| |
| |
|
|
Credit Information |
|
Top 5 Credit Misconceptions
We have all heard the rumors?from neighbors, relatives or friends. There are a wide variety of myths floating around about what you should and shouldn't do to improve your credit reports and credit scores. The buck stops here! Phelps Creek Financial Coaching has exposed these urban legends to provide you with the truth about credit... 1. Your score will drop if you check your credit - Fortunately, this one is definitely not true.Checking your own report and score is counted as a "soft inquiry" and doesn't harm your credit at all. Only "hard inquiries" from a lender or creditor, made when you apply for credit, can bring your credit score down a few points. Worried about damaging your credit while shopping around for a loan? Multiple inquiries for the same purpose within a short amount of time (a few weeks) are grouped together into a less damaging period of inquiry. 2. Closing old accounts will improve your credit score - To close or not to close, that is the question. Many people advocate closing old and inactive accounts as a way for improving your credit. In most cases, closing accounts will actually have the opposite effect. Canceling old credit accounts can lower yourcredit score by making your credit history appear shorter. Think twice before closing the oldest account on your credit report. If you want to reduce your levels of available credit, ask for your credit limits to be reduced or close newer accounts instead. 3. Once you pay off a negative record, it is removed from your credit report - Negative records such as collection accounts, bankruptcies and charge-offs will remain on your credit report for 7-10 years after they are first posted. Paying off the account before the end of the set term doesn't remove it from your credit report, but will cause the account to be marked as "paid." It is still a good idea to pay your debts, it can improve yourcredit score, but the major improvement will come when the record expires. 4. Being a co-signer doesn't make you responsible for the account - When you open a joint account, co-sign on a loan or become an authorized user on someone's credit card, you are taking on legal responsibility for the account. Any activity on these shared accounts, good or bad, will show up on both people's credit reports. If you co-sign for a friend's auto loan and they don't make the payments, your credit profile will be hurt by their actions and visa versa. The only way to stop this double reporting is to refinance the loan or to have the creditor officially remove you from the account. 5. Paying off a debt will add 50 points to your credit score - Yourcredit score is calculated using a complex algorithm that takes into account hundreds of factors and values. It is very hard to predict how many points you can gain by changing one factor. For a person with a high credit score, just one late payment can cause a significant drop. If a person has a low credit score, it may not cause a large drop at all. There is no magical way to improve your credit score, just keep paying your bills on time, reducing your debts and removing negative inaccuracies from your credit report. Good financial behavior and time are the two most important factors on your credit score. Cindy S. Morus (www.phelps-creek.com) is a Certified Financial Recovery Counselor specializing in showing women and their families how to achieve financial well-being and peace of mind. She is also a Certified Credit Report Reviewer and Get Clients NOW!? licensee. Contact her at 541-387-2995 or cmorus@phelps-creek.com She is also the publisher and editor of "Financial Fitness", an internet gazette dedicated to helping people improve their financial fitness no matter what decisions were made in the past.
MORE RESOURCES:
Credit - Google News |
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
Tackling Bad Credit The first time I heard the term credit history was when I approached a lender for a secured loan. Being a first timer I was completely ignorant of the procedure and didn't even know that a credit record of our transactions is prepared by some credit reference agencies. The Credit Card Surprise That You Need to Look Out For Companies that issue credit cards want to make a profit. No one disagrees with that. New Credit Advice: Dont Pay off Those Credit Cards! Credit needed for real estate mortgage financing differs from credit needed for consumer loans. If you need help getting a home mortgage, these credit tips will help you. Manage Your Credit Wisely Getting your first credit card is a big deal and all young people look forward to it with bated breath. We wait for years to be able to apply successfully for out own credit card. Are You The Only One Using Your Name? Identity theft has become an epidemic. Millions and millions of purses and wallets are stolen everyday and many of them are not just taken for the money inside. Shoppers Beware - Tis The Season It's the number one complaint from consumers and it only takes a moment for you to become a victim. While you search for holiday bargains, identity thieves are searching for targets - unsuspecting consumers. How Your Credit Rating Affects You, and How to Check It You might not know it, but every time you take out any kind of loan or credit or pay something back, it gets counted on your credit rating. Who keeps a record on you will vary according to where you live, but the big three credit reference agencies are Experian, Equifax and Trans Union. How Can A Qualified Mortgage Consultant Help Boost Your Credit Scores? Consumers interested in purchasing or refinancing a home will pay an interest rate based on current market conditions and their ability to pay back the loan. The borrower's income and debt ratios are taken into consideration by the lender, as well as the predictability factor provided by credit scoring. Credit Cards: How To Use Them Credit cards can be a very quick way of getting into even more debt if you do not know how to use them properly. UK debt is now at an all time high and, excluding mortgages, Credit Cards are one of the main contributors. Learn The Truth About Identity Theft Identity theft is the fastest growing crime in America, according to a recently released FTC study. Did you know that the term "identity theft" did not exist until just a few years ago? It is a recent phenomenon that is causing a great furor around the world. Choosing The Best Credit Card To Apply For Always shop around to get the best deal when choosing which credit card to apply for. If you don't do your due diligence you could end up with a card that has too high of an interest rate, that has an unnecessarily high annual membership fee, etc. How To Avoid Becoming A Victim of Identity Theft With identity theft statistics currently at an all time high, and climbing, it just makes sense that we should all be doing everything we can to protect ourselves.One of the most prevalent yet overlooked ways your personal information and passwords may be being compromised is through the presence of Spyware on your computer. How did a Thief get my Name? Don't be a Victim of Identity Theft How do these people get my name? If you have a credit card, your name is sold to third parties, if you do not want this to happen, you must contact your credit card companies to inform them that you do not want your information sold. Check the privacy notice that comes with your bill. Credit Verus Debt Secured and unsecured debt - what's the difference?It's easy to just think that debt is just debt, but in reality, there are different types of loans, and it's important to know what which type you have.You will need to understand the differences in order to be a good money manager, or, if the worse happens and you find yourself turning to credit or debt counseling, you'll need to understand how different types of debt can be handled. Stop Credit Card Offers You can stop receiving credit card offers in the mail! It's really easy to do - just phone 1-888-567-8688 and follow the prompts and provide the requested information including Social Security number, date of birth, etc.Do this for every adult member of your household, including college students. Is Your Credit Score Costing You Money? Most of us want a good credit report to obtain automobile financing, credit cards, and to purchase a home. But, beyond these consumer loans, your credit report can cost you in everyday living expenses. Do You Know The Top Five Credit Card Mistakes? When you're dealing with credit cards, you're playing with fire. Unfortunately, there are plenty of people out there who don't realise that, and make all sorts of dangerous mistakes with their credit cards every day. Credit Card Benefits and Drawbacks Credit cards have both benefits and drawbacks. It is wise to consider both before applying for a credit card. What is a Credit Card? A credit card allows you to buy things even though you might not have the money to pay for it right away. The company that gave you the card lets you spend up to an agreed sum and then makes additional money available to you as you pay off what you've spent. 7 Surefire Ways To Repair Bad Credit Do you have a poor credit rating? If so, you are one of tens of thousands of Americans with the same problem. In fact, it seems that this has become a national 'disease.
|
||||||||||||||||||||
