Sep
29
Credit Report - How to Improve Your Credit Score
September 29, 2010 | Leave a Comment
One of the great mysteries of life is how the three major credit bureaus (Experian, Equifax, and Trans Union) score credit. They all have secret statistical formulas for determining your credit score, but they are unwilling to divulge exactly what, exactly, constitutes your score. This can make it difficult for people with problem credit to try to improve their score in hopes of obtaining a home or car loan later.
While the exact formula is a secret, there are a few things you can do that will undoubtedly improve your score:
Pay off a home equity line of credit. These loans, which allow you to borrow more than once against your home’s equity, are considered revolving credit, much like a credit card. Pay it down or pay it off; either should help your score.
Check your credit report regularly; you are entitled to a free copy of your credit report once a year. By looking over your credit report, you can make sure that debts you have paid on time are shown on the report, such as student loans, or auto loans that have been paid in full. You can also make sure that your credit limits on your credit cards are reported correctly. Lenders look at the ratio of debt to available credit, and if your reported credit limit is low, it could make it appear as though you are nearly at your credit limit.
Check for duplicate information on your credit report. If your mortgage has been sold to another firm, make sure that your report doesn’t show your mortgage twice.
Keep balances on credit cards and other revolving accounts low. You do not want to be seen owing too much money to too many different lenders.
Don’t have too many open credit accounts. Ten Visa cards will not help your credit rating. Try to keep a maximum of three revolving credit accounts.
By checking your credit report regularly, and by eliminating unusual entries, you should be able to increase your credit score. And with credit, every little bit helps.
©Copyright 2005 by Retro Marketing. Charles Essmeier is the owner of Retro Marketing, a firm devoted to informational Websites, including http://www.End-Your-Debt.com/ and http://www.HomeEquityHelp.net/
Popularity: 4%
Sep
26
What is a Credit Report?
September 26, 2010 | Leave a Comment
Ever wondered what is a credit report? If you’ve ever applied for a credit card, a personal loan, or insurance, there’s a file about you. This file is known as your credit report. It is full of information on where you live, how you pay your bills, and whether you’ve been sued, arrested, or filed for bankruptcy.
Consumer reporting companies sell the information in your report to creditors, insurers, employers, and other businesses with a legitimate need for it. They use the information to evaluate your applications for credit, insurance, employment, or a lease.
Having a good credit report means it will be easier for you to get loans and lower interest rates. Lower interest rates usually translate into smaller monthly payments.
Nevertheless, newspapers and the Internet are filled with ads for companies and services that promise to erase accurate negative information in your credit report in exchange for a fee. The scam artists who run these ads not only don’t deliver - they can’t deliver. Only time and a plan to repay your bills will improve your credit as it’s detailed in your credit report.
Here are details of the type of information that is collected and added to your credit report:
Identification and employment information:
Your name, date of birth, national insurance number, employer, and spouse’s name are noted routinely. The consumer reporting company also may provide information about your employment history, home ownership, income, and previous address, if a creditor asks.
Payment history:
Your accounts with different creditors are listed, showing how much credit has been extended and whether you’ve paid on time. Related events, such as the referral of an overdue account to a collection agency, also may be noted.
Inquiries:
Consumer reporting companies must maintain a record of all creditors who have asked for your credit history within the past year, and a record of individuals or businesses that have asked for your credit history for employment purposes for the past two years.
Public record information:
Events that are a matter of public record, such as bankruptcies may appear in your report.
You may freely reprint this article provided the author’s biography remains intact:
John Mussi is the founder of Direct Online Loans who help UK homeowners find the best available loans via the http://www.directonlineloans.co.uk website.
Popularity: 4%
Sep
23
Building A Credit Report Lenders Will Love You For
September 23, 2010 | Leave a Comment
Will lenders really love you for having a good credit report score? Love is not the right word of course; lenders are after your money, and never forget that. But the lender’s representative will love dealing with your credit application if your credit report is good. If you have a high credit score and spotless credit record, then when you apply for a large loan, you stand a good chance of not only getting the loan approved, but obtaining a competitive interest rate.
How, then, do you go about building up a good credit report score?
The most important thing you can do when beginning to build a good credit report is to always pay your bills on time and to never, ever borrow more than you can afford to pay back. It sounds simple and obvious, but unfortunately, credit can be very tempting, and if you allow yourself to be seduced by the allure of easy credit, you could quickly find yourself in some difficulty. Credit card debt is often the biggest and most impulsive temptation. However, it is essential for your financial well being, and for building a good credit report, that you set and remember your long term goals. You must resist the instant gratification of easy and expensive credit, such as with a credit card.
These days, if you have a good credit record, as reflected in your credit report, it means more than ever. Your chances of getting a car, a house, or being approved for personal loans or credit cards, has for many years been affected by your credit report. Increasingly, though, the report is being accessed for more reasons. Background checks by employers, for example, may include looking at your credit report, and even insurance companies sometimes consider credit reports when deciding whether or not to extend coverage.
To achieve a good credit record, you must have shown that you have borrowed money and then paid it back in accordance with the terms of a loan, with regard to both times and amounts. It also means that you have shown that you do not over extend yourself on credit. One thing to be careful about, though, is not to apply for a lot of loans or credit cards just to increase your chances of being successful in obtaining credit with one. If you do it too many times, you may look like a high risk.
It is a good idea to start building your credit reputation as a young adult. Whether through cell phone ownership or student credit cards, you can start to convince lenders you are a good credit risk, by paying on time every time, and if possible by more than the minimum.
A next step to building a good credit report score is by taking out a car loan. Cars are generally expensive, so a car loan is a real test of your credit score potential. Paying that loan off on time will have a wonderful affect on your credit reputation and report.
Once you have been using credit for a while, you may find it beneficial to monitor your credit and make sure all is well. Request a copy of your credit report once a year, from each credit bureau. It is important to know which of your credit accounts appear in which reports, and to ensure they are all accurate. It is okay to increase both spending and credit, so long as you do not over extend yourself. If you find mistakes on your credit report, make sure you follow the Bureau’s instructions to challenge it, in writing. If you follow these steps, you can get your credit rating up to an AAA status and keep it there.
Roy Thomsitt is the owner and part author of http://www.eliminate-credit-card-debt-now.com
Popularity: 4%
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