The cost of filing bankruptcy has risen since the amendments to federal bankruptcy law were added in 2005. Filing bankruptcy costs can be complicated due to the different fees that may have to be paid. The costs of filing bankruptcy can be quite low for consumers who handle the filing and petition on their own or more expensive if an attorney is involved and the case is complicated with various assets and contracts. There are many different options for consumers to deal with their debt … [Read more...]
Pay For Delete Letters to Remove Delinquent Accounts
June 11, 2010 By Leave a Comment
A pay for delete letter is a useful tool to try to eliminate a delinquent credit item from your credit report. A pay for delete letter is a means used to arrange for a settlement on a severely delinquent account in which the sender is requesting that the creditor remove the delinquent record in return for paying the account off. The payoff amount can be the full amount or an offer to settle for a lesser amount. The letter can be used in a variety of situations were the debtor wants to … [Read more...]
Your Credit Score May be Too Low
June 8, 2010 By Leave a Comment
Before the economy took a turn for the worse and credit became harder to obtain, good credit and a good credit score was a fairly well established number or close range of numbers. Now when it comes to the topic of a good credit score, that well defined range of credit scores that creditors and consumers would agree on is elusive. Tougher credit and greater credit awareness has elevated those numbers and what was once a good number is now reduced to a fair or poor credit score. A wide … [Read more...]
Credit Scores and Your Hospital Stay
June 7, 2010 By Leave a Comment
Hospitals have long struggled with handling delinquent medical bills of their patients. In recent years the business of identifying potentially risky customers in advance of rendering medical services has picked up steam. Credit scores have been used by lenders, landlords and insurers to evaluate consumer’s financial risk. Now the business of handling and managing medical bills has moved into the arena of credit scores and credit profiles. The medical credit score is intended to be … [Read more...]
Credit and Credit Scores after Bankruptcy
March 16, 2010 By Leave a Comment
Filing bankruptcy is a series decision that impacts an individual’s credit and credit score for quite some time. Bankruptcy doesn’t have to shut off credit access altogether nor does filing bankruptcy have to be significant detriment for financial success. There are certainly numerous cases of individuals that have filed for bankruptcy and rebounded stronger and gone on to create significant wealth. A bankruptcy is always one of the biggest negative factors that impact a credit … [Read more...]
Will a Debt Consolidation Loan Help My Credit Score?
March 9, 2010 By Leave a Comment
A: Debt consolidation loans are one of many alternatives to help improve an individual’s financial position. Debt consolidation loans can reduce a number of monthly debt payments into one consolidated payment that will usually have a much lower monthly payment. The debt consolidation can certainly reduce monthly payments and reduce stress but the impact on credit scores will generally be fairly small shortly after the loan. Over time a debt consolidation loan can improve a credit score … [Read more...]
Drawbacks of Credit Cards and Credit Use
March 5, 2010 By Leave a Comment
One of the primary reasons consumers run into credit issues and subsequently suffer with a low credit score is too much credit card debt. Excessive and unmanageable credit card debt not only causes credit and credit score problems but also is a primary cause of personal bankruptcy filings. The use of credit usually involves spending money that is not readily available. Obtaining a home mortgage is one form of credit in which borrowers use the money extended with the credit to buy a … [Read more...]
Watch for Debt Collection Scams
March 4, 2010 By Leave a Comment
Debt collection scams can cost consumers financially as well as cost time and aggravation. Debt collection scams and errors occur when the information about a consumer’s debt is recorded incorrectly. Errors regarding debts and debt collections may include minor issues such as the wrong amount recorded in the credit report or major issues such as the wrong person being attributed to the bad debt. Errors often occur when a bad debt is released or sold from the original creditor to a … [Read more...]
Managing Money and Credit
March 2, 2010 By Leave a Comment
Learning how to manage money the right way is an important step for individuals to take toward controlling their financial position. Understanding where your money is coming from and where it’s going to, not only helps to manage a household budget but can make sure that an individual’s credit remains good as well as helping to improve credit and credit scores that are already weak. One of the first steps toward financial control and sound credit management is to calculate your net … [Read more...]
Credit Scores and Credit Limit Changes
February 28, 2010 By Leave a Comment
Credit scores are influenced and change up and down to a number of attributes found in an individual’s credit report. The FICO credit score is the most common credit score used by lenders. In calculating credit scores, the FICO score is derived by analyzing the data in an individual’s credit report and will change as the credit report data changes. A number of factors are weighed in a credit report to come up with the credit score. Factors include length of credit, payment … [Read more...]