Get informed on how your credit report and score can affect your life.
Debt to income ratio is a financial term used to describe the percentage of an individual’s monthly income that goes towards paying debts. This figure provides creditors with an indication of an individual’s ability to make debt repayments, and is therefore an important factor in credit decisions.
Lenders use your credit score to determine your creditworthiness. It is essentially a grade that tells them how likely you are to pay them back in full and on time. This grade will influence whether you can get approved for mortgages, auto loans, credit cards, rental apartments, and even may affect your employment. Needless to say, it’s vital to keep up to date with your credit score, but how often can you check it?
Improving your credit score after finishing a debt relief program can be intimidating, but the process becomes easier when you break it down into smaller steps. Read on for 5 ways to increase your credit score after finishing a debt relief program.
As part of their annual study, Experian surveyed today’s consumer credit behaviors ― including how credit scores compare among the 50 states.
Credit scores are so misunderstood and generally regarded as a de facto measurement of borrowing strength. Also, many consumers misguidedly assume that credit scores include income, assets, or net worth in their calculations. We have prepared this guide to help clear up the muddle and help everyone become smarter about credit scores.
Almost every US citizen knows their Social Security number by heart, even if it’s a meaningless series of digits, but too few of us know our credit scores. Your credit score has a profound effect on your finances and future – and everyone should know their score and more importantly work on improving it. So how does a consumer make his or her score go up? Here are a few tips.
When you apply for a credit card, a personal loan, or insurance, a file about you is created. This file, known as your “credit report,” is maintained by credit reporting companies. Your report will grow to include […]
Building credit can be challenging when you don’t have any credit history to your name, and many don’t know where to start. You may or may not get approved for a credit card, auto loan or that apartment for rent if your credit history hasn’t been established. Here are three ways to shape your credit […]
What in life is really essential to our survival? It’s a pretty short list, headlined by food, shelter and clothing, but many people nowadays would also include a mobile phone among their list of indispensable “must-have” items. But did you know that a mobile phone payment could also affect someone’s credit scores? Currently, the account […]
How financial concepts are presented can have a big impact on how people feel about their bank statement. In August, Credit Karma worked with Qualtrics to survey over 1,000 people about their reactions to two descriptions of adjustable rate rules, one technical and one conversational. Their responses were highly correlated with their attitudes toward money […]
A good credit score is what each of us aspires to. After all, a credit score is one of the important determining factors when it comes to borrowing money – and getting a low rate when you do. But trying to pin down a specific number that means your credit score is “good” can be […]
Bounced checks occur when the promise to pay that you’ve signed can’t be processed because you don’t have enough funds in your checking account. They’re also referred to as rubber or non-sufficient funds (NSF) checks and are an expensive hassle that may cause the account you’re trying to pay to go to collections and hurt […]
A Credit Report is a detailed report of credit history that is gathered by three credit bureaus; Transunion, Equifax, and Experian. Things like personal loans, mortgages, credit cards, medical bills and car payments are some of the things that can be on your credit report. Lenders look at your credit report to determine your creditworthiness, […]
What is a Credit Score? Imagine that a friend asks to borrow money from you. Assuming you had the money to loan, you might then ask yourself, “Did he pay me back the last time he borrowed money? Did he pay me back the full amount? On time?” When you approach banks and lenders for […]
Credit scores significantly impact your financial and personal lives. When your finances and credit scores are in good working order, you can rest easier knowing that your financial future is more secure. Credit scores range from approximately 300-850. Here’s what they mean: (Keep in mind that these are approximations) 300-550 Poor May not be approved for […]
