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The information in your credit report is key to getting the loans you need, but it is only half the story.
Before deciding whether or not to lend money, many organisations take your report, plus additional information included on your application form, and generate a credit score. This score predicts the risk involved in granting you credit.
Calculating your score
Computer programs score your application by looking at how past customers with similar profiles to yours repaid their credit commitments. Every lender uses a slightly different formula that represents its own and industry experience and these may be adjusted according to the type
Read more…Your National Credit Score (United Kingdom)
Source: FTC.gov
Before You File for Personal Bankruptcy: Information About Credit Counseling and Debtor EducationProduced in cooperation with the Department of Justice’s U.S. Trustee Program
The Bankruptcy Abuse Prevention and Consumer Protection Act of 2005 launched a new era: With limited exceptions, people who plan to file for bankruptcy protection must get credit counseling from a government-approved organization within 180 days before they file. They also must complete a debtor education course to have their debts discharged.
The Department of Justice’s U.S. Trustee Program approves organizations to provide the mandatory credit counseling and debtor education. Only the counselors and educators that appear on
Read more…Before You File for Personal Bankruptcy:
As surprising as this may sound, the vast majority of consumers don’t know what their credit score is. That fact is almost as bad as not knowing what your blood pressure is, because by the same token, by the time you discover that it is not where it should be, it is frequently too late to avoid the detrimental or adverse effects of a poor credit score, or high blood pressure.
Sometimes, credit scores go by the name of FICO scores. Approximately ten percent of your FICO score pertains to a detailed analysis of the number and types of accounts
Read more…Improve Your Credit Rating (United States)
Credit ratings are determined differently in each country, but the factors are similar, and may include:
Payment history – a record of delinquent payments, generally being more than 30 days, will lower the credit rating.
Control of debt – Lenders want to see that borrowers are not living beyond their means. Experts estimate that non-mortgage credit payments each month should not exceed more than 15 percent of the borrower’s after-tax income.
Signs of responsibility and stability – Lenders perceive things such as longevity in the borrower’s home and job (at least two years) as signs of stability.
Re-Aging
Read more…How credit rating is determined
Can You Improve Your Credit Score? – Follow These Credit Tips to Increase Your Credit Rating
Having a strong credit score has never been more important than right now. The current economic situation has made the money available to borrow for things like mortgages or new credit cards very difficult if your credit score is less than perfect. Unfortunately many consumers are unaware of the fact that a weak credit rating on their credit report not only affects your ability to borrow money but it also effects many other aspects of your life.
A great example of what other areas your
Read more…Improving Your Credit Report | Increasing Your Credit Rating
To get a good credit card, you need a good credit history. Here’s how to build or rebuild yours.
It has never been quite that simple for borrowers with credit problems or without a credit history to get a good credit card deal. And with lending criteria getting tighter, it looks set to get even more difficult.Nowadays, the most competitive credit cards are usually reserved for people with excellent credit ratings. If your credit score doesn’t measure up, don’t be surprised if you get turned down if you apply for a top credit card.But that doesn’t mean you can’t get credit
Read more…How to biuld, or, rebuild your credit history (United Kingdom)
Myth: Closing old accounts will improve my credit score.While many people advocate closing old and inactive accounts as a way from improving credit, it many cases it may actually lower your score, as it may change your debt-to-available-credit ratio and make your credit history appear artificially shorter. If you want to reduce your levels of available credit, ask for your credit limits to be reduced, or close newer accounts instead.
Myth: My score will drop if I check my credit.Checking your own credit report is counted only as a “soft inquiry” and doesn’t harm your credit at all. Only “hard
Read more…Top 5 Credit Myths
By federal law, each of the 3 major credit bureaus is required to provide you with one free copy per year of your credit report (though not your credit score ) upon request. It is important to review this information not only to track and improve your financial health, but also to ensure against fraud and identity theft. Because of this, it is advisable to space your requests out from the 3 bureaus throughout the year, like every 4 months, rather than requesting them all at the same time.
By law you are also entitled to receive a free copy
Read more…Free Annual Credit Report
The 3 C’s of credit: character, capital, and capacityThe 3 C’s of credit refer to character, capital, and capacity. These are areas the creditor generally looks at prior to making a decision.
CharacterFrom your credit history, the lender attempts to determine if you possess the honesty and reliability to repay the debt. They might ask the following questions in their evaluation:
Have you used credit before?
Do you pay your bills on time?
Do you have a good credit report?
Can you provide character references?
How long have you lived at your present address?
How long have you been at
Read more…Credit Reports
Be sure to look at each of your reports every year. It’s simple, it’s free and it’s crucial: Old or inaccurate information could cost you a job, an apartment or a lot of money when you borrow.
By MSN Money staff
All Americans are entitled to free credit reports every year from each of the three major credit bureaus. The credit reports used to cost as much as $9.50 each.
The three major credit-reporting agencies, Equifax, TransUnion and Experian, are each required to provide consumers, upon request, a free copy of their credit report once every 12 months.
The reports will not be
Read more…How to get a credit report for free
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