Here’s a bit of trivia that might surprise you: you’re more likely to have a credit score around 694 if you use BellSouth as your email address domain, while you’re likely to get a score of just 640 if you use Yahoo!. This is according to a study done by CreditKarma.com1, which also revealed that [...]
First things first – having a lot of credit cards at hands makes it stupidly easy to blow all your money away. This also makes it possible to raise your credit score, improve on your credit report and get a lot of nifty bonuses. So this is the question: how do you know if you [...]
Some people think that defaulting on a loan (or three) is the end of the world. The sudden drop of credit score and the stigma of failing to meet financial obligations can be a very traumatic experience indeed. If you’re one of these people, then don’t lose hope! Give those debts enough time, though, and [...]
Experian has recently released a study showing the top 10 cities with the highest credit scores across America, with 8 out of 10 found in the Midwest1. Wasau, WI took the top spot with an average credit score of 789. The city of 39,000 was finally considered big enough to be included in Experian’s study. [...]
We previously discussed a case where taking on additional credit cards can be of great help to boosting your credit score. There are, however, some instances where that might not be a good idea. This cannot be more apparent than when you’re planning to make a big purchase in the immediate future. Take for example [...]
It pays to check your credit report – especially when an error can cost you your life. This is exactly what happened to Rita Katz, who was declared dead by credit reporting agency Experian and subsequently denied any form of credit financing. Katz runs a theater and art gallery, and has worked as a campaign [...]
What you believe to be true may not necessarily be true at all. Compare your beliefs about your credit status with these myths and facts below: MYTH: Never missing a payment will get you the best interest rates. FACT: A long history of timely payments, proven responsibility in handling multiple types of loans, stable income [...]
Children have always been a favorite target of identity thieves. It takes years before they realize the value of credit, and will find themselves deep in debt by the time they do. Dead children, however, are particularly easier to steal an identity from. The Identity Theft Resource Center’s Joanne Crane explains that the Social Security [...]
Stumped on how to raise your credit score? Here are a few other less-well known techniques courtesy of Christina Couch’s column on CardRatings.com: Goodwill is one of the perks of being a “good” credit customer. Being on friendly terms with card issuers combined with a long history of reliable payments could be enough for credit [...]
The FICO score of the average American is anywhere between 600 and 800 – with the median set at 723. Those lucky few with a score of 850 (the ‘perfect’ FICO score) fight to keep their finances in check. But what about those in the other end of the spectrum? What does a person need [...]