Getting Credit Where Credit Is Due: Helping Welfare-to-Work Clients Address Credit-Reporting Issues

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Credit-reporting issues are particularly important for people making the transition from welfare to work because a negative report may be the reason why they are turned down for a job, an apartment, or credit. Advocates need to help their clients understand their rights under the Fair Credit Reporting Act and Credit Repair Organization Act. Advocates also can be effective in using the protections in these statutes to help resolve problems with their clients' credit reports and ensure that the reports are used only for permissible purposes.

By Deanna Kitamura and Deanne Loonin From July - August 2000