A Criminal Record Can Hold You Back in Life
When someone considers a “great” life, they might envision a fresh start. That might include a life free from a RAP sheet, a loving family and perfect credit for starters. Most people who have a criminal record would do anything to expunge or seal it. No one wants to be discriminated against because of past mistakes. So why does a criminal record have such an adverse affect? Here are just a few reasons:
- In many states, you must divulge whether you have a criminal record on a job or rental application. A record will seriously lessen your changes for either a job or a home.
- You may not get favorable terms on student and personal loans
- You may have the stigma of having a criminal record on your background and feel marginalized among your friends and family.
What is an Expungement?
If you’re able to expunge a criminal record, you should. What’s an expungement? Basically, an expungement is when you go through the legal process of destroying or concealing your criminal record. Many states offer expungement options for arrests, misdemeanor or even felony convictions.
Usually, an attorney or law firm are a part of part of the process to offer professional work. With that, there are time and cost considerations involved depending on the severity and type of legal work which needs to be done. Also, some states expungement laws and processes can be more complex than others. Be careful when choosing your attorney to handle this. Local and independent attorneys have been known to charge much more money to get the job done.
Is Bad Credit the Same as a Criminal Record?
By now you probably are aware of the negative consequences of having a criminal record, and how an expungement can help. But how does that relate to having bad credit? A bad credit score can cripple your chances of moving ahead financially in life. You may have trouble getting favorable terms on a personal loan, credit card, or mortgage. If you want to purchase a car, managing the monthly payments can be tough with bad credit.
So how can you repair your credit if it needs a boost? You may want to consider a credit repair company. Credit repair companies are a dime a dozen. But, if you choose to have credit repair company help you out, you should pick one that has in-house attorneys or a partnership with attorneys. The fact is just about anyone can start a credit repair company. There are numerous “credit repair software” companies that will allow anyone with a cell phone and a computer to claim themselves as a “credit repair expert.”
Related content: How to Improve Your Chances of Passing a Background Check
If your credit has been impacted in a negative manner because of a criminal record or otherwise, you should choose a credit repair company that employs or partners with attorneys. This way, you have someone in your corner to navigate through the complexities of the major credit bureaus – Experian, Transunion and Equifax. Attorneys oftentimes sue these agencies and will use the full power of the law to fight for their clients. Very few credit repair companies can help execute on this type of service.
Free expungement eligibility test
Both bad credit and a criminal record can hamper your life in many ways. If either or both of these situations apply to you, make sure you contact an attorney to help you throughout the process. While credit repair is not a legal service, it’s better to have attorneys on your side fighting for you.
