credit repair works in general. We cover more details about this process in this article.
Best Credit Repair Services In California
Here are the best credit repair companies that accept clients in California. You can sign up for these services within minutes online.
Credit Saint
Credit Saint is a popular online-based credit repair service that has been in business since 2004. They have had a BBB rating of A or higher since 2007, a feat which few other credit repair agencies can match.
Credit Saint gets results. After a free credit report analysis, Credit Saint works in 45 day dispute cycles, and many clients are able to start seeing results within 90 days. The most successful clients have reported credit score increases of 50, 100, and even more.
Of course, if you aren’t happy with Credit Saint after 90 days, all of their services come with an industry-leading 90 day money back guarantee. This allows you to sign up with Credit Saint with the assurance that you’ll have two full cycles to decide if you need to request a refund.
We also recommend Credit Saint because of the following:
- Reasonable Prices
- Flexible Cancellation
- Efficient and Transparent 45 Day Dispute Cycles
- Private Dashboard
- Highly Rated on BBB, Good Track Record
- No Fees When Requesting Credit Reports
Learn more about Credit Saint in our full review.
Lexington Law
Since 2004, Lexington Law has been busy helping clients dispute over 220 million incorrectly reported items on their credit reports. Based in Utah and Arizona, Lexington Law gladly serves customers in California as well.
Lexington Law is known for the personalized attention they provide their clients. In addition, they only hire staff with verified legal experience. In an industry where scams are common, Lexington Law publicly displays their staff profiles, who all have previous paralegal experience or a law background from university.
We also recommend Lexington Law because of the following:
- Experience & Popularity
- Reasonable Pricing
- Offers Mobile App
- Many Resources On General Credit Improvement
- Flexible Customer Service Hours
For more details, read our full review of Lexington Law.
CreditRepair.com
CreditRepair.com is another popular online-based agency for Californians to consider. Since 2012, CreditRepair.com claims they have successfully removed 1.8 million errors from credit reports.
We like CreditRepair.com for their commitment to teaching clients about their credit, which is evident in their Credit Education tab. They have a bunch of free resources to help fix your credit and build up positive credit for the future.
We also recommend CreditRepair.com because of the following:
- Ongoing Credit Education and Support
- Simple Process: Check, Challenge, Change.
- Reasonable Pricing
- Offers Mobile App
Credit Repair Offices Near Me In California
Credit Saint, Lexington Law, and CreditRepair.com are our top recommendations for Californians, mainly due to their popularity and good track record.
However, with these services, you’ll mainly be working with a specialist online and over the phone. Some people may prefer going to a local office for credit repair.
Here is a directory of 10 top-rated local credit repair companies in California. We’ve included offices in many different areas of the state, so you should be able to find one within a reasonable distance.
30 Day Credit Repair (Riverside)
30 Day Credit Repair is an agency in Riverside that advertises a tagline of “780 in 7 days.” This may not be realistic for every client, but 30 Day Credit Repair has had many happy customers: among 104 Google reviews, they have an average rating of 4.7 out of 5.
There are a few cons: for one, we are not big fans of their custom pricing model. Also, their website is slightly outdated, and their email domain can seem unprofessional to potential clients.
However, their results speak for themselves. 30 Day Credit Repair lives up to their name by acting quickly and aggressively. From the moment you sign up, they’ll have your credit analysis and dispute letters out within one week. Once the credit bureaus process the disputes, you’ll start seeing results immediately.
Contact Information:
- Address: 11801 Pierce St, Riverside, CA 92505
- Phone: (888) 876-4631
- Email: creditchallenge@gmail.com
740Plus Credit Score Repair (Glendale)
740Plus Credit Score Repair is one of the best credit repair agencies in Glendale. Among 68 Google reviews, they have an average rating of 4.8 out of 5.
In terms of their website, 740Plus has issues similar to those of 30 Day Credit Repair. Their site is poorly-formatted and not very well-maintained. Their email domain can also appear unprofessional.
However, apart from being known for producing happy clients with improved credit scores, 740Plus Credit Score Repair also has a unique approach to pricing. There is no monthly fee or initial setup fees. Instead, you pay a flat fee once all items are removed from all three of your credit reports. Dave Schram, the owner of 740Plus, is basically guaranteeing you results or you don’t pay.
Contact Information:
- Address: 2901 Sycamore Ave, Glendale, CA 91214
- Phone: (818) 813-8230
- Email: 740plus@gmail.com
Blue Water Credit (San Jose)
Blue Water Credit is a popular credit repair company with locations all over the country. Their California office is located in San Jose. Among 17 Google reviews, they have an average rating of 4.8 out of 5.
Blue Water Credit does their research on a state before expanding their offices there. They know that expenses are high in the Golden State, and have helped many Californians improve their credit to ultimately get better deals on mortgages and auto loans.
