Why You Should Never Dispute Credit Report Errors Online
Thanks to modern technology, you can do just about anything online, including dealing with errors on your credit report. While it sounds easy to initiate a dispute through the credit reporting agency’s website, it may not be a good idea. In fact, sometimes it is better to use a more traditional approach to ensure complete…
How To Rebuild Your Credit After Bankruptcy
Depending on your personal situation, filing for bankruptcy may be the best option to solve your financial problems. And while both Chapter 7 and Chapter 13 bankruptcy come with major repercussions, they certainly don’t end your ability to get credit for the rest of your life. Even though these items stay on your credit report…
Hidden Credit Builders: How to Add Positive Tradelines to Your Credit Report
Most people focus on removing negative items from their credit reports in order to improve their credit scores. While clearing up damaging items is an effective means of improving your score, you can also improve your credit by adding positive items. Just as negative information can be inaccurately reported, positive information may also have been…
Hard vs. Soft Inquiries: How They Affect Your Credit Score
Hard inquiries constitute an entire section on your credit report, but what exactly do they mean? If performed in excess, they can cause a huge drop in your credit score as well as cause potential lenders to think twice about your loan or credit card application. Find out what causes a hard inquiry and how…
What Is VantageScore 3.0?
While the FICO score remains the most popular credit scoring model in the U.S., the VantageScore model is quickly growing as a favorite amongst lenders. Developed jointly by the three major credit bureaus (Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion), VantageScore was used more than 6 billion times by lenders from mid-2014 to mid-2015. The original version was…
Does Buying a House Affect Your Credit Score?
Whether you’re a first-time homebuyer or have been around the house-buying block a few times, there’s no denying that purchasing a home is a huge financial decision. You’ll most likely have to make some sort of down payment and commit to that monthly mortgage payment for 30 years (unless, of course, you decide to sell…
What Is a Bad Credit Score? (And What You Can Do to Fix It)
Maybe you already know your credit score is lackluster, or maybe you’re dragging your feet to find out because you don’t want to know just how bad it is. Before worrying anymore about that dreaded three-digit number, find out just what is a bad credit score and what your financial options are if you have…
How Does Being an Authorized User Affect My Credit Score?
Whether you’re looking to lengthen your credit history or increase your credit score, becoming an authorized user can help establish better personal credit. And anyone with a credit card may have an authorized user added to the account, making it an easy process. However, there are a lot of responsibilities that come with being an…