How To Start A Credit Repair

Start a Credit Repair Agency by following these 10 steps:

You have found the perfect business idea, and now you are ready to take the next step. There is more to starting a business than just registering it with the state. We have put together this simple guide to starting your Credit Repair Agency. These steps will ensure that your new business is well planned out, registered properly and legally compliant.

Check out our How to Start a Business page.

STEP 1: Plan your business

A clear plan is essential for success as an entrepreneur. It will help you map out the specifics of your business and discover some unknowns. A few important topics to consider are:

What are the startup and ongoing costs?
Who is your target market?
How much can you charge customers?
What will you name your business?

Luckily we have done a lot of this research for you.

What are the costs involved in opening a Credit Repair Agency?

Startup credit repair agency costs are fairly minimal, averaging $10,000 in total costs. Since the majority of your work will take place online, you don't need to secure office space. Your home office should be equipped with a computer and monitor, a dedicated phone line, and internet.

Most states require that all credit repair agencies obtain a surety bond. This bond protects clients against any potential damages, up to the bond's limits, and cost between $200 and $300.

A merchant account is required for any functioning business that wishes to accept debit and credit card payments. Most banks, however, are unwilling to accept the risks associated with credit repair agencies. Conduct thorough research and partner with a credit repair merchant service that understands and can support your business needs.

While not required, investment in credit repair software is recommended and represents your biggest out-of-pocket expense. Software costs range anywhere from $179 to $900 a month, tempting many entrepreneurs to forego this expense. Industry leaders advise against this; however, reporting a 400% increase in revenue in just over a year.

Business owners desiring the backing and expertise of established organizations should consider purchasing a credit repair franchise. Franchise fees range from $9,500 to $15,000 and provide you with all the tools you need to get started.

What are the ongoing expenses for a Credit Repair Agency?

Ongoing expenses for your agency will be similar to startup costs. In addition to the standard overhead costs, your budget should include credit repair software fees, insurance, surety bond, and payroll. Entrepreneurs with long-term growth and success goals are encouraged to include ongoing education in their monthly expense budget.

Who is the target market?

At first glance, one would think that your target market includes any individual with a negative credit history. Research indicates, however, that consumers under age 24 and over 65 either have a sound credit score or are not concerned with taking the necessary steps to repair their score. Your marketing efforts should be more direct, targeting consumers over the age of 25 or who have recently been turned down for a loan.

How does a Credit Repair Agency make money?

While most actions required to increase one's credit can be done by the consumer, many are unfamiliar with and intimidated by the process. They look to credit repair agencies to educate them regarding their unique situation and to represent them throughout the dispute and repair process. Agencies charge a subscription fee, flat fee, or charge per deletion.

How much can you charge customers?

When developing your business plan, carefully research competitor pricing and fee structures, as well as your cost per acquisition. Larger, established organizations charge $90 to $125 per month while others charge a fee for each dispute they successfully settle. Industry leaders encourage new agencies to remain flexible, restructuring their pricing as the need arises.

How much profit can a Credit Repair Agency make?

Annual profit is directly tied to your fee structure and the number of clients you service every month. If you assist 200 clients who each pay $89 a month, that equals $17,800 in monthly revenue. If you reach $500 clients, you will earn a monthly recurring revenue of $44,500.

How can you make your business more profitable?

Agency owners looking to maximize profits will need to have a strong, targeted marketing strategy, hiring additional repair professionals to the team as the company begins to grow.

What will you name your business?

Choosing the right name is very important. Read our detailed guide on how to name your business. We recommend checking if the business name you choose is available as a web domain and securing it early so no one else can take it.

STEP 2: Form a legal entity

The most common business structure types are the sole proprietorship, partnership, limited liability company (LLC), and corporation.

Establishing a legal business entity such as an LLC or corporation protects you from being held personally liable if your Credit Repair Agency is sued.

Read our Guide to Form Your Own LLC

Have a Professional Service Form your LLC for You

Two such reliable services:

You can form an LLC yourself and pay only the minimal state LLC costs or hire one of the Best LLC Services for a small, additional fee.

Recommended: You will need to elect a registered agent for your LLC. LLC formation packages usually include a free year of registered agent services. You can choose to hire a registered agent or act as your own.

STEP 3: Register for taxes

You will need to register for a variety of state and federal taxes before you can open for business.

In order to register for taxes you will need to apply for an EIN. It's really easy and free!

You can acquire your EIN for free through the IRS website, via fax, or by mail. If you would like to learn more about EINs and how they can benefit your LLC, read our article, What is an EIN?.

Learn how to get an EIN in our What is an EIN guide or find your existing EIN using our EIN lookup guide.

Small Business Taxes

Depending on which business structure you choose, you might have different options for how your business will be taxed. For example, some LLCs could benefit from being taxed as an S corporation (S corp).

You can learn more about small business taxes in these guides:

LLC Taxes
Sole Proprietorship vs LLC
LLC vs Corporation
LLC vs S Corp
How to Start an S Corp

There are specific state taxes that might apply to your business. Learn more about state sales tax and franchise taxes in our state sales tax guides.

STEP 4: Open a business bank account & credit card

Using dedicated business banking and credit accounts is essential for personal asset protection.

