Archive for the ‘Free Credit Reports’ Category
Boost your Credit, by Stretching the Truth
Posted by: admin in Free Credit Reports on March 27th, 2009
It’s been said that a white lie never really hurt anyone. We don’t know if that’s true or not, but they might be good for your credit score. Here are a few little lies that may help your FICO. It’s not really being dishonest (there’s enough of that going around lately), it’s more like embellishing your side of the story so financial providers will look more favorably upon you.
Most lenders don’t report every single transaction or late payment. That’s not necessarily something you want to bring to their attention. If you’ve slipped up a few times, and have ended up paying late more than once, and it doesn’t appear on your credit history, just thank the powers that be and make every effort to pay on schedule in the future. Conversely, if your payment history is immaculate, you may want to say something if there’s something lacking on your report. Missing information can make your credit history look not-so-appealing to potential lenders. If a good portion of your accounts are missing some information, a creditor may not have enough info to decide whether or not you’re creditworthy. To flesh out your credit report, call those lenders who aren’t so good at reporting transactions, and ask them to start communicating more about your credit history. Another thing to consider: The reports you’ll receive from each of the three main credit bureaus (Experian, Trans-Union, and Equifax) will most likely contain different information. Just because there’s a blemish on one report, doesn’t mean it will appear on the others.
The Perfect Credit Formula
Posted by: admin in Free Credit Reports on March 25th, 2009
Did you know that less than 1% of the United States population has “perfect credit?” The credit scale ranges from 300 to 850, and believe it or not, you too can reach that magical 850. All it takes is the mastery of a few key traits, and you’ll be a part of that 1% in no time:
- Keep the amount owed on all credit accounts less than 30% of your limit.
- Make sure you never have major discrepancies e.g. bankruptcy or foreclosure.
- Keep most of your accounts open for a long time, at least 10 years because you need at least 10 years of positive history to get anywhere close to 800 on your FICO score.
- A few “installments” in good standing e.g. auto loans or mortgage.
- Minimal late payments, overdraw charges, or any other account issues.
In addition to mastering these details, you really need to be checking your credit report at least once a year. This can help ensure that all your information is accurate and up to date. A quick tip, is that from each of the three major credit bureaus, Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion offer you one free peak at your report once a year.
Ten Things That Damage Your Credit Score
Posted by: admin in Free Credit Reports on March 21st, 2009
Your credit score is very important. That three-digit number could decide whether or not you get a house, a car, or sometimes even a job. It’s how potential lenders decide whether or not you’d be credit-worthy. Here, you’ll find out a few things that will negatively influence your score, and what you can do to prevent them.
Always, always try to pay your bills on time. 35% of your FICO score is your bill payment history, and consistently being late with payments will bring your score down. The only thing that’s worse than paying late, is not paying at all. Not paying on time will also result in late fees and other assessments by your credit card company. Paying on time, month after month, will not only keep your score from declining, but may improve it. Not paying for months on end will probably result in your account being charged off, and possibly sent to a collection agency.
Having an account sent to collections is very damaging to your credit score, and also to your future chances of getting credit, because it shows lenders and credit card companies that you don’t fulfill your end of the contract. Paying your bills on time will save a lot of money and stress in the future.
How to Maintain a High Credit Score
Posted by: admin in Free Credit Reports on March 20th, 2009
A lot of people aren’t exactly sure what their credit score is, or even what it means. Here, we’ll shed a little light on that elusive number.
An individual’s credit score is their FICO number. FICO stands for the Fair-Isaac Corporation, which is the company that first created the formula for attaining the best credit score. Nearly every purchase or bill payment is used to come up with this number. A FICO score is broken down like this: 35% for paying bills on-time, 30% for the ratio of debt to credit limit, 15% for the length of the credit history, 10% for new loan requests, and 10% for existing credit cards and loans. The highest credit score possible is 850, with anything above 700 being considered “good credit”. Having a FICO score of 700 or above is vital to ensure being able to get the best rates on loans and mortgages.
The Value of a Sparkling Credit Report
Posted by: admin in Free Credit Reports on March 14th, 2009
Prior to meeting with a lender to request a loan, sign up for a new cell phone service, purchase a car/home, or interview for a job, you should definitely check your credit history. The information on your credit report may influence whether or not you get the loan, cell phone, car/home, or job.
- What Information Shows Up On Your Credit Report?
Your credit report contains information regarding your financial behavior and past/present credit balances. It provides information like when a credit account was opened, the limit or loan amount, monthly payment amounts, and current balance. It will also show whether or not you’ve made payments on time. The report also contains information about bankruptcy, child support, and taxes. This type of information can remain on your credit report for seven years or more.
- What to Do if You Find Errors
If you find that your credit report is inaccurate, investigate immediately. The problem could be a simple error or something very serious like identity theft. The faster you correct the issue, the better. To correct credit errors, first notify the agency you have a dispute with and present them with the information you have to support your finding. Then you wait to see what happens and do what they tell you to do.