In fact, many real estate agents, mortgage lenders, and financial planners swear by Blue Water Credit’s services. This is also because they have an extensive network of lenders who can potentially offer you better deals.
Contact Information:
- Address: 111 N Market St #374, San Jose, CA 95113
- Phone: (408) 763-3046
- Email: contact@bluewatercredit.com
Fix Your Credit Consulting (Los Angeles)
Fix Your Credit Consulting is a credit repair firm based in Los Angeles, with offices in San Diego and San Francisco as well. Among 29 Google reviews, they have an average rating of 4.8 out of 5.
The name “Fix Your Credit Consulting” may not be entirely accurate, since they are a true credit repair firm. This means that like all our other recommendations on our list, they will actively dispute items with the three bureaus. However, they do have a higher focus on teaching you good financial habits to build your credit.
Fix Your Credit Consulting will continue to dispute errors until your score surpasses 700, or up to 6 months, whichever comes first.
Contact Information:
- Address: 4741 Laurel Canyon Blvd UNIT 205, Studio City, CA 91607
- Phone: (877) 212-2450
- Email: contact@fixyourcreditconsulting.com
iMax Credit Repair Firm (Los Angeles)
iMax Credit Repair Firm is based in Los Angeles. Based on 21 Google reviews, they have a perfect 5 out of 5 rating.
Run by CEO Ali Zane, iMax Credit Repair Firm is a legitimate credit repair company that claims they can increase your score in 45 days. If iMax is unable to help you get results, you won’t be charged anything.
In addition, iMax Credit Repair Firm has a lifetime money back guarantee, which probably is an industry first. This means that if an item they deleted reappears on your credit report, they’ll dispute it for free or refund your money.
Contact Information:
- Address: 8939 S Sepulveda Blvd #102, Los Angeles, CA 90045
- Phone: (323) 983-8973
- Email: info@imaxcredit.com
Innovative Credit Solutions (Bakersfield)
Innovative Credit Solutions has been a premier local credit repair agency in Bakersfield for over 15 years. Among 46 Google reviews, they have an average rating of 4.5 out of 5.
Apart from standard credit repair services, Innovative Credit Solutions also has specialized services designed to prepare your credit file for a home loan. For a real estate market like California, this is a great addition.
Innovative Credit also offers debt settlement solutions. Few other popular local offices offer this service, so this is a great option if you need help on outstanding debts.
Contact Information:
- Address: 700 H St, Bakersfield, CA 93304
- Phone: (661) 369-8130
J.L. Taylor & Associates, LLC (Fresno)
J.L. Taylor & Associates, LLC is an agency in Fresno that helps clients remove hundreds of negative items every month. Among 39 Google reviews, they have an average rating of 4.8 out of 5.
J.L. Taylor & Associates has a 5-step plan designed to get your credit back on track. Part of the plan is a focus on credit education, where you’ll gain access to programs and webinars to teach you good credit habits. They also have a free credit resources tab on their website, though it has not been updated for some time.
Starting from a free credit evaluation, many clients have seen score increases of 100 or more with J.L. Taylor & Associates.
Contact Information:
- Address: 2555 E. Perrin Ave, Ste 116, Fresno, CA 93720
- Phone: (559) 472-3147
- Email: info@jtaylorandassociates.com
Infinite Financial Firm (Los Angeles)
Infinite Financial Firm is one of the highest rated credit repair agencies in southern California, located in West Los Angeles. Among 537 Google reviews, they have a perfect 5 out of 5 rating.
Infinite Financial has been in business for 10 years helping customers repair their credit scores. Based on their client history, you can expect to see results in as little as 30-45 days, with 7% of negative items removed per month.
Infinite Financial also has extensive resources on home loans. If you’re looking to buy a home soon, they claim their property notification system is faster than Zillow. They also have a wealth of information on their website about home loans and how to get pre-approved.
Contact Information:
- Address: 1722 Westwood Blvd #200, Los Angeles, CA 90024
- Phone: (310) 935-0798
- Email: info@infinitefirm.com
San Diego Credit Repair (San Diego)
San Diego Credit Repair had proudly served clients in need of credit repair since 2009. Among 25 Google reviews, they have a perfect 5 out of 5 rating.
Based on your credit report, San Diego Credit Repair has three levels of service: Silver, Gold, and Platinum. They don’t provide many details on their website, but they offer a free consultation to get you started.
Contact Information:
- Address: 402 West Broadway Suite 400, San Diego, CA 92101
- Phone: (619) 737-2979
- Email: sales@clean.credit
Zorro Credit (Sacramento)
Zorro Credit is a credit repair chain with locations in many areas of the country. Their California offices are in San Jose and Sacramento. Among 14 Google reviews, they have an average rating of 4.9 out of 5.
