How to Increase Your Credit Score

In order to improve your credit score, it's important to know where your credit stands currently.  By understanding how your credit report looks now, you can see what factors are driving down your credit score and what aspects of your credit needs work to increase your credit score.  Your credit score is calculated based on the information in your credit report.  Any errors or negative information in the credit report can push your credit score lower as can limited credit or limited … [Read more...]

Advantages of a Good Credit Report and a Good Credit Score

The benefits and advantages of a good credit score and good credit report is far greater than just obtaining the ability to have easy access to credit.  There are several advantages to maintaining a credit score of which one is certainly, lower rates for new credit and bank loans. Lenders will use a credit report, along with a credit score, an evaluation of your capacity to repay and any collateral in making decisions to lend you money.  Most lenders also take these same matters into … [Read more...]

Credit Reports are the Foundation for Credit Scores

A credit score, often referred to as a FICO score, is a number based on the information in an individual’s credit file or credit report.  Because your score is constructed from the information in your credit report it is always worthwhile to review your credit report to find out what is causing either a low credit score or a good credit score.  In fact, it is hard to improve your credit score numbers if you don’t know what is in your credit report causing the low numbers.   Since a … [Read more...]

Credit Score Quick Facts

Here are some quick facts about credit scores that consumers should keep in mind when reviewing their credit score, credit report or putting together a plan to help improve their credit scores. You need to have and use credit to have a credit score.  Credit reporting agencies gather and report a consumer's credit history that includes debt repayments to credit cards, auto loans, mortgages and other creditor accounts.  Credit reporting agencies also record information on judgments, liens, … [Read more...]

Bankruptcy and Credit Scores

A bankruptcy record in a credit report can take a big bite out of a credit score.  A bankruptcy is considered one of the most damaging occurrences in a credit report measured by the major credit score models, regardless of the type bankruptcy. As long as the bankruptcy filing is listed in a credit report, it is calculated into the credit score.  The more time that goes by after the bankruptcy is initially recorded in the credit report the less the impact the bankruptcy will have on the … [Read more...]

Remove Inquiries from Credit Report Sample Letter

When trying to improve a credit score, removing inquiries from the credit report can help.  Inquiries, as a rule, have very little impact on a credit score but they can shape the score if there are a number of credit report inquiries in a short period time recorded in the credit report especially when the individual credit report has a limited credit profile or credit history. Before a consumer pursues the process of trying to remove the inquiries from a credit report they should be … [Read more...]

Remove Inquiries from Credit Report

Since the Fair Credit Reporting Act allows only authorized inquiries to appear in a consumer credit report, consumer can remove inquiries from a credit report.  To remove inquires from a credit report a consumer should first be fully aware of the credit inquiry and credit score process. According to the Fair Credit Reporting Act, businesses with a permissible purpose may review the information in your credit report.  Every time you apply for credit whether it is a mortgage or credit card, … [Read more...]

Credit Score Scale

In order to improve a credit score or to know the likelihood of being approved for a loan or credit request, a consumer should know what the range of credit scores are or what the appropriate credit scale is.  The common credit score scales available are not absolute measures, but can be used as a good guide on where an individual’s credit score falls within the available range of scores.  There is not one credit score scale.  Credit scores are determined based on the information in an … [Read more...]

Credit Check Agencies

Credit check agencies are companies that collect and sell information about the credit history of an individual.  The report that the credit reporting agencies produce regarding consumer credit histories are called a credit reports.  A credit check agency is a term that covers a number of different types of credit reporting agencies.  Credit check agencies are also known as consumer reporting agencies and credit bureaus. The credit check agencies or credit reporting agencies take in a … [Read more...]

FTC Targets More Credit Repair Operations

Since a good credit score and credit history has become so important for consumers to obtain credit and housing and insurance and other products and services, companies that target consumers who have poor credit histories with promises to clean up their credit report have run amuck.  The FTC is one government agency responsible for curtailing fraudulent, deceptive, and unfair business practices regarding credit repair organizations.  The FTC announced in the first week of September that … [Read more...]