When your personal and business accounts are mixed, your personal assets (your home, car, and other valuables) are at risk in the event your business is sued. In business law, this is referred to as piercing your corporate veil.

Additionally, learning how to build business credit can help you get credit cards and other financing in your business's name (instead of yours), better interest rates, higher lines of credit, and more.

Open a business bank account

This separates your personal assets from your company's assets, which is necessary for personal asset protection.
It also makes accounting and tax filing easier.

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Recommended: Read our Best Banks for Small Business review to find the best national bank, credit union, business-loan friendly banks, one with many brick-and-mortar locations, and more.

Open net-30 accounts

When it comes to establishing your business credit, net-30 vendors are considered the way to go. The term "net-30," which is popular among vendors, refers to a business credit arrangement where the company pays the vendor within 30 days of receiving goods or services.

Net-30 credit terms are often used for businesses that need to obtain inventory quickly but do not have the cash on hand.

Besides establishing business relationships with vendors, net-30 credit accounts get reported to the major business credit bureaus (Dun & Bradstreet, Experian Business, and Equifax Business Credit). This is how businesses build business credit so they can qualify for credit cards and other lines of credit.

Get a business credit card

This helps you separate personal and business expenses by putting your business' expenses all in one place.
It also builds your company's credit history, which can be useful to raise money and investment later on.

STEP 5: Set up business accounting

Recording your various expenses and sources of income is critical to understanding the financial performance of your business. Keeping accurate and detailed accounts also greatly simplifies your annual tax filing.

STEP 6: Obtain necessary permits and licenses

Failure to acquire necessary permits and licenses can result in hefty fines, or even cause your business to be shut down.

State & Local Business Licensing Requirements

Certain state permits and licenses may be needed to operate a Credit Repair Business. Learn more about licensing requirements in your state by visiting SBA's reference to state licenses and permits.

Most businesses are required to collect sales tax on the goods or services they provide. To learn more about how sales tax will affect your business, read our article, Sales Tax for Small Businesses.

For information about local licenses and permits:

Check with your town, city or county clerk's office
Get assistance from one of the local associations listed in US Small Business Associations directory of local business resources .

STEP 7: Get business insurance

Just as with licenses and permits, your business needs insurance in order to operate safely and lawfully. Business Insurance protects your company's financial wellbeing in the event of a covered loss.

There are several types of insurance policies created for different types of businesses with different risks. If you're unsure of the types of risks that your business may face, begin with General Liability Insurance. This is the most common coverage that small businesses need, so it's a great place to start for your business.

Learn more about General Liability Insurance.

Another notable insurance policy that many businesses need is Workers' Compensation Insurance. If your business will have employees, it's a good chance that your state will require you to carry Workers' Compensation Coverage.

STEP 8: Define your brand

Your brand is what your company stands for, as well as how your business is perceived by the public. A strong brand will help your business stand out from competitors.

If you aren't feeling confident about designing your small business logo, then check out our Design Guides for Beginners, we'll give you helpful tips and advice for creating the best unique logo for your business.

If you already have a logo, you can also add it to a QR code with our Free QR Code Generator. Choose from 13 QR code types to create a code for your business cards and publications, or to help spread awareness for your new website.

How to promote & market a Credit Repair Agency

As with any profession, networking within your industry ensures a solid foundation for your business. Startups are encouraged to partner with other financial services professionals, including car dealers, mortgage brokers, other lenders, attorneys, and CPAs. Advertising campaigns should remain professional, targeted, and position you as an expert in your field.

How to keep customers coming back

In addition to fostering professional relationships and developing a referral program, agency owners must treat every customer as they would want to be treated. If your customers walk away with a positive and successful experience, they will spread the word.

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Still unsure about what kind of business you want to start? Check out the latest Small Business Trends to help inspire you.

STEP 9: Create your business website

After defining your brand and creating your logo the next step is to create a website for your business.

While creating a website is an essential step, some may fear that it's out of their reach because they don't have any website-building experience. While this may have been a reasonable fear back in 2015, web technology has seen huge advancements in the past few years that makes the lives of small business owners much simpler.

Here are the main reasons why you shouldn't delay building your website:

All legitimate businesses have websites - full stop. The size or industry of your business does not matter when it comes to getting your business online.
Social media accounts like Facebook pages or LinkedIn business profiles are not a replacement for a business website that you own.
Website builder tools like the GoDaddy Website Builder have made creating a basic website extremely simple. You don't need to hire a web developer or designer to create a website that you can be proud of.

Using our website building guides, the process will be simple and painless and shouldn't take you any longer than 2-3 hours to complete.

Other popular website builders are: WordPress, WIX, Weebly, Squarespace, and Shopify.

STEP 10: Set up your business phone system

Getting a phone set up for your business is one of the best ways to help keep your personal life and business life separate and private. That's not the only benefit; it also helps you make your business more automated, gives your business legitimacy, and makes it easier for potential customers to find and contact you.

There are many services available to entrepreneurs who want to set up a business phone system. We've reviewed the top companies and rated them based on price, features, and ease of use. Check out our review of the Best Business Phone Systems 2021 to find the best phone service for your small business.

Recommended Business Phone Service: Nextiva

Nextiva is our top choice for small business phone numbers because of all the features it offers for small businesses and it's fair pricing.