Credit is important in many aspects of our lives. Having good credit not only influences the decisions of insurance companies, landlords, utilities, and employers, but it also increases your chances of borrowing money and getting a lower interest rate. There is no better way to monitor your credit than to check your credit report regularly, …
Your credit report and score can impact your financial situation. Our resources can help you better understand it, learn how to correct mistakes, and improve your credit history over time. You know your credit report is important, but so is the information that the credit reporting company used to create it – and you have …
Home equity loans have relatively low interest rates, especially when compared to unsecured debt like credit cards. If you are one of the millions of Americans who are burdened with consumer debt, taking out a home equity loan to pay off high-interest debt can be a very attractive option. Main recipients Consolidating high-interest debt from …
Your credit score range tells lenders what category of borrower you fall into. Credit scores are calculated using a formula that includes five variables: payment history, amount owed, length of credit history, credit mix, and new credit. Your credit score range can affect the interest rate you pay your lender and can even influence whether …
The credit repair industry is somewhat shady, and scams are common. Some companies promise to remove accurate negative information from your credit reports or to improve your credit score by a certain number of points. Some say they can accomplish things you yourself can’t do, but this isn’t true. Although you can repair your credit …
According to Steve Weissman, credit repair is part police work and part legal expertise. “Legitimate credit repair companies know how to find errors in credit reports and know how to provide enough evidence to convince the credit reporting agencies to remove such false information,” Weissman said. While this may not count as an episode of …
What is the annual percentage rate (APY)? Annual Return (API) is the interest rate earned on an investment within one year, which is compound interest. The higher the API the better as your returns will be higher. You can compare the APIs of different financial institutions to ensure that the account you open offers the …
FICO Score Ranges 850–800 excellence 799–740 very good 739–670 Excellent 669–580 Prove legality 579–300 Very weak Keep in mind that creditors can define their own ranges, so technically an individual can have more than one credit score. However, because the FICO scoring model dominates the market, the ranges listed above are the most commonly used. …
In the fourth quarter of 2023, U.S. credit card debt increased, reaching $1.13 trillion, an increase of $50 billion, or 4.6%, from the previous quarter. A variety of factors contributed to this increase, including rising interest rates and inflation. Increased credit card debt means Americans pay more in interest and have less eligible income to …
Banks and other lenders regularly check your credit score to assess whether they should lend you money or extend you credit. Financial institutions prefer to lend to borrowers with good credit (usually defined as a credit score above 670). Finding your credit score is quick and easy, and it won’t affect your rating. Will checking …