Since 2004, Zorro Credit has successfully helped more than 14,000 people boost their credit scores. They advertise themselves as the “most aggressive credit repair company” in Sacramento, claiming to have successfully removed around 97.6% of incorrect negative items.
With Zorro Credit, you may see results in as little as 60 days. Some success stories have claimed score increases of 100 or more in a 6-month timeframe.
Contact Information:
- Address: 1020 12th St, Sacramento, CA 95814
- Phone: (916) 694-0835
- Email: info@zorrocredit.com
Which Office Should I Pick?
We just listed our top 13 recommendations for credit repair in the state of California. However, with so many choices, you may be wondering which office you should pick.
It may take you a few phone calls before you decide on a company. Since all of our recommendations offer a free consultation to learn more about their services and pricing, use this to your advantage.
In general, we highly recommend clients to start out with Credit Saint. You get a free credit report analysis, and there’s no obligation to sign up for paid services. There’s also the advantage of not having to travel to any specific office.
However, for a touchy subject like credit repair, you might prefer to have an in-person one-on-one interaction with a specialist. In these cases, starting with a local office near your area makes sense.
How Do I Tell If A Credit Repair Service Is Legitimate?
The 13 services we listed are all legitimate credit repair agencies. However, if you venture off this list, make sure your company meets the following criteria:
- Verifiable Physical Address
- Registered with the State of California Department of Justice
- Proven Track Record
- No Lofty Promises Unless Made in Writing
- Transparent Pricing Provided Through Website or Free Consultation
How Much Is Credit Repair In California?
To determine cost, we recommend calculating how much a service will cost for six months of service. In California, a reasonable budget for six months of credit repair is around $1,000.
You can note down the six-month cost of each company on a spreadsheet and use this as a way to compare rates. Since some companies have custom rates, you may be able to negotiate better deals this way.
Is It Worth Paying Someone To Fix Your Credit?
$1,000 can seem like a heavy burden, especially if things aren’t going well financially. We completely understand that paying for credit repair can seem like a leap of faith.
Depending on your situation, it may be better to fix your credit score yourself. However, the benefits of making the initial investment of paying a professional to do this can save you thousands of dollars in the long run.
For extra insurance, companies like Credit Saint offer a 90 day money back guarantee if you’re unhappy with their services. This allows you to try them out and ask for a full refund if you don’t see results.
What Results Can I Expect From Credit Repair?
Through reviews and past experiences, it’s reasonable to expect a score increase of about 50 points with 6 months of service. However, credit repair companies cannot make any score increase promises, and results will vary.
For example, a success story from Credit Saint from client Gen Two read:
Gen Two
Had a good credit score initially and it went to excellent credit (roughly 110 point jump across 3 bureaus) in 45 days by paying off and challenging a small collection I was unaware of due to a move. The Credit Saint approach was one of counseling me to understand where I was at and they were active in disputing and updating my file. Excellent service!
In a single cycle (just 45 days!), Gen saw a 110 point increase across all three bureaus, propelling him to excellent credit.
While this is a great success story, remember that credit repair doesn’t happen overnight. Moreover, everyone’s credit situation is different. We recommend giving any credit repair service at least 3 to 6 months before evaluating their results.
Conclusion and Next Steps
This article listed 13 top recommendations for Californians looking for credit repair. We hope all Californians use this list to their advantage and see amazing increases in their credit scores.
With the high cost of living in California, it’s even more important to have a high credit score, as this can have compounding effects on many of your major purchases. That’s why we recommend reaching out to Credit Saint, Lexington Law, CreditRepair.com, or one of our top 10 local offices for a free consultation as a next step. From this call alone, you’ll learn lots of valuable information about how to improve your credit, both immediately and for the future.
When doing research, Credit Help Info relies on credible and authoritative sites. These research sources are provided so that you can see exactly where we get our information.
- https://meric.mo.gov/data/cost-living-data-series
- https://lao.ca.gov/reports/2015/finance/housing-costs/housing-costs.aspx
- https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displayText.xhtml?division=3.&part=4.&lawCode=CIV&title=1.6E.
- https://www.ftc.gov/enforcement/statutes/credit-repair-organizations-act
- https://www.ftc.gov/enforcement/statutes/fair-credit-reporting-act
About the Author
Chris Morgan
Chris Morgan is a credit expert and founder of Credit Help Info. He has been featured in Addition Financial, GOBankingRates, MSN Money, Yahoo Finance, and many other publications. He has read hundreds of books and resources on finance and the credit industry. Because he did this, you don’t have to. As a school teacher for over 20 years, Chris enjoys taking complicated material and breaking it down into manageable information that’s easy to understand